Job Title: Athlete Services & Engagement Officer
Based at: Home-based with some travel across the UK
Remuneration: £30,000-£33,000, dependent on experience
Hours: Full time
Contract: Permanent
About Switch the Play Foundation
At Switch the Play Foundation, we believe every sportsperson deserves the support, confidence and opportunity to thrive during and beyond their sporting career.
As the UK's only charity dedicated to supporting athletes through transition, we provide wellbeing support, career development opportunities, mentoring, education and personal development programmes that empower athletes to build fulfilling futures beyond sport.
As we continue to grow our reach and impact, we are looking for two enthusiastic, empathetic and proactive Athlete Services & Engagement Officers to play a central role in connecting athletes with life-changing support and opportunities.
About the role
This is a highly visible and rewarding role at the heart of our Athlete Services team.
You will often be the first point of contact for athletes engaging with Switch the Play Foundation, helping them explore their needs, aspirations and challenges through discovery calls and ongoing support conversations.
Beyond individual support, you will play a key role in delivering exceptional athlete experiences across our programmes. This includes facilitating workshops, delivering masterclasses, supporting events, engaging athlete communities, and ensuring athletes remain connected throughout their journey with us.
Working closely with colleagues, partners, mentors and external stakeholders, you will help create meaningful opportunities that support athlete wellbeing, personal development and successful transitions beyond sport.
This role requires someone who is passionate about supporting athletes, confident in front of groups, highly organised, and able to build trusted relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
Our offer to you
This is more than a job, it’s an opportunity to be part of a purpose-driven organisation creating meaningful change in people’s lives. At Switch the Play Foundation, our values shape everything we do. We care deeply about creating a positive, supportive and inclusive culture, reflected in our Team Code and in the way we work with colleagues, athletes and partners every day.
We are a small but ambitious team: collaborative, committed and driven by impact. We celebrate flexibility, trust and teamwork, and we know that great people do their best work when they feel supported.
The role is home-based with opportunities for flexible working, alongside the chance to contribute to an organisation with ambitious plans for growth and an even bigger ambition to change lives as people navigate away from sport.
Key Responsibilities
Athlete Engagement & Support
- Conduct discovery calls (initial athlete support conversation) with athletes to understand their needs, goals and circumstances and help shape their support journey
- Develop personalised support plans and connect athletes with appropriate programmes, services and opportunities.
- Act as a trusted point of contact throughout an athlete's journey with Switch the Play.
- Maintain regular communication and follow-up with athletes to encourage engagement and progression.
- Support athletes accessing mentoring, wellbeing services, education and employability programmes.
Workshop & Masterclass Delivery
- Facilitate athlete-facing workshops, webinars and masterclasses both virtually and in person.
- Support the design and delivery of engaging learning experiences across wellbeing, career development and personal growth topics.
- Create positive and inclusive learning environments that encourage participation and reflection.
- Gather feedback and insights to continuously improve programme delivery.
Programme & Event Support
- Support the planning, coordination and delivery of athlete events, networking opportunities and career pathway programmes.
- Work alongside internal teams and external partners to ensure high-quality athlete experiences.
- Assist with logistics, communications and participant engagement before, during and after events.
Athlete Community & Relationship Management
- Build and maintain strong relationships with athletes, mentors, coaches, NGBs, player associations, clubs and partner organisations.
- Act as an ambassador for Switch the Play Foundation and its services.
- Support initiatives that strengthen athlete engagement and community-building across our programmes.
- Help identify opportunities to increase athlete participation and retention.
Data, Insights & Administration
- Maintain accurate records within CRM systems and programme databases.
- Track athlete engagement and outcomes to support reporting and impact measurement.
- Collect feedback, case studies and insights that contribute to programme development and organisational learning.
- Support monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements across the Athlete Services team.
Wider Team Support
- Contribute to organisational projects and initiatives that support the growth and impact of Switch the Play Foundation.
- Collaborate across teams to ensure a joined-up approach to athlete support.
- Champion the organisation's values, culture and commitment to athlete wellbeing.
Key skills & Experience
Essential
- Experience working with athletes, sports organisations, player associations or National Governing Bodies.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
- Experience facilitating workshops, group discussions, training sessions or educational programmes.
- Ability to engage and build rapport with diverse groups of people.
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Confidence working independently while collaborating effectively within a remote team.
- Genuine passion for supporting athletes and understanding of the challenges associated with sporting careers and transition.
Desirable
- Experience in coaching, mentoring, facilitation or training delivery.
- Understanding of athlete wellbeing and career transition.
- Mental Health First Aid qualification or similar.
- Athlete lifestyle / player care qualification, e.g. TALS level 3 qualification, or Understanding athlete lifestyle Level 2 qualification or equivalent.
- Experience using CRM systems such as Salesforce and project management tools such as Monday.com.
- Experience within the charity, education or sport-for-development sectors.
