Club Manager & Head Padel Professional - Padel 76

Job Title: Club Manager & Head Padel Professional - Padel 76 (New Three-Court Padel Club, Stevenage).

Contract Type: Full-time, permanent.

Hours & Remuneration: 40 hours per week, worked flexibly across a rota that will include regular evenings, weekends and bank holidays in line with peak court demand. Basic salary of £35,000 - £40,000 per annum, subject to experience and qualifications, plus a performance-related bonus structure. The bonus is measured against clearly defined key performance indicators covering membership growth, court utilisation, coaching revenue, retail and ancillary income and overall club profitability. Targets will be agreed with the successful candidate and reviewed formally.

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About Us:

Stevenage Football Club is an ambitious, established League One football club with a clear strategic vision for the future. With a commitment to excellence on and off the field, we strive for continuous growth, innovation, efficiency and development.

Padel 76 is the Club’s newest venture: a three-court padel venue opening in October 2026, directly across the road from the SPORTA Arena. It is being built as a ‘club within a club’ - a genuine members’ community with its own identity, backed by the reach, facilities and commercial network of a professional football club

The Role:

We are looking for an outstanding Club Manager & Head Padel Professional to launch and lead Padel 76 from day one.

This is a rare opportunity to build and drive the growth of a padel club.

The role combines two equally important responsibilities. Off court, you will run the club as General Manager, taking ownership of membership growth and retention, programming, business development, day-to-day operations, commercial growth and the P&L. On court, you will be the Head Padel Professional, coaching 10–15 hours a week, setting the standard for the club’s padel programme and recruiting and developing first-class freelance coaches around you.

We are looking for someone entrepreneurial, commercially minded, hands-on and driven to build something exceptional.

Main Responsibilities:

Membership and community

• Build a thriving, active padel membership community.
• Sell memberships, court packages and corporate bookings, and own the pipeline from enquiry through to renewal.
• Build and manage the club’s member communication channels, including WhatsApp groups and social media.
• Be the visible face of the club locally – at the venue, in the community, at events and across Hertfordshire’s padel community.

Coaching and programming

• Personally deliver 10–15 hours of coaching per week initially, across individual lessons and group sessions to maximise coaching revenue.
• Design and run the full club programme: leagues, tournaments, club nights and social play.
• Develop junior padel, including holiday camps, after-school provision and pathways linked to the Club’s wider community work.
• Develop women’s padel through dedicated sessions, coaching and social programming.
• Recruit, induct and manage two to four additional freelance coaches, setting standards, rates and quality control across the coaching team.

Commercial and operational ownership

• Take full responsibility for the club’s profit and loss, including revenue delivery, cost control and monthly reporting to the Club’s senior management team.
• Manage the booking system and drive court utilisation across off-peak as well as peak hours.
• Bring in corporate groups, local businesses and community organisations, working alongside the Club’s commercial team.
• Manage retail, equipment and refreshment offers at the venue, including stock and supplier relationships.
• Ensure the venue is operated safely and to a high standard at all times.

Who we are looking for:

• A recognised padel coaching qualification, or a recognised tennis coaching qualification with demonstrable padel coaching experience.
• Proven experience coaching padel to a high standard across a range of ages and abilities.
• Experience of managing or leading a sport club, venue or programme, with responsibility for commercial performance.
• A track record of building membership, participation or community.
• Strong commercial capability, with the confidence to own a P&L.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Confident with booking, membership and CRM systems, and with Microsoft Office.
• A self-starter comfortable operating with autonomy in a start-up environment where processes do not yet exist.
• An enhanced DBS check and a current safeguarding certificate, or willingness to obtain both prior to commencement.
• A valid first aid qualification, or willingness to obtain one prior to commencement.
• Established network within the UK padel community, particularly across Hertfordshire and the surrounding counties.
• Experience of recruiting and managing freelance or self employed coaching staff.

Personal attributes:

• Hardworking, enthusiastic and genuinely passionate about growing padel.
• Ambitious, entrepreneurial and motivated by building something exceptional.
• Conscientious, with meticulous attention to detail.
• Professional, trustworthy and understands the importance of confidentiality and integrity.

How to apply

Please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role within an email titled ‘Club Manager & Head Padel Professional Vacancy’ to vacancies@stevenagefc.com.

Application timescales

Deadline for applications: Friday 18th September 2026

Interviews: Week commencing 21st September 2026

Start date: As soon as possible, and no later than the venue opening in October 2026

Applications will be reviewed as they are received. Early application is strongly encouraged.

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Employability statement: Stevenage Football Club is committed to being an equal opportunities employer.

Equal opportunities statement: Stevenage Football Club is an equal opportunities employer and staff will be regarded equally and will be given equal opportunities irrespective of sex, age, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, ethnic or national origin.

Safeguarding statement: Stevenage Football Club is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to endorse this commitment.