Inspire


club roles


There are many different roles required to run a grassroots football club.

A summary of some of these roles with a brief explanation of their responsibilities and the key skills needed to be successful at the role can be found within this section. Mandatory roles are required as part of the club accreditation with FAW and others are roles or functions that should be considered based on your own club’s circumstances.

A template job description has been provided for each of the mandatory and recommended roles, which can be downloaded by clicking below. You can use these to help you with resource planning, new volunteer recruitment and induction.

Volunteer roles

Role Type

Chairperson

Mandatory
Oversee the running of the club, ensuring that it is run efficiently and managed appropriately.View DetailsClose Details

Typical tasks

  • Leading club meetings
  • Providing overall leadership of the club
  • Supporting or developing the club culture/philosophy
  • Ambassadorial tasks for the club
  • Liaison with local partners such as local business, colleges and universities, other sports clubs

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiastic and motivating
  • A good leader who can be objective as well as empathetic
  • Confident and a good communicator; able to represent the club at external meetings
  • Able to ensure meetings run smoothly and efficiently
  • Easy to approach with good listening skills
  • Well organised and happy to delegate

Treasurer

Mandatory
Ensure that the club stays financially sustainable, pay all expenses, and collect any monies owed to the club.View DetailsClose Details

Typical tasks

  • Keeping accurate records of all incoming and outgoing money on behalf of the club
  • Recording and collecting subscriptions from club members
  • Providing regular financial reports to the committee
  • Ensuring accounts are audited (if required) and presenting at AGM
  • Long term financial planning to ensure the club’s sustainability

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Well organised – able to keep up to date financial records
  • Meticulous when handling money and cheques
  • Honesty and integrity
  • Good understanding of numbers
  • Simple communication of finance to non-finance people
  • Able to answer questions of a financial nature in meetings

Secretary

Mandatory
A critical role within a club; the secretary is the primary contact for FAW officials, leagues, team managers, and the club.View DetailsClose Details

typical tasks

  • Looking after the main administrative duties
  • Overseeing affiliation to leagues and cup competitions
  • Collection and payment of fines
  • Administration of all club correspondence

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Well organised
  • Experienced in computer and administration skills
  • Able to maintain confidentiality
  • A good communicator, both verbal and written skills
  • Good listening skills

Club Safeguarding Officer (CSO)

Mandatory
Ensure the club operates a safe, child friendly environment and promotes good practice in line with the FAW and the organisation’s Safeguarding and Welfare Policies.View DetailsClose Details

Typical tasks

  • Administering criminal records checks – called DBS checks (Disclosure & Barring Service)
  • Ensuring coaches and relevant personnel have current and valid DBS checks and have registered with the club on the COMET system
  • Ensuring coaches and relevant personnel have the necessary qualifications to undertake their roles
  • Ensuring the club meets at least the Standard level of the Club Accreditation Programme (in partnership with club colleagues)
  • Acting as the point of contact for minor safeguarding/welfare issues at club level
  • Reporting issues that cannot be dealt with at club level to League Safeguarding Officer or the FAW safeguarding team
  • Implementing safeguarding best practice at club level
  • Complying with the CSO Code of Conduct

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Ability to maintain records
  • Ability to provide basic advice, based on club and FAW safeguarding policies
  • A child focussed approach
  • Integrity and trustworthiness
  • Good communication skills

Team Manager / Coach

Mandatory
All teams will require a manager to organise fixtures, lead the team on matchdays and organise training. We encourage clubs to split these roles in order to lighten the workload for one person, but recognise that in some cases this person may also be the team’s coach. View DetailsClose Details

Typical tasks

  • Organising training sessions
  • Leading teams on matchdays
  • Communicating logistics to players
  • Supporting the development of players

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Attention to detail
  • Forward planning
  • Motivator
  • Relevant coaching qualification and DBS check

First Aider

Mandatory
Each age group team requires at least ONE first aid qualified person to ensure the safety of all players.View DetailsClose Details

typical tasks

  • Manage any first aid incident
  • Ensure everyone is safe
  • Liaise with medical professional, parents, carers
  • Keep accurate records of incidents
  • Keep first aid kit and equipment up to date and well stocked

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Ability to maintain records
  • Ability to administer first aid, based on the FAW first aid course
  • Integrity and trustworthiness
  • Good communication skills
  • Ability to remain calm under pressure
  • Works well in a team

COMET Champion

Mandatory
To be the primary contact and main user of COMET (COMET is our online club administration system).View DetailsClose Details

Typical tasks

  • Supporting other club members in using the system
  • Setting up and amending users within the club system
  • Helping to resolve club issues experienced on COMET
  • Keeping records up to date
  • Be a key contact for the FAW

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Well organised
  • Experienced in computer and administration skills
  • Passion to learn and develop especially in relation to COMET
  • Interest/experience with technology is helpful, but not required
  • Attention to detail

Equality Champion

Recommended
Being an advocate within the club to develop and promote equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).View DetailsClose Details

TYPICAL TASKS

  • Leading on matters relating to equality, diversity and inclusion
  • Promote active conversations about equality, diversity and inclusion throughout the Club
  • Ensuring the club has up to date policies, procedures and is adhering to Equality legislation and FAW guidelines
  • Providing advice and guidance to Club Officials and Members, signposting to appropriate services where required

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Good listening skills
  • Honesty and integrity
  • A person-centred approach with the ability to inspire others

Groundskeeper

Recommended
To complete the annual maintenance schedule and prepare the pitch(es) for match days.View DetailsClose Details

Typical tasks

  • Preparing and maintain the facility(ies) in accordance with the annual maintenance programme
  • Ensuring the pitch(es) are matchday ready
  • Preparing and maintain any equipment
  • Communicating with coaches, committee members and others about facility usage
  • Following necessary health and safety regulations

useful skills for this role

  • Enjoys working in the outdoors
  • Good attention to detail
  • Happy to work alone
  • Great self-motivator
  • Excellent planning, organisation and time management skills

Volunteer Co-ordinator

Recommended
To help develop a volunteering culture within the club, from planning and recruitment of volunteers through to ensuring that volunteers feel supported and valued, and have the confidence and knowledge to undertake their roles.View DetailsClose Details

Typical tasks

  • Acting as the initial point of contact for current and potential volunteers
  • Encouraging more people to help out
  • Putting people in roles that suit their skills, interests and availability
  • Providing new volunteers with the support and information to help them carry out their role
  • Ensuring the club values and recognises the contribution of its volunteers
  • Retaining the existing group of volunteers while growing the base

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Good organisational skills
  • Friendly and approachable personality
  • Great communication skills
  • Empathy – being a fellow volunteer helps
  • Understanding of time management

Coaching Co-ordinator

Recommended
To develop a vibrant coaching structure, which aims to ensure players have enjoyable and developmental experiences, arranging mentoring sessions and opportunities to support coaches to develop and progress as well as support the recruitment of new coaches alongside the club Volunteer Co-ordinator.View DetailsClose Details

Typical tasks

  • Creating an appropriate coaching structure for the club, based on its’ size and focus
  • Implementing a mentoring and support system for new and existing team managers/coaches
  • Promoting and signpost coach development opportunities to team managers/coaches
  • Signpost team managers/coaches to relevant coach education courses and development opportunities

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Great communication skills
  • Knowledge on the coaching pathway and development opportunities
  • Good listening skills

Fixtures Secretary / Co-ordinator

Recommended
Responsible for organising pitches for home games and ensuring that the club’s teams can play all of their games.View DetailsClose Details

typical tasks

  • Booking facilities
  • Communicating with visiting team or the league
  • Liaise with groundskeepers
  • Communicate with home managers and coaches

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Well organised
  • Experienced in computer and administration skills
  • A good communicator, both verbal and written skills

Accreditation Officer

Recommended
To complete the annual club accreditation process.View DetailsClose Details

Typical tasks

  • Determining the level of accreditation the club would like to achieve
  • Reviewing the criteria and aligning what the club has and what is needed
  • Completing the application process
  • Acting as a point of contact for the FAW Trust
  • Communicating the club’s achievement to members and the wider community

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • A good communicator, both verbal and written skills
  • Experienced in computer and administration skills
  • Passion to learn and develop especially in relation to COMET
  • Ability to maintain records and keep a track of upcoming outstanding qualifications
  • Understanding of time management

Social Media, Marketing or Communications Co-ordinator

Recommended
The role promotes the activities of the club with the aim of increasing profile and thereby club membership, raising income or improving the club’s reputation.View DetailsClose Details

typical tasks

  • Raising the profile of the club in the community
  • Building relationships with local media
  • Ensuring the club website and social media feeds provide up to date and relevant information
  • Reporting on club events and compiling match reports
  • Running mini social media campaigns

useful skills for this role

  • Confident and approachable
  • Enthusiastic and naturally curious
  • A strong communicator, with good writing and verbal skills
  • Well organised
  • Experienced in computer skills – curious about digital platforms
  • Interested in marketing/promotions/social media or dealing with the local media

Committee / Board Member

Other
Some clubs may have one or more ‘general’ committee members who may play an important role supporting the club. Consider creating a role description for this role, providing specific tasks which could be done on a season-by-season basis and consider recruiting this more general support from your helpers as detailed below. Depending on the size and legal structure of the club, these roles may play a role as an ‘Independent Committee or Board member’ and will help provide expertise or advice objectively in support of the club.View DetailsClose Details

typical tasks

  • Help in making decisions to support the club grow, develop and sustain
  • Oversee different areas/activities within the club

useful skills for this role

  • A strong communicator, with good written and verbal skills
  • Creative thinking
  • Good listener

Club Helper

Other
Someone who helps out occasionally, with everything from matchday catering or refreshment through to supporting club events. Creating a team of helpers may appeal to club supporters who are happy to be involved on an ad hoc basis.View DetailsClose Details

typical tasks

  • General support of a club activity either during training, matchdays or away from the pitch

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Willingness to give different tasks a go
  • A good communicator

Team Support / Helper

Other
Often team coaches or team managers will have additional support who help with administration tasks or provide general ‘off-pitch’ support at training or on a matchday.View DetailsClose Details

typical tasks

  • General support of team activity either during training, matchdays or away from the pitch

useful skills for this role

  • Enthusiasm
  • Willingness to give different tasks a go
  • A good communicator

INSPIRE CASE STUDIES

All clubs have a story. It is about connecting and learning how they inspire their volunteers.