Academy Player Care Lead

Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club; Lancing; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Breakfast & lunch provided

23 days holiday rising with service

Rewards platform with 900+ retailers

Enhanced family policies

Gym and padel court access

Job summary

Brighton & Hove Albion FC is recruiting for a full-time Academy Player Care professional based at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre, Lancing.

You will design and deliver the off-field care programme across all academy phases, guiding development plans and leading life skills with the Education Manager, while supporting relocations, host families, and player transitions.

Qualifications

• Experience in youth development and player welfare is desirable.
• Strong communication and relationship-building with players and families.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as part of full-time schedule.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver a high-quality off-field care programme across academy phases.
• Guide player development plans and lead life-skills initiatives with Education Manager.
• Support player relocations and host family placements; assist with transitions, loans and exit pathways.

Job description

Hours: Full time, including evenings and weekends

Location: American Express Elite Football Performance Centre, Lancing

Contract Type: Permanent

Deadline Day: 27th August 2026

About Brighton & Hove Albion FC

We compete at the highest levels of football on a global stage while embracing our Sussex community spirit. At the heart of everything we do is our commitment to high performance, professional excellence, and making a positive impact. We are proud to have placed in the Sunday Times Best Place to Work 2026.

Supporting our academy players to thrive on and off the pitch

You will drive the design and delivery of a high-quality off-field care programme across all academy phases. Your day-to-day will involve guiding player development plans, leading life skills initiatives alongside our Education Manager, supporting player relocations and host family placements, and delivering comprehensive support through player transitions, loans, and exit pathways. You will be one of the main points of contact for the Premier League in terms of Academy Player Care, and you will ensure that we are compliant at all times.

About you

You will be an empathetic and collaborative individual who understands the unique psychological and practical demands of elite sport. You will possess excellent active listening skills, and excel at building trusted relationships with young players, families, and colleagues. Above all, you are a pragmatic problem solver with a passion for youth development.

Our values are essential to our success

Our values serve as guiding principles for how we connect with one another, our fans, partners and sponsors. As a club, we embody these values in everything we do:

• Act with Integrity
• Make it Special

How we say thank you

In appreciation for your hard work and dedication, we are pleased to offer you a range of additional benefits, including but not limited to:

• Complimentary breakfast and lunch at both sites
• 23 days holiday rising with length of service (pro rata for part time staff)
• Rewards platform, which includes access to 900+ retailers, a wellbeing centre and more!
• Enhanced family policies
• Access to a gym and padel court at our training ground
• Priority access to match tickets and access to free WSL tickets for 2026/27 season
• In-house training programme and CPD opportunities
• Exclusive discounts and benefits from our partners and local businesses

Our commitment to EDI

We take pride in being an equal opportunity workplace that reflects the diversity of our society and the world around us. Our core values foster a strong ethical culture, enabling us to meet the needs of our diverse audience, both on and off the pitch. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage or civil partnership. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application, please contact [e-mail]

Safeguarding is part of everything we do

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. We expect all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.

This position is UK-based and requires proof of the right to live and work in the UK. All job offers are conditional upon background checks, including a full 3-year reference history, DBS checks, and verification of your eligibility to work. Please note, we do not sponsor applicants without the right to work in the UK.