Sporting Director

Job Description

Bristol City Women is seeking a Sporting Director to lead all football-related activities and drive the club’s long-term sporting vision. Reporting directly to the CEO, the Sporting Director will be responsible for defining and executing a clear, cohesive football strategy across all areas, including recruitment, squad management, academy development, and performance services. The successful candidate will combine deep expertise in women’s football with strong leadership, strategic thinking, and a commitment to building a high-performance culture.

This role will play a critical part in establishing Bristol City Women as a competitive and progressive force in the game. This is a full-time, Bristol-based role with travel as required. Please note that recruitment for this position is supported by Bloom Sports Partners.

Sporting Leadership

• Define and deliver the club’s football strategy and overarching playing philosophy across all levels, from academy to first team
• Lead the football management structure, ensuring alignment across all sporting departments
• Establish clear player pathways and succession planning in collaboration with the Academy Manager
• Oversee player trading, recruitment strategy, and squad planning
• Act as the primary liaison between football operations and executive leadership on all sporting matters
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of trends and best practices in coaching and player development

Organisational Leadership

• Embed a high-performance culture across all sporting functions, driving accountability and continuous improvement
• Lead, develop, and manage a multidisciplinary team of senior staff
• Build strong relationships with the CEO, Board, ownership group, and key external stakeholders
• Collaborate effectively with internal departments, including commercial and operations teams
• Represent the club at league and competition meetings
• Oversee recruitment strategy and squad development in collaboration with the Head Coach and Head of Recruitment
• Monitor and evaluate recruitment outcomes, ensuring a strong return on investment both on and off the pitch
• Support the development of academy players transitioning into the first team
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with agents and intermediaries
• Build and manage an effective scouting network
• Ensure all recruitment and transfer activities comply with FA, UEFA, and FIFA regulations

Budget & Risk Management

• Work closely with the CEO and senior leadership to manage the football budget across all sporting areas
• Ensure compliance with financial, legal, and safeguarding responsibilities within football operations
• Identify and mitigate financial and reputational risks in a timely and effective manner

Key Objectives

• Establish a clear and compelling football strategy aligned across all sporting functions
• Achieve promotion to the Women’s Super League (WSL) and secure long-term top‑tier status
• Build a sustainable, data‑informed model for player recruitment, development, and retention
• Embed data and analytics into decision‑making across recruitment, performance, and analysis
• Develop a leading regional academy and player pathway in the southwest of England
• Drive professional standards, structure, and accountability across all football operations

• Results‑driven, resilient, and innovative, with strong decision‑making capability under pressure
• Deep commitment to the growth and professionalisation of women’s football
• Collaborative and low‑ego, with the ability to build trust across all levels of the organisation
• Comfortable operating in a fast‑paced, evolving environment
• Curious and committed to continuous learning and development
• Self‑aware, reflective, and accountable

Experience

• Proven leadership experience in a senior football role (e.g. Sporting Director or equivalent)
• Strong understanding of elite women’s football and high‑performance environments
• Demonstrated experience in squad building, recruitment strategy, and talent development
• Experience managing budgets and operating within financial constraints
• Track record of building culture and aligning multidisciplinary teams

Skills

• Strong leadership and…