Transformation and Data Projects Manager

Working at the RFU means being part of the ‘bigger picture’ at England Rugby: to be rooted in our purpose, which is to enrich lives, introduce more people to rugby union & develop the sport for future generations. If our purpose resonates with you, and you recognise the value that sport can bring to people’s lives, we’d love to work with you. An opportunity has arisen for a Transformation & Data Projects Manager to join our Strategy and Transformation team.

Job Title : Transformation & Data Projects Manager
Department : Strategy and Transformation
Reports to : Transformation and Data Director
Salary Banding : c. £60,000
Job Level : Guide
Location : This role is contractually based at Allianz Stadium, offering some flexibility to work from home
Travel Requirements: Occasional national travel likely required
Employment Type : 18 Month Fixed - Term Contract
Working Hours : Full Time role, covering 35 hrs per week

Application Information:

• Please submit an anonymised CV (i.e. please exclude personal details). You do not need to submit a cover letter.
• The closing date for applications 12th October 2026 at 12:00 noon
• Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible.

The Role:

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for grassroots and elite rugby in England. Its purpose is to Enrich Lives and Grow the Sport for Future Generations. The Strategy & Operations Team sits at the heart of the RFU, delivering business critical projects to improve the outcomes delivered at all levels of the game. This is an exciting time to join the RFU as we work to deliver our new strategy, Plan 2030: More than a game.

As part of this wider transformation, the RFU is committed to becoming a data driven, user centric organisation equipped with market leading digital tools that improve the rugby experience for players, volunteers, and fans, while strengthening the organisation’s long term sustainability.

The Transformation and Data Projects Manager will play a key role in this next chapter, ensuring that new capabilities are effectively adopted, benefits are tracked and realised, and delivery continues to meet the organisation’s strategic objectives. The role is responsible for ensuring Transformation and Data projects are managed and embedded using best practice project methodologies, robust analysis, and objective decision making. The postholder will work collaboratively across all levels of the organisation to support successful delivery and long term value creation.

Responsibilities:

Day-to-day responsibilities will include:

Driving Transformation and Data Change

• Support the Transformation & Data Director in delivering transformation and data goals and increasing digital adoption across the organisation.
• Lead change‑management activity, ensuring people, processes, and behaviours evolve alongside new tools and systems.
• Work with Internal Communications to develop clear, engaging messages and materials that help colleagues understand and adopt new ways of working.
• Build digital and data confidence across teams through hands‑on support, coaching, guidance, and structured capability‑building activities.

Planning, Delivery and Governance

• Maintain a clear organisation‑wide view of digital and data milestones, managing dependencies, resolving conflicts, and escalating risks when required.
• Monitor progress across digital and data roadmaps, tracking adoption, benefit realisation, and key milestones.
• Oversee digital and data investment tracking to ensure spend aligns with expected outcomes and business‑case benefits.
• Support digital and data governance processes, ensuring consistent standards and alignment across programmes and projects.
• Work closely with technical and operational teams to validate requirements, prioritise activity, and manage the transition from delivery into business‑as‑usual.

Insight, Reporting and Continuous Improvement

• Use data, insight, and user feedback to identify adoption barriers, improve tools and processes, and guide decision‑making.
• Produce clear, insightful reporting for Boards, SteerCos and senior leaders on progress, risks, benefits, and performance.
• Gather user needs and feedback to ensure digital solutions are intuitive, effective, and designed around real‑world use.
• Contribute to strategic and operational planning, ensuring digital and data capabilities are fully leveraged across the organisation.

Stakeholder and Partner Engagement

• Build strong, trusted relationships across all levels of the organisation, from senior leaders to operational teams.
• Work collaboratively with third‑party partners to ensure effective delivery and embedding of new tools and processes.
• Facilitate workshops, problem‑solving sessions, and cross‑functional discussions to align teams and remove blockers.
• Act as an ambassador for, and promote the best interests of the RFU at all times, including the promotion of the RFU Core Values
• Undertake such other duties as maybe required from time to time as are consistent with the responsibilities of the post and the needs of the RFU.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience:

The skills and attributes outlined in this description are not exhaustive and we welcome candidates who can bring different relevant experiences to the role.

Skills and qualifications:

Essential

• Proven experience leading or supporting large‑scale digital and data transformation, with a strong focus on delivering measurable organisational value.
• Strong programme and project management skills, with ability to manage scope, timelines, budget, and quality.
• Experience working in both agile and waterfall delivery environments.
• Experience supporting organisational change, including stakeholder engagement, training, comms, and change‑impact assessment.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and relationship‑building skills, with confidence engaging a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong Excel and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret data and use insight to guide decisions.
• Understanding of financial and management accounting.
• High attention to detail, with a proactive, solutions‑focused, can‑do approach.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage competing priorities, and operate effectively in complex or traditional environments.
• Broad digital and data literacy, with good understanding of modern digital tools, cloud platforms, data concepts, and process improvement.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive culture through day‑to‑day behaviours and decision‑making.

Desirable

• Experience delivering digital change in low‑digital‑maturity organisations or environments undergoing modernisation.
• Facilitation experience, including running workshops, gathering requirements, and resolving cross‑team issues.
• Ability to design and deliver simple, effective training to support digital and data adoption.
• Understanding of Smartsheet or similar project management tools.

Personal attributes and experience

• Committed to driving forward inclusion in your role and day-to-day behaviours or Committed to actively contributing and building an inclusive BACK culture in your role and day to day behaviours
• Good analytical skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to work on several projects at once, prioritise and communicate priorities
• Influencing, consensus building, and sustaining relationships – with the ability to work collaboratively
• Enjoys working to tight deadlines or with short turnaround times
• Ability to inspire confidence and create trust
• Excellent judgment and ability to think creatively to reach desired goals
• Excellent organisational skills, with an emphasis on managing priorities, forward planning and adopting a flexible approach

Additional Information:

• All role holders must maintain an appropriate standard of confidentiality. Any disclosures of confidential information (including personal information kept on computer or other media) made unlawfully outside the proper course of duty will be treated as a serious disciplinary offence.
• We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential. If there is anything we could do to support you through your application or to provide the best environment for your interviews, including assistance or adjustment, please reach out to recruitment@rfu.com.
• During your application, we will ask questions about your identity. This information is considered highly confidential and will not be seen by hiring managers. You can find out more about why we ask these questions here.