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 Members Club 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 Members Club 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 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.

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.