Product Manager – FAI Connect

Introduction

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) is the national governing body for football in Ireland, driving the growth, promotion, and development of the game at all levels. We are passionate about inspiring participation, supporting talent, and celebrating the power of football to unite communities across the country. With a proud history and an ambitious vision for the future, the FAI is committed to fostering excellence on and off the pitch, ensuring the game is inclusive, accessible, and a source of national pride.

The Purpose of the Role

The Product Manager – FAI Connect is responsible for owning the vision, roadmap and continuous development of the FAI’s central football management system. This role exists to ensure FAI Connect evolves into a scalable, data-driven and user-centric platform that supports governance, operations, safeguarding and football development.

The role will bridge business needs and technology delivery, ensuring the system delivers measurable value to clubs, leagues, national teams and internal stakeholders.

KeyResponsibilities

• Define and own the product vision, strategy and multi-year roadmap for FAI Connect.

• Engage with internal and external stakeholders to gather requirements andprioritiseenhancements aligned tothe FAI’s digital transformation strategy.

• Translate business needs into clear product requirements, userstoriesand acceptance criteria forourdelivery partners.

• Establish structured feedback loops with clubs,leaguesand FAI departments to drive continuous improvement.

• Monitor product performance, useradoptionand data quality, using insights to inform roadmap decisions.

• Lead governance and compliance alignment within the platform, ensuring regulatory and safeguarding requirements are embedded by design.

• Support vendor management and third-party integrations to ensure interoperability across the FAI technology ecosystem.

The Person

• A strategic and commercially aware product thinker with a strong user-first mindset.

• Comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels,influencing acrosstechnical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Passionate about digital transformation and the role of technology in improving governance,performanceand participation in sport.

Experience and Qualifications

Essential:

• Proven experience as a Product Manager within a digital platform,SaaSor enterprise system environment.

• Demonstrated experience developing product roadmaps and managing backlogs in an agile or iterative delivery model.

• Experience working with cross-functional stakeholders including technical teams,operationsand senior leadership.

Desirable:

• Experience within sports technology, membership systems, CRM,ERPor national governing body environments.

• Understanding ofdata governance, safeguardingsystemsor regulatory compliance frameworks.

Skills & Professional Knowledge

• Product lifecycle management and roadmap development.

• Requirements gathering and stakeholder engagement.

• Data-driven decision making and product analytics.

• Vendor management and system integration.

Competencies

• Strategic Thinking (Progress)Thinks long-term about the evolution of FAI Connect and its role within the wider football ecosystem. Connects product decisions toorganisationalstrategy, governancerequirementsand user needs, ensuring the platform delivers sustainable, scalable value for Irish football.

• Stakeholder Influence & Communication (Togetherness / Passion)Engages confidently and constructively with technical teams, operationalstakeholdersand senior leadership. Communicates product vision, priorities and trade-offs clearly, builds alignment across diverse groups and fosters trusted, collaborative relationships.

• Delivery & Execution Focus (Passion / Progress)Drives clarity and accountability in product development, ensuring roadmap priorities translate into tangible outcomes. Balances ambition with practicality,maintainsmomentum across delivery cycles and ensures commitments are met to a high standard.

• Continuous Improvement Mindset (Progress)Uses data, userfeedbackand performance insights to refine and enhance FAI Connect on an ongoing basis. Encourages innovation, embraceschangeand promotes a culture of learning and iterative improvement within digital product development.

Our Benefits

We are proud of the range of benefits we can provide:

• Two premium level tickets to each home international game

• Sick pay scheme and family friendly leave

• Opportunities to work at international matches

• Company pension 

• Life assurance 

• Bike to work scheme 

• Free onsite parking

• Employeeassistanceprograms

• Hybrid working arrangements and flexible hours working arrangements

• Discounted access to the National Aquatic Centre and gym complex

Application Details

Closing date for receipt of applications is close of business on Friday, 20th March 2026.Shortlisting and interviewing process will take place thereafter.

The Football Association of Ireland is an equal opportunities employer and promotes Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I).