Senior Talent Lead, Football Association

Senior Talent Lead, FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

The Football Association has an exciting opportunity for a Senior Talent Lead who will be responsible for shaping and delivering the talent strategy, encompassing recruitment, learning & development and talent management. This role primarily ensures the attraction and development of high‑calibre, diverse talent through team leadership, highly effective stakeholder relationships and business partnering, bringing true subject matter expertise across the talent lifecycle.

The Senior Talent Lead manages a team of 4, oversees the recruitment and development of key leadership roles, strategic projects, and partners with senior leaders to support strategic objectives and foster a high‑performance culture through delivering a talented and diverse workforce.

In order to apply, please send your cover letter and CV through to Eton Bridge Partners, who we have partnered with to support us throughout this process.

• Lead the HR talent team to play their part in the successful implementation of our HR strategy, ensuring we build a talented and diverse workforce.
• Partner with senior management and department leaders to align talent strategies with organisational goals.
• Develop internal and external talent pipelines and support succession planning.
• Deliver accurate reporting and insights to inform decision‑making.
• Shape and implement strategic initiatives focused on data, technology, and continuous improvement.
• Support organisational culture initiatives and internal communications in collaboration with senior leadership and HR.
• Champion The FA's values and role‑model behaviours to foster an inclusive, respectful, and high‑performing environment that the team enjoy being part of.
• Manage the budget for recruitment, talent programmes, and learning and development.

• Lead the end‑to‑end recruitment and selection process for senior leadership, experienced hires, and talent programmes, ensuring best practice and a leading candidate and hiring manager experience.
• Advise on all aspects of the recruitment cycle, including requirements gathering, attraction, advertising, shortlisting and selection, assessment and offer management.
• Manage recruitment administration, including role advertising, interview scheduling, and CV long listing.
• Conduct interviews and ensure robust, inclusive selection processes.
• Oversee regular reporting to senior management on recruitment metrics, including cost and diversity, and drive periodic review and improvement of recruitment processes.
• Develop and enhance employer brand, broadening candidate reach and supporting diversity and inclusion objectives.
• Manage relationships with external partners and platforms (e.g. Page Up, Linked In, Leaders, Vercida, Evenbreak), including PSL of agencies, head hunters, technology providers, and advertising suppliers.
• Oversee annual apprenticeship programmes and other talent initiatives in the entry‑level careers space.

• Guide and support the team in building and delivering a comprehensive learning and development offer across all levels of the organisation, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
• Enable the team to procure, design, and facilitate leadership and management development solutions, providing direction and support throughout the process.
• Oversee and empower the team in the design and delivery of high‑potential programmes, assisting with scheduling, venue management, and logistics as required.
• Encourage the team to monitor and evaluate learning and development solutions, and to take action based on feedback and effectiveness.
• Support the team in managing relationships with external suppliers and partners (e.g., Akenham, Dynamic), including sourcing new suppliers as necessary.
• Work collaboratively with the team and HR Business Partners to address talent, learning, and development needs, offering advice and facilitating solutions.
• Oversee the team as they create learning solutions to support company‑wide and compliance education initiatives, both online and in person.
• Lead the team in delivering L&D projects such as…