Technical Director Refereeing

**Technical Director Refereeing (M/W/X) - Royal Belgian Football Association**:

- For the Professional Refereeing Department, we are looking for a motivated person to take on the role of_ _Technical Director Refereeing (M/W/X).**THIS WILL BE YOUR POSITION**:

- The Referee Technical Director plays a pivotal role in overseeing and advancing the quality and standards of refereeing within Belgian football. Working closely with various stakeholders, including referees, coaching staff, and administrative personnel, the Referee Technical Director ensures the implementation of best practices and continuous development programs to enhance the performance and professionalism of referees across all levels of the game.- Reporting to the Director of Refereeing, and being part of the Belgian PRD, the following tasks will be part of your key duties:
- Leadership: Lead a team of technical professionals including VAR, Referees, Assistant referees and health & performance specialists; a team where teamwork and loyalty are key values.
- Strategic Planning: Develop and implement the refereeing vision, long-term strategies and initiatives to improve the quality, consistency, and professionalism of refereeing in Belgian football; with openness to understand best in class from across the world.
- Referee Development: Design and oversee comprehensive development programs for referees at all levels, focusing on technical skills, decision-making abilities, match management, fitness, and overall professionalism; with particular focus on the match officials in professional football (1st and 2nd Belgian league level) in order to guarantee the best possible level in these leagues but also bring back Belgian match officials at the highest level in UEFA and FIFA competitions (both for male and female match officials).
- Training and Education: From the overall vision, collaborate with coaching staff and educational institutions to design and deliver referee training courses, seminars, and workshops aimed at enhancing the knowledge and expertise of referees;
- Performance Evaluation: Assess current performance evaluation criteria and reinforce if/when needed, as well as conducting regular assessments and providing constructive feedback for improvement (in team as well as individual feedback); and this based on weekly review of performances of match officials in the Belgian leagues or abroad.
- Match officials appointment: participate in the appointment-making process, taking into account the data, profile of matches, development pathways and input from the appointment management panel.
- Recruitment, Talent Identification and Development: In close collaboration with the Pro League, Voetbal Vlaanderen and ACFF, develop and implement recruitment strategies to identify and nurture talented individuals with the potential to become top-level referees, ensuring diversity and inclusivity in referee recruitment efforts.
- Trends and technology Integration: Stay abreast of global trends in refereeing, officiating technologies and best practices to introduce innovative methods and approaches to enhance the quality of refereeing.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Foster positive relationships with national and international football associations, leagues, clubs, referees' associations and press, collaborating on initiatives to enhance refereeing standards and exchange best practices.
- Conflict Resolution: If and when needed, act as a mediator in conflicts involving referees, players, coaches, or other stakeholders, promoting fair play and sportsmanship values within Belgian football.
- Budget Management: Support the PRD budget-holder for referee programs, ensuring efficient use of resources and alignment with organizational objectives.
- Brand Ambassador: Promote the RBFA brand and ethos in a professional, strong, and positive manner

**DO YOU RECOGNIZE YOURSELF IN THIS PROFILE?**:

- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Sports Management, Physical Education, or a related field. Or similar through experience.
- Extensive experience in football refereeing, with a proven track record of officiating matches at national and international levels.
- Proven management experience in a similar environment is a plus; being able to develop and articulate a vision for Belgian refereeing.
- Up-to-date understanding of the Laws of The Game, regulations and interpretations of football expectations to ensure consistent and accurate decision-making by referees; with strong educational skills to pass these messages to the match officials.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate individual referees to achieve excellence.
- Proficiency in strategic planning and project management.
- Commitment to continuous learning and professional development in the field of refereeing.

**Your language skills**
- Fluency in English is a must; Fluency in Dutch and French is an important plus.

**Your personality**
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills,