Careers

About Us

Access Sport is a national charity with a vision that no one should be excluded from the transformational benefits of community sport. We are on a mission to make inclusion the norm in community sport by tackling the access barriers faced by disadvantaged and disabled children and young people.

We do this by training, equipping, and supporting community sports clubs, organisations, and volunteers to provide inclusive programmes, unleashing their potential to transform the lives of underserved young people in their local communities.

This work is either place based, Changing Places, or sport focussed, Changing Sports. All the clubs we support are invited to join our Inclusive Club Network.

In 2023/24 Access Sport engaged over 20,000 disadvantaged and disabled young people, with a strong representation from ethnically diverse communities, girls, and previously less active young people.

Films showcasing our work can be found on our YouTube channel. These include a recent film about Access Sport, our multi-sport festival in Bristol, our partnership with Nuffield Health in Greater Manchester and our 20th Anniversary film.  

About The Role

Summary

Access Sport is seeking a Head of Programme to lead our growing team on an ambitious journey to transform the lives of 50,000 children and young people by 2027.

You will drive the strategic vision of our Changing Places team, overseeing our place-based work in line with our Stand for Inclusion Growth Strategy. With a team of 15 passionate individuals, you will foster a high-performing, inclusive, and collaborative culture that makes a real impact.

We are looking for a dynamic leader with a proven track record of building strategic partnerships across local, regional, and national organisations - from trusted community organisations to core cities. Your ability to unite people behind a shared vision and create an environment where teams thrive will be central to your success.

This is a pivotal moment to join Access Sport. As we celebrate 20 years, 2024/25 is set to be our most impactful year yet - having already reached over 30,000 young people and secured £3m+ in funding. If you are ambitious, driven, and passionate about making inclusion the norm in sport, we want to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop Access Sport’s Changing Places programme, driving its strategic direction to optimise our reach, impact and sustainability, working closely with the CEO and Delivery & Impact Director to align with Access Sport’s strategy.  
• Manage and inspire a high-performing team, including 15 team members, with at least three direct reports, fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture.
• Provide strategic leadership as a key member of Access Sport’s Delivery Leadership Team, ensuring cross-programme alignment and contributing to organisational growth. The team is comprised of the CEO, Delivery Director and two Heads of Programme.
• Develop and maintain strong partnerships with national and local organisations, including Active Partnerships, national governing bodies, local authorities, leisure operators, health bodies, education providers, youth sector partners, and sport for development organisations. Work collaboratively with the CEO and Delivery & Impact Director to strengthen Access Sport’s profile and influence within these networks.
• Ensure strong financial oversight of the Changing Places programme, working closely with the finance team to manage budgets effectively.
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation, and impact measurement, working closely with the Monitoring & Evaluation Lead to ensure data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Lead the development of funding proposals and applications, working closely with the Fundraising team to secure investment for existing and new place-based programmes.
• Act as a senior ambassador for Access Sport, representing the organisation at key meetings, events, forums, and conferences to influence and inspire stakeholders.
• Champion and embed inclusive practices across all place-based work, ensuring that underrepresented and disabled young people have equitable access to sport and physical activity.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to enhance programme delivery, test new models of impact, and scale successful initiatives.
• Advocate for system-wide change, influencing policy and practice by working with key decision-makers to embed inclusive sport into local and national strategies.
• Contribute to Access Sport’s wider organisational culture, embracing and promoting our values while upholding the highest ethical and professional standards.

This list is not to be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive, as there may be other duties and requirements associated with the post, which Access Sport may call upon the post-holder to perform from time to time.

Person specification

Skills/experience

Essential

• Extensive leadership experience in the sport for development sector or a related field, with a deep understanding of policy, practice, and sector trends (e.g., public health, youth work, community engagement).
• Proven track record of developing, influencing, and managing high-level strategic partnerships with local, regional, and national organisations, including government bodies, funders, and community partners.
• Significant experience in leading, managing, and developing high-performing teams, including remote and multi-location teams, fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture.
• A strategic thinker with strong programme management skills, experienced in place-based programme design, feasibility assessment, delivery, and scaling impact.
• Strong financial and business acumen, with experience in budget management, financial planning, and securing investment for programmes.
• Evidenced communication and influencing skills, with the ability to represent the organisation externally, deliver compelling presentations, and build relationships at all levels.
• Demonstrated experience in driving system change and influencing policy, particularly in relation to inclusion and equity in sport and physical activity.
• A data-driven approach to decision-making, with experience in monitoring, evaluation, and using insight to refine and improve programme effectiveness.
• Understanding of governance and compliance within the charity sector, including safeguarding, risk management, and best practice in organisational leadership.

Desirable

• Lived experience of one or more of the underserved communities we support i.e. D/deaf, disabled, neurodivergent, ethnically diverse communities, women and girls, and low-socio economic backgrounds.
• Experience working within or closely alongside local government, Active Partnerships, national governing bodies, or other key stakeholders in the sport sector.
• A strong understanding of the wider funding landscape, with experience of securing investment from trusts, foundations, corporate partnerships, or statutory sources. 

Personal attributes

• A personal commitment to Access Sport’s vision and values.
• A passion for empowering underrepresented children and young people to reach their full potential through sport.
• Enthusiasm, energy and willingness to meet challenging demands and work to deadlines.
• A strong team player with good inter-personal skills.
• Self-motivated, able to use initiative and a highly flexible approach to work and quickly build positive relationships.
• Reliable and hardworking with the confidence to work independently.
• Proactive and adaptable; ability to use initiative to achieve outcomes.  
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and communicate effectively.  
• Demonstrate a commitment to continuing personal and professional development.

In addition:  

• The post holder must have the right to work in the UK. Access Sport is not able to sponsor visas.
• The post holder must be able to travel within the UK.
• The post holder may be expected to stay away for work purposes from time to time.

Flexibility

In order to work effectively in a changing environment, flexibility is required from the post-holder. Any other tasks that may be requested will be at the same level of responsibility and terms and conditions of employment. The role will require some travel for training delivery and to different Access Sport offices, as well as occasional unsocial hours including evenings and weekends in accordance with the demands of clubs and workshops.

Equal opportunities

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Access Sport is committed to creating an inclusive culture, through fostering a diverse workforce where everyone feels like they belong, differences are valued, and everyone can reach their potential. We are actively seeking to diversify and create a workplace that is welcoming for all, ensuring that our workforce is representative of wider society and the communities we support. If you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview stage, please contact us, details in section 6.

We offer disabled applicants the option of requesting that their application is considered under the terms of our Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS). If you wish to apply under our GIS, please indicate this in your cover email. For more information, please visit our Join the Team page.

Background checks

As this role may, at times, involve working in a regulated environment with young people, any offer will be conditional to satisfactory background checks which includes a criminal record check with the Disclosure and Barring Service and two references. 

Staff benefits

Access Sport is an exciting and dynamic place to work. We pride ourselves on being a close-knit and well supported team with a clear sense of purpose, delivering real impact. Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do.

We are committed to supporting the development of our team members and, should you wish, there are opportunities for team members to get involved in different aspects of the charity, from the delivery of our programmes on the ground, to fundraising, events and advocacy. 

Staff benefits include:

• Employee Assistance Programme - Access to a 24/7 confidential helpline, counselling services and online information.
• Annual leave - 28 days annual leave, including 3 days between Christmas and New Year, plus 1 extra day of leave per year of service for the first 5 years. This equates to 33 days of annual leave after 5 years of continuous service. Plus 8 days paid public holidays.
• Healthy Living and Wellbeing Employer - We welcome staff to embed regular exercise into their daily work lives and have quarterly team away days.
• Volunteering/ personal development days - Two additional days of paid leave each year to volunteer for an Access Sport club or other charity, or to use as personal development days.
• Pension – 5% employer pension contribution.
• New Mums and Dads, including adoptive parents, can take enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
• Flexible working and family-friendly - Hybrid and flexible working arrangements which are family-friendly and provide flexibility around caring responsibilities.
• 24/7 GP service to provide employees with a phone or video appointment at a time and date that suits them.
• Cycle to Work scheme - Cycle to work scheme, saving up to 39% off a new bike and accessories.
• Group Life Assurance for all staff on payroll.

Further Information

How to apply

The closing date for applications is Monday 14 April 2025.  

To apply, please email Careers@AccessSport.org.uk and attach:

• A copy of your CV.
• A covering letter, maximum two sides, that includes:
  • Why you are interested in joining Access Sport as the Head of 
    Programme, Place.
  • Evidence of your experience and knowledge that 
    demonstrates how you meet the person specification.
  • Ideas and/ or examples of how you would contribute to the 
    growth of Access Sport’s place-based work.
• A completed equal opportunities form, which can be found here: 
  www.AccessSport.org.uk/join-the-team

Candidates who have been shortlisted for an interview will be notified by 17 April 2025. The first interviews are currently due to take place w/c 22 April 2025.  

If you have any questions or would like to have an informal discussion about the role, please email Sue.Wheeler@AccessSport.org.uk.

Data protection  

Access Sport CIO will only process and store your personal information, this means any information that identifies or could identify you, for the purposes of recruitment, after which it will be securely disposed of.  

Apply for role

Closing date: 14th April 2025