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ROLE LEVEL: Head of Department
DURATION: Permanent
LOCATION: Based at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, the role will require frequent travel to Loughborough University and away matches
HOURS: This is a full-time role, although a degree of flexibility is possible depending on candidate’s circumstances
SALARY BAND: £45-55k FTE (dependant on experience)

Background:

Northampton Saints is a professional rugby club whose senior men’s team plays in the Gallagher PREM, the top-flight of English men’s rugby. Since 2019 the club has had a Women’s Rugby partnership with Loughborough University. Under this arrangement Loughborough Lightning – who compete in the PWR (Premiership Women’s Rugby – the top tier of English women’s rugby) are the joint Loughborough Lightning & Northampton Saints elite women’s team. Through the partnership we aim to drive performance outcomes on and off the pitch to ensure the team’s ongoing success at the pinnacle of professional English rugby.

The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup saw sixteen Loughborough Lightning international players feature in the tournament, four of whom took to the pitch as part of the title-winning England team. Lightning finished 6th place in the 2024/25 season and have ambitions to compete at the highest level.

cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens is the home stadium for Lightning matches, whilst Loughborough University is the primary training and development facility on non-matchdays.

Loughborough University primarily has a performance focus, covering:

• Player recruitment, retention & development pathway
• Coaching, S&C, Medical, Nutrition, Support
• Team Management & Admin
• Training Facilities – gym, pitch, medical
• Kit & equipment

Northampton Saints primarily has a commercial focus, covering:

• Matchday delivery & operations
• Social Media & Website
• Communications
• Marketing and PR
• Ticketing and Retail
• Partnerships
• Community and grassroots participation

Both parties collaborate on the following areas:

• Strategy
• Funding
• Governance
• Compliance and minimum standards
• Player recruitment & retention
• Interactions with PWR and the RFU

Role purpose:

The holder of this role will lead on the Women’s rugby partnership for Northampton Saints, driving all aspects of the operational and commercial delivery as well as being the lead point of liaison between Northampton Saints and Loughborough University.

Principal responsibilities:

• Lead the development and delivery of Northampton Saints’ strategy for women’s and girls’ rugby
• Drive the partnership with Loughborough University to deliver the shared Loughborough Lightning strategy across performance, operations, and commercial goals.
• Manage relationships with key stakeholders including Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR), RFU, Loughborough University, and regional rugby bodies.
• Support the Head Coach with player retention and recruitment as and when required by representing and championing the partnership
• Ensure delivery against KPIs set by the Women’s Rugby Partnership Board and compliance with PWR Minimum Operating Standards.
• Lead the commercial strategy for women’s rugby, driving financial sustainability, sponsorship growth, and increased fan engagement.
• Work with marketing, partnerships, ticketing, and communications teams to grow attendances, identify and secure new commercial opportunities and build the Lightning brand
• Work with Northampton Saints Community department to grow women and girls’ grassroots participation and increase supporter numbers for the women’s game
• Act as Northampton Saints' senior lead representative for all Loughborough Lightning staff and players, ensuring clear communication and alignment with strategic objectives
• Collaborate with cross-departmental heads to deliver coordinated planning and performance across all operational and commercial areas.
• Manage the Women’s Rugby budget responsibly, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities.
• Act as the leading advocate for women’s rugby within the Northampton Saints organisation and wider rugby community.
• Monitor progress and continuously evolve the programme to drive long-term success on and off the field.

Person specification:

• A commitment and passion for driving the women’s game within rugby union
• Experience of working in a management or leadership capacity in a commercial or operational role within a sporting or other relevant organisation
• An understanding of the English rugby and / or women’s sporting environment, challenges and opportunities
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build relationships at all levels
• An authentic, grounded and pragmatic leadership style, with the ability to operate both on the ground and in the boardroom
• Strong organisational and operational skillset with the ability to juggle multiple workstreams and a willingness to roll your sleeves up
• Valid driver’s licence 

Application process:

​​To apply, please click here to complete the application form: Head of Women's Rugby Partnership Application Form

Closing date: Tuesday 23 December. Please note, the role may close sooner if there is a high volume of applications.

Northampton Saints is an equal opportunities employer and would welcome applications from a fully diverse range of candidates, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.

Any CVs, contact details or other personal data shared with Northampton Saints RFC in relation to this position will be processed for recruitment purposes only. We are storing this data in line with our privacy policy, and any information will only be shared internally as required to undertake shortlisting and interviews with those directly connected to the recruitment process. We would like to keep this data until this position is filled. When that period is over, we will delete your data unless we specifically inform you that we will keep it on file for future roles.

To see a copy of our privacy policy or if you have any queries relating to how we manage personal data, please contact recruitment@northamptonsaints.co.uk.