Player Development Manager

St Kilda Football Club; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Gym access

Aquatics facilities

Free parking onsite

Membership discounts

New Balance discount

Linen House pricing

Discounted movie tickets

Job summary

St Kilda Football Club seeks a dedicated Player Development Manager to lead holistic development and wellbeing across AFL and VFL programs. You will oversee onboarding, welfare, education, career pathways, and partnerships, ensuring confidential, student-centred support for players through transitions and life after football.

You will collaborate with club staff, psychologists, AFLPA, and education providers to design practical learning and life-skill programs, while maintaining strong records

Qualifications

• Experience in player development, athlete welfare, wellbeing, education or a similar people-focused role.
• Experience in elite sport or organisations supporting young adults.
• Understanding of wellbeing, safeguarding, confidentiality, and referrals to specialists.
• Ability to design, coordinate and deliver education, personal development and wellbeing programs.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to connect with players, families, staff and external partners.
• Empathy, emotional intelligence and sound judgement for sensitive conversations.
• Strong organisation and record-keeping abilities.
• Ability to motivate and engage players beyond football.

Responsibilities

• Lead player onboarding and integration for AFL players, including relocations and settling-in.
• Support player welfare and wellbeing with trusted relationships and confidential guidance.
• Design and coordinate personal development and education, reviewing Individual Development Plans.
• Strengthen engagement and culture with players, families and staff.
• Build career pathways with education, employment and volunteering opportunities.
• Lead partnerships with education providers, employers and AFL/AFLPA, maintaining records and compliance.

Skills

Player development

Athlete welfare

Wellbeing programs

Education design

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Collaboration

Education

Sports management degree

Psychology or counselling qualification

Education or social work degree

Job description

We’re seeking a Player Development Manager to lead holistic player development and wellbeing programs across our AFL and VFL men’s football programs.

Reporting to the General Manager Football, this is a full-time role, based at RSEA Park, Moorabbin. You’ll help players build personal capability, resilience and independence, pursue education and career opportunities, and navigate the demands and transitions of elite football.

Careers at the St Kilda Football Club offer a unique chance to work in a dynamic, high-performance environment where every individual impacts team success. We lift, support, and challenge each other to be greater, embracing the grit and resilience required on our journey.

With our VFL, AFL and AFLW programs entering an exciting new chapter, there has never been a better time to join St Kilda. Our AFL program is driven by high standards, a possibility mindset and a relentless pursuit of improvement.

We're building an environment capable of sustained success. We aspire not only to compete with the league's best clubs, but to be recognised among them, and we're committed to doing so through discipline, effort and excellence in everything we do.

As Player Development Manager, you will:

• Lead player onboarding and integration: Coordinate new AFL player inductions, relocation and settling-in arrangements, connecting players with the people, resources and support networks they need to establish themselves.
• Support player welfare and wellbeing: Build trusted relationships, identify emerging concerns and coordinate individualised support. Connect players with the Club’s psychologist, AFLPA and other specialists, maintaining appropriate confidentiality and professional boundaries.
• Deliver personal development and education: Design and coordinate practical learning that builds independence, life skills and resilience. Develop and regularly review Individual Development Plans, supporting players and holding them accountable for their off-field development.
• Strengthen engagement, culture and connection: Work with players, families, support networks and football staff to promote an inclusive, respectful and connected environment aligned with Club values.
• Build career pathways and support transitions: Help players access education, employment, work placements and volunteering opportunities. Support them through changes in playing status, contract uncertainty and life after professional football.
• Lead partnerships and program improvement: Build relationships with education providers, employers, community organisations, the AFL and AFLPA. Maintain confidential records, monitor engagement and outcomes, and ensure opportunities meet relevant AFL rules and Club requirements.

About You

You’re an approachable, proactive professional who builds trust while helping players take ownership of their personal development. You bring:

• Demonstrated experience in player development, athlete welfare, wellbeing, education or a comparable people-focused role.
• Experience within elite sport, high-performance environments or organisations supporting young adults.
• A strong understanding of wellbeing, safeguarding, confidentiality and when to refer to specialist support services.
• The ability to design, coordinate and deliver meaningful education, personal development and wellbeing programs.
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to connect with players, families, football staff and external partners.
• Empathy, emotional intelligence and sound judgement when navigating sensitive conversations and personal challenges.
• Strong organisation and follow-through, balancing individual player needs with program priorities and maintaining accurate records.
• The confidence to combine encouragement with accountability, keeping players engaged in their development beyond football.
• A collaborative, adaptable approach and the initiative to anticipate challenges and find practical solutions.

Experience and qualifications in the following areas would be valuable:

• Relevant tertiary qualifications in sports management, psychology, counselling, education, social work, youth development or a related discipline.
• Experience within the AFL, VFL or another professional sporting organization, with an understanding of the demands of elite football.
• Established networks across education providers, community organisations, employers and professional sporting bodies.
• Supporting athlete career transitions, vocational pathways, mentoring programs or post-sport career planning.
• Completion of the AFLPA x Torrens University 12-week Player Development Manager Program.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Free access to state of the art gym
• Free access to Aquatics Facilities at the Danny Frawley Centre for Health & Wellbeing
• Free parking onsite & state-of-the-art player gym access
• Discounted St Kilda Football Club memberships and merchandise
• Up to 40% discount on selected NEW BALANCE products
• St Kilda Football Club-only Linen House product pricing
• Discounted movie tickets through Hoyts

Please keep reading…

Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised folks tend to only apply when they check every box. So, if you think you have what it takes, but don't necessarily meet every single point above, please still get in touch. We'd love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit.