Head of Academy Coaching

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About The Role

Head of Academy Coaching

Salary: £ Competitive depending on skills and experience

Contract Type: Permanent, full time (40 hours)

Team: Academy

Reports To: Director of Football Development

Location: Various SCFC sites across Manchester and Salford including the Peninsula Stadium and Partington Sports Village.

The Purpose:

Salford City FC's Academy is going through an exciting period of growth. Our Head of Academy Coaching will play a key part working closely alongside the Academy Director to manage the implementation and development of an elite coaching programme, in line with the Club's coaching and football philosophy. The role will play a critical part in ensuring excellence in all areas of coaching across the age groups and make sure that the Club adheres to the EPPP.

The Role:

• Lead and manage a busy team of coaches assigned to Academy squads ranging from U9s to U18s.
• Responsibility for designing and implementing the Academy's Coaching Curriculum.
• Responsible for designing and delivering the Club's Continued Professional Development programme, which reflects the Club's Playing Philosophy and Coaching Philosophy
• Ensure each coach has a Coach Competency Framework in place to monitor and evaluate staff.
• Ensure each coach within the Academy is coaching within an age-appropriate group and has a clear understanding of their development needs via a comprehensive Coaching Development Plan.
• Create and monitor a clear and up to-date Training Needs Analysis (TNA) of every coach's current and required level of performance, ensuring coach development opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with necessary EPPP regulations with all Academy sessions and fixtures, with a focus on the development of individual players.
• e-to-one coaching to Academy coaches to develop their level of knowledge and performance.
• Research new and innovative coaching methodology which will keep the Academy at the forefront of coaching and development, and implement best practice.
• Ensure the qualification status of the coaching workforce is assessed and ensure all coaches hold required qualifications for their role and age group.
• Design and implement a Club CPD programme alongside each Lead Phase Coach to ensure consistency of method and delivery of the coaching programme.
• Ensure all players are given the correct amount of playing time within a competitive and challenging games programme.
• Work with Lead Phase Coaches to identify gifted and talented players.
• Work the Sport Science department to identify players who have late physical maturation and develop a holistic training and games programme in line with these players needs.
• Act as a DSO, ensuring you contribute to providing a safe Academy environment, demonstrating safe working practices and follow safeguarding policies and procedures, reporting concerns when necessary.
• Ensure communication between staff, players and parents to ensure optimal well-being and development of all players.
• Role model and ensure positive and professional behaviours, ensuring honesty and integrity at all times when working with young players at the Club. This includes being presentable, smart and personable at all times when representing the Club

The Essentials:

• Experience working within an elite playing environment and coaching players in an Academy setting
• UEFA A Licence
• FA Youth Award
• FA Advanced Youth Award
• FA Safeguarding qualification
• FA Basic First Aid qualification
• EFAiF qualification
• Enhanced DBS Clearance
• Valid safeguarding certificates
• Experience in undertaking health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
• Enrol and participate in the Elite Heads of Coaching Scheme.
• Complete the European Mentoring and Coaching Council Foundation Award within two years of the commencement of this role.
• Experience in education (desirable)

The Club actively encourages Continuous Professional Development and would expect the successful candidate to ensure they are keeping updated with new theory and legislation, attend any necessary FA in-service training, and participate in a program of CPD across the Academy's technical teams.

About The Candidate

The Person:

• A strong background in an Academy setting, with experience of managing a large group of coaches.
• A great communicator who is personable and approachable. You will be able to build and maintain relationships with players, parents and coaches with a collaborative approach to work.
• Extremely organised and methodical, able to work to tight deadlines with a high degree of accuracy and able to adapt to changing circumstances.

• Able to ensure the highest standards are met to ensure positive behaviours and a culture of coaching excellence.

You will be an integral and senior part of the Academy Management Team where your work will positively impact the development of our players. Responsible for creating an elite Academy coaching programme, working closely with players and playing staff to ensure the department operates efficiently, you will be willing to go above and beyond to provide our players with the best experience possible on their pathway.

With a professional and attentive approach you'll ensure coaches, players and playing staff needs are met, proactively planning for every eventuality. The role will ensure that the Club adheres to its legal and EPPP compliance obligations, ensuring that the coaching department operates with a high degree of integrity and professionalism. The role will be key in taking the Academy to the next level, focussing on creating a first-class player experience and setting high standards across every element of a players journey.

We want to develop our Academy players as professional footballers, so it is also of vital importance that our Head of Academy Coaching recognises the significance of maximising player potential off the pitch as well as on it; a consideration of the player's education and welfare is therefore paramount, alongside the successful candidate having the ability to build positive relationships with players, parents, and other internal stakeholders including other coaches, education and welfare staff, and management.

You will be responsible for ensuring the highest standards of behaviour and coaching practice are in place with our coaching staff, and ensure that they strictly adhere to safeguarding policies and procedures to create a positive and proactive safeguarding culture which gives players a safe and exciting experience.

The role requires a high degree of flexibility throughout the week to support our busy training and match schedules and as such you should be prepared to work evenings and weekends on a regular basis. Flexibility is key due to training and matches potentially changing at short notice.

You will need a full, clean driving licence. You will be required to work every match day including away games. You may be required to drive the Academy mini bus to different sites.

About The Club

The Club is fully committed to safeguarding all children, young people and adults at risk who engage in our activities. We recognise that we have a responsibility to safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable groups and we have policies and procedures in place which all of our staff are trained in and are expected to adhere to as part of their employment. An offer of employment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory DBS check (depending on the role), satisfactory references and proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

Salford City FC is an equal opportunities employer. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment. We encourage applications from all candidates regardless of age, race, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or nationality.