Sports Management Development Manager

Sports Management Development Manager The Football Association of Finland is the country’s largest sports federation by number of participants and is responsible for Finnish football and futsal and their development. Finland has around 870 clubs, more than 160,000 registered players, and around 600,000 people engage with our sports every week. The Football Association’s values are joy, reliability, success and community. In line with our vision, football belongs to everyone. This position is open to everyone, regardless of background, gender, skin colour, sexual orientation or other personal characteristics. Would you like to play a significant role in building sporting success in Finnish football and futsal? Are you especially motivated by working with clubs and influencing how sports management expertise and practices develop in their everyday work? We are seeking a permanent SPORTS MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER to improve the quality of sports management in clubs and put development measures into practice together with clubs and the Football Association’s experts. The role combines nationwide development work, close collaboration with clubs and change management. Your role You will play a key part in developing Finnish sports management. Your work is linked to the Association’s strategic critical success factors, Capable Coaches and Goal-oriented Clubs, and to the development programmes Player Development to the International Top and Vitality for Top-division Clubs. Clubs are your key partners. You will work closely with football and futsal clubs, sports directors, coaching directors and other people leading sports activities to improve the quality of sports management. You will identify clubs’ differing needs and build practical operating models together with them and the Association’s experts. Your manager will be the Head of Research and Development in Sports, and you will also report on your work to the Association’s strategy team. You will collaborate closely with the strategy development manager, strategy team members and function leads. In this role, you will Gather, apply and implement research-based knowledge to develop sports management in different club environments. Develop the network of sports directors together with the Director of Sports and the Strategy Manager. Coordinate the content of football and futsal development days and the sports-related content of club dialogues. Participate in H&H pathway reviews, the High Performance Center project and the national support programme for young elite players, together with the development manager responsible for the KL league overall. Contribute to the club support model, the club service pathway and operational guidance for clubs and the H&H pathway. Identify clubs’ development needs and advance the necessary measures together with clubs and the Football Association’s club services. Take responsibility for developing and training the assessment of training sessions in the quality system, and participate in assessments and consensus meetings. Act as the owner of the training and match monitoring model and use assessment data to develop clubs. You can use your initiative and expertise to influence the content of measures and operating models for improving the quality of sports management in clubs. The profile we are looking for You understand different areas of sports management, such as the strategic and operational leadership of player development, developing players’ market value, player recruitment and data-informed management in sports. You can identify clubs’ different starting points and turn development goals into practices that work in their everyday environment. You build trust and can advance shared goals even without direct decision-making authority. The role also requires change-management skills: the ability to clarify the direction and benefits of change, communicate about it clearly, and involve staff and stakeholders. You turn plans into concrete measures, monitor their progress and make necessary adjustments, including in challenging situations. We also expect good project management, collaboration, communication and influencing skills, good IT skills and experience using electronic systems. You have a suitable bachelor’s or master’s degree or a qualification in sports, and sufficient Finnish and English language skills. Other language skills, previous experience in sports management and networks that support the role are considered an advantage. The role requires readiness to travel in Finland and, when necessary, abroad, and the ability to work occasionally in the evenings and at weekends. The position may be based at any Football Association office, but sufficient presence at the Helsinki office is necessary. Remote work is possible when duties permit, and collaboration with clubs also requires working in their own environments. The position starts as agreed, as soon as possible. What we offer A meaningful role at the heart of developing sports management in Finnish football and futsal. Support from a knowledgeable and motivated working community, with opportunities for continuous learning. Flexible working hours and good opportunities to combine work and leisure. Competitive compensation in the sports sector. Excellent employee benefits, including comprehensive occupational healthcare, leisure-time accident insurance, a sports and culture benefit, lunch benefit, commuter benefit and bicycle maintenance benefit. The opportunity to work closely with clubs and see the effects of development work in their everyday activities. Join us in developing Finnish football and futsal! Further information Nawia is the Football Association of Finland’s recruitment partner for this process. For more information about the position, contact: Business Director & Senior Consultant Tiia-Liina Aavisto, tiia-liina.aavisto@nawia.fi, 040 865 3463. The application period ends on 25 October 2026. Attach your CV and a free-form cover letter explaining why you are interested in the role. Please note that the application includes one video interview question. Applications sent by email will not be processed.