Head of Education and Player Care

Barnsley Football Club; Bradford; Remote; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Bradford City AFC Academy seeks a Head of Education and Player Care to oversee education and welfare for scholars across age groups. This full-time role blends education planning with player welfare, ensuring schoolwork and personal wellbeing accompany football development.

The post requires safeguarding expertise, teaching qualifications, and experience in youth sports environments. Based at Bradford City AFC Academy, there is a strong emphasis on collaboration with coaches, medical staff and

Qualifications

• Essential: FA Safeguarding Children Certificate.
• Essential: Emergency First Aid in Football (EFAiF) or equivalent.
• Satisfactory Enhanced DBS with Children's Barred List clearance.
• Essential (Options A & B): Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), PGCE, or Level 5+ teaching qualification.
• Desirable: Mental Health First Aid (Youth or Adult).
• Desirable: Safeguarding training.
• Desirable: Experience with EFL/LFE framework or Premier League/EFL Academy.
• Desirable: Experience with academy management software (PM A, Kitman Labs, or similar).
• Desirable: Full UK Driving Licence.

Responsibilities

• Plan, deliver and track the Education Programme per EFL and LFE guidelines.
• Deliver the BTEC Sport qualification and apprenticeship framework for U18 scholars.
• Maintain contact with local schools for attendance and academic progress.
• Maintain academy records in required tracking systems.
• Prepare players for life after football with career guidance and vocational training.
• Be primary point of contact for player care across all ages.
• Design and deliver Life Skills workshops on online safety, finance and health.
• Guide players and families through transitions (induction, scholarships, exit).
• Work with safeguarding lead to ensure a safe, inclusive environment.
• Support transport and welfare logistics as needed.

Skills

Teaching coordination

Pastoral care

School liaison

Team collaboration

Education

QTS / PGCE / Level 5+

Enhanced DBS with Children’s Barred List

Tools

PMA / Kitman Labs

Job description

Job title: Head of Education and Player Care.
Responsible to: Academy Manager.

Bradford City AFC Academy is recruiting a Head of Education and Player Care. While the role is designed as a full-time position covering both specialisms, we value expertise and welcome applications tailored to either or both areas, as detailed below:

• Option A: Full-Time Role – Head of Education & Player Care (40 hours per week)
• Option B: Part-Time Specialist – Head of Education (20 hours per week)
• Option C: Part-Time Specialist – Player Care Lead (20 hours per week)

Working within our Category 3 Academy, you will build a positive, supportive environment where young players can thrive in their schoolwork, personal lives, and overall well-beingalongside their football development across all age groups.

A candidate taking on the combined full-time role will oversee both areas below, while part-time specialists will focus on their chosen 20-hour role.

Education (20 Hours per Week)

• Plan, deliver, and track the Academy Education Programme in line with EFL and League Football Education (LFE) guidelines.
• Oversee the delivery of the BTEC Sport qualification and apprenticeship framework for U18 scholars.
• Maintain regular contact with local schools for younger players, monitoring attendance, academic progress, and day-release schedules.
• Accurately maintain all educational records on required academy tracking systems.
• Prepare players for life after football by facilitating career guidance and vocational training options.

Player Care (20 Hours per Week)

• Act as the primary point of contact for player care across all age groups, promoting emotional well‑being, mental health awareness, and personal growth.
• Design and deliver engaging, age‑appropriate Life Skills workshops covering topics such as online safety, financial literacy, health, and mental well‑being.
• Guide young players and their families through critical Academy transitions, including induction, scholarship signing, and exit/release strategies.
• Work closely with the Academy Safeguarding Lead to maintain a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment.
• Support players and families with transport and general welfare logistics as needed.

Other requirements

• Positively represent the culture and values of the Academy in every interaction.
• Maintain professional boundaries at all times, adhere strictly to operational policies
• Undertake any other reasonable duties, as requested by your Line Manager.
• Work within and adhere to all Academy policies and procedures, maintaining a strong understanding of Bradford City AFC's culture and values.

Selection process

Recruitment for this post will be conducted in two stages:

• Stage One: Shortlisted candidates will attend an interview at Valley Parade.
• Stage Two: Candidates moving to Stage Two will be invited to the Academy to give a short presentation on their chosen area (Education, Player Care, or both) and complete a practical task.

About The Candidate

About you

• You are a friendly, well-organised, and caring professional with experience in teaching,pastoral care, or youth work.
• You understand the pressures young athletes face as they look to balance and maintain schoolwork with their football.
• You have strong administrative skills and are confident using software.
• You enjoy working alongside coaches, medical staff, sports scientists, and parents.
• You communicate clearly and build good relationships with schools and footballgoverning bodies like the LFE.

Qualifications and requirement's

Essential (Options A, B and C)

• Valid FA Safeguarding Children Certificate.
• Emergency First Aid in Football (EFAiF) or equivalent valid first aid qualification.
• Satisfactory Disclosure from an Enhanced DBS Check with Children’s Barred List clearance (This will need to be completed prior to appointment).

Essential (Options A and B Only)

• Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), PGCE, or Level 5+ teaching qualification.

Desirable (Options A, B and C)

• Mental Health First Aid qualification (Youth or Adult).
• Safeguarding training.
• Proven experience working within an EFL/LFE framework or Premier League/EFL Academy environment.
• Experience in using academy management software (e.g., PMA, Kitman Labs, or similar player-tracking platforms.
• Full UK Driving Licence

About The Club

General terms

Working arrangement:
Based at the Club’s Academy in Bradford, West Yorkshire (BD10 0NR).

Work environment:
Indoor v Outdoor: Office, classroom and meeting spaces, with regular time spent pitch side
and around academy training areas during sessions.

Physical Demands: Mostly office and classroom-based. Requirement to be able to access
and move freely around the academy grounds. #

Volume and Pace: Busy, supportive youth sport environment operating under football
academy regulations.

Liaison and Collaboration: Positive daily interaction within a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) as
well as maintaining clear, professional communication with players, parents and guardians.
Safeguarding and Culture: Regulated environment requiring adherence to Club Safeguarding
policies, professional boundaries, and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) standards.
Working days and times: Standard office hours with the flexibility to work evenings and
weekends as needed.

Contract:
Full-time/Part-time, Permanent.

Uniform:
Bradford City AFC branded staff kit.

Probationary period:
Appointments are conditional on the successful completion of a 3-month probationary
period. The Club reserves the right to extend this period if necessary

General information

Support: If you have questions about our hiring process, email [e-mail] using the subject line ‘Recruitment Support’ so we can get back to you quickly. We are committed to being an inclusive employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments or accommodations due to a disability, neurodivergence, or health condition, please let us know how we can best support you during the application or interview stage.

Safeguarding: Safeguarding is a fundamental part of everything we do at Bradford City AFC. We are fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk, and we expect all staff, coaches, volunteers, and contractors to share this commitment and actively promote their welfare at all times. As part of our safer recruitment processes, this role involves working directly with children within an elite football environment. Therefore, appointments are subject to the following:

• Employment is strictly conditional upon the return of a satisfactory Enhanced DBS Disclosure with Children’s Barred List check.
• This post is exempt from Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
• Applicants are required to disclose all convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings, including those considered ‘spent’ under the provisions of the Act.
• Any offer of employment is conditional upon receiving at least two satisfactory professional references (one of which must be your current or most recent employer) and proof of right to work in the UK. Having a criminal record will not automatically bar an applicant from working with us; every case is assessed individually based on the nature of the role and the background details disclosed.

Right to Work: Any job offer will be conditional on you demonstrating the right to live and work within the UK, as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. If an employment offer is made, you will be asked to provide official evidence of your entitlement before starting.

Data Protection: All information that you provide will be held in the strictest confidence and processed in line with our Privacy Policy. By submitting an application, your data will be managed securely in accordance with these guidelines