Lead Football Coach

Queensland Soccer Academy; Brisbane; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonuses

Mentoring

Job summary

Queensland Soccer Academy in Brisbane is seeking a Lead Coach to drive hands-on coaching across Foundations, Academy and High Performance programs. The role requires leading sessions, planning curriculum, and creating individual development plans for players aged 3 to 16, with morning, afternoon, weekend, and school-holiday commitments.

You will also lead holiday clinics, help open new locations, film content for the online library, and support admin.

Qualifications

• Football Australia C Licence minimum; B Licence highly regarded.
• Strength and conditioning qualifications desirable.
• Excellent communication with players, parents and staff.
• Excellent organisation and time management; comfortable with admin.
• High standards for self, players and the program.
• Confident on camera, or willing to learn.
• Available on weekends and during school holidays.
• Driver's licence and own car; Brisbane venues.
• Full working rights in Australia.
• Blue Card and First Aid, or willing to obtain before starting.

Responsibilities

• Coach and lead sessions across programs, including weekend mornings and match days.
• Lead school holiday clinics as a major part of the year.
• Help plan annual curriculum and write session plans for each program.
• Create individual development plans and track player progress.
• Build and run new daytime programs, including Mini Ballers and daycare sessions.
• Help open programs at new locations.
• Film content for online video library and social media.
• Support program admin to keep sessions running.

Skills

Excellent communication

Organisation & time mgmt

Weekend availability

Camera confidence

Education

Football Australia C Licence

Football Australia B Licence

Blue Card & First Aid

Job description

Lead Coach | Queensland Soccer Academy | Brisbane

Full-time (35–38 hours) · Up to $80,000 package including super, plus performance bonuses (total package up to $90,000)

At QSA, our mission is simple: give every player the right environment to fall in love with the game and reach their potential, from their first touch at 3 years old to the High Performance pathway.

About us

Queensland Soccer Academy runs Foundations, Academy and High Performance programs for players aged 3 to 16 at venues across Brisbane, including Petrie Terrace, Cannon Hill and Morningside. The academy was founded by Stephen McCarthy, a UEFA A Licence coach who spent 8 years as a first-team scout at Manchester United, working alongside José Mourinho and Louis van Gaal. We also run our own competitions, the Elite Junior League and school holiday clinics. We're growing quickly and are looking for a driven coach with high standards to help lead that growth.

The role

This is a hands-on coaching and leadership role at the heart of our programs. The hours are deliberately varied: early mornings, daytime, after school, weekends and school holidays.

You’ll:

• Coach and lead sessions across our programs, including Saturday and Sunday mornings, weekday afternoons, competitions and match days
• Lead our school holiday clinics, a major part of our year
• Help plan our annual curriculum and write the session plans for each program
• Create individual development plans for players and track their progress
• Build and run new daytime programs, including Mini Ballers (ages 3–5), daycare sessions and morning individual and small-group sessions, with the opportunity to add strength and conditioning
• Help open programs at new locations
• Film content for our online video library and social media
• Support the program admin that keeps our sessions running well

What we’re looking for

• Football Australia C Licence (minimum). B Licence highly regarded. A strong playing background at a high level is a big plus.
• Strength and conditioning qualifications (desirable)
• Excellent communication skills with players, parents and staff
• Excellent organisation and time management, and comfortable with admin
• A go-getter who sets high standards for themselves, their players and the program
• Confident on camera, or keen to learn
• Available on weekends and during school holidays (essential)
• A current driver's licence and your own car (we coach across several Brisbane venues)
• Full working rights in Australia
• A current Blue Card and First Aid, or willing to obtain them before starting

What we offer

• Performance bonuses linked to player retention, program growth and new programs you build, taking your total package up to $90,000
• Mentoring from Stephen McCarthy, QSA founder and director: a UEFA A Licence coach and former Manchester United first-team scout (8 years, working alongside José Mourinho and Louis van Gaal)
• The chance to build and lead new programs, backed by an established academy
• A clear career path: Lead Coach - Senior Coach - Head of Programs, based on performance
• The opportunity to lead a new QSA location for the right person
• A set weekly schedule, so you know your hours in advance
• A mandatory 2-week break over Christmas each year
• Part‑time considered for the right person: a minimum of 25 hours a week, including weekends and school holiday clinics. Package pro rata.

Start date

Mid January 2027, ready for Term 1