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Women in Football (WIF) is delighted to announce that we are seeking applications for the fifth edition of the Vikki Orvice Memorial Director Development Scheme.

Vikki Orvice was a founding member of Women in Football, and a trailblazer for women working in the game, who was determined to stand up for those who lacked confidence, and needed a guiding hand.

Women in Football Chair Ebru Köksal remarked on the benefit of the programme for women working in the game, and why it’s so important to keep Vikki's memory at the forefront of people's minds: “Vikki believed in opening doors for women and giving them the confidence to walk through them. This scheme is a fitting tribute to her legacy and reflects something we believe strongly at Women in Football: you cannot develop future board leaders without giving them opportunities to experience how boards work.

We are looking for someone with the potential, curiosity and ambition to get there. In return, we expect them to bring fresh perspectives, challenge our thinking and make a meaningful contribution to WIF.”

Previous scheme participants include Poonam Majithia, Chloe Morgan, Jade Morgan and Zarah Earnshaw. Having previously supported these four women to reach new levels in the game, the scheme is now open for applications for its fifth recipient.

We are looking to appoint an individual to enter the board room environment for a fixed period of two years, receiving support to become board-ready and actively contributing to our work at Women in Football. We will help the successful applicant develop the skills necessary to either seek a board position externally or transition into a full board member of Women in Football.

Zarah Earnshaw, Partnerships & Engagement Manager at City Football Group, was the latest recipient of the scheme. Reflecting on her time working with the WIF board of directors and CEO, she has been able to bring new skills into her everyday role, while also building meaningful relationships with each of the board members.

"If you want to develop your skills, have aspirations to be on a board, and want to be a leading woman in football, this is something you should apply for.

This scheme helps you gain the confidence to thrive in settings where you might otherwise feel imposter syndrome. If you aspire to achieve something, the WIF directors in that room will help you reach that point and break into new spaces. 
It's about lasting relationships. It's about building those connections. It's about developing your skillset and bringing your voice to the table.

I'm proud to have left a lasting legacy. After helping to set up the WIF EEDI Advisory Group, which I now co-chair, it's something I'm really passionate about and stand for."

 

About Women in Football

Women in Football is the leading organisation campaigning for gender equality in the world’s most popular sport. We’re a vibrant and fast-growing professional network of 13,000 members of all genders who support women in the football industry. We’re taking action to level the playing field for all roles, on and off the pitch, in both women’s and men’s football, because diverse organisations and sectors are not only fairer – they perform better too.

 

About our work 

We celebrate the achievements of women working in the industry, advocate for gender equality, challenge discrimination, and provide regular networking and professional development opportunities for our community. These include the transformative and highly renowned Women in Football Leadership Programme, and at Wembley Stadium, our empowering annual Be Inspired Conference.

As a non-profit, membership-based organisation, we believe in the power of collaboration to achieve progress, and we are constantly looking for ways to broaden our relationships in and around the football industry. Through our Corporate and Club Membership programmes we support organisations to become truly gender-inclusive employers, and we’re building relationships with policymakers and stakeholders across football and beyond who share our vision of a future for the game where gender discrimination no longer exists.

Discover more about our work or read the WIF Annual Impact Report 2025-26 for details on our latest activities. For more history about our organisation, read the story of WIF.

 

About this opportunity 

What we’d like you to do: You will bring knowledge and expertise to our board. This is an active role in our boardroom where we’ll encourage and support you to express your views on all items on the agenda. You will be involved in both strategic and operational aspects of our work, attending board meetings and committees as appropriate.

The role is for 24 months, and we’d like you to commit to working around 8-12 hours a month with us. Most of the work (apart from meetings) can be done flexibly around your work and personal commitments. Our board meetings are set in advance for the year and are a mixture of both in person and online.

As with our full board positions, this role is unpaid, but reasonable expenses will be paid.

 

How we will help you 

You will be fully supported by the entire board, and we will help you to develop the skills you need to become board ready. 
A board member will be assigned to work with you to oversee your programme of development. You’ll also be able to receive mentoring from another director on a topic of interest to you and we can also offer executive coaching to you. 
In addition, you will receive a free place on our highly regarded Leadership Programme and have priority attendance at all other WIF events and courses.

 

About you 

We’re not looking for the finished article. Instead, we’re looking for someone who has some experience under their belt. You won’t have acted as a director or Trustee before, but you would like to one day join a board. We’ll help you get there. 
We are particularly interested in applications from people with expertise in digital, communications, or commercial partnerships.

You’ll also be a Women in Football member – so if you’re not already, sign up for free.

Diversity, equality and inclusion are in our DNA. We celebrate multiple approaches and multiple points of view, and everyone is welcome. If you work with us, you’ll be empowered to be your authentic self. This is how you will thrive, and if you thrive, Women in Football will too.

We’re committed to increasing diversity in our leadership and warmly encourage applications from individuals across diverse ethnic communities, recognising the value of varied perspectives and experiences.  If you’re passionate about football, equity, and leadership, with the skills we are seeking and are looking for an opportunity to develop your skills at board level, we would love to hear from you.

 

Recruitment process and timetable 

If you’re interested, please send us your CV and a covering letter. Your letter should set out where you are in your career, why you think you’d get value from this opportunity, and how you meet the skills and experience we’re looking form and what you'd bring to our board room. Please ensure your letter is no more than 2 sides of A4 with a minimum font size of 11.

You should send your application to eileen@womeninfootball.co.uk. 

We’ll be holding interviews for this role online. Appointment timeline: 

• Closing date: Wednesday 4 November 2026, 5pm

• Shortlisting: by Friday 13 November 2026

• Interviews: 30 Nov or 1 Dec 2026 

We want this recruitment process to be as accessible as possible, but know that there might be more that we can do, particularly if you have experienced exclusion, disadvantage or discrimination, or if you have particular accessibility needs. We would be happy to provide any reasonable adjustments that you may require - please get in touch with us, and we can think together about how to make this process easier for you. 

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