LFCW Pro Game Academy Manager

Liverpool Football Club; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Contributory pension scheme

Life Assurance

Health and wellbeing benefits

Cycle to Work

Season ticket loans

Discounts & cashback

Will Writing Service

Employee Assistance Programme

DFS (Discounts) access

Job summary

Liverpool Football Club Women is seeking an exceptional Academy leader to take overall responsibility for the Professional Game Academy (PGA) and shape the next generation of players.

You will set the standards and direction, lead the multidisciplinary team and ensure the PGA is ambitious, evidence-led and aligned with the club’s philosophy, working closely with the Women’s First Team.

Qualifications

• UEFA A Licence or working towards it required.
• Level 2 National Talent Identification in Football.
• Enhanced FA DBS and safeguarding qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Set PGA strategy and Academy Performance Plan with clear objectives.
• Lead coaching, performance, medical, operations, education and support functions.
• Create a safe, inclusive culture aligned with Liverpool FC standards.
• Line manage staff and ensure workforce capability and CPD meets needs.
• Provide reporting to technical and executive forums on performance and resourcing.
• Oversee player pathway from talent system to Women’s First Team.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary team to deliver integrated planning.
• Manage academy contracts, registrations and governance.

Skills

Leadership

Programme-management

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Culture and change leadership

Safeguarding knowledge

Education

UEFA A Licence (or working towards)

Level 2 National Talent and Identification in Football

FA Safeguarding Children qualification

Job description

About the role

We are looking for an exceptional Academy leader to take overall responsibility for Liverpool FC Women’s Professional Game Academy (PGA) and play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of players.

This is a broad leadership role connecting talent management, football operations, medical and performance and player support to create a clear, ambitious and high performing pathway into senior professional football.

You will set the standards and direction for the programme, lead and develop the multidisciplinary team and create an environment in which every player is supported and challenged to fulfil their potential. Working closely with the Women’s First Team and leaders across the Club, you will ensure the PGA is ambitious, evidence-led, well run and fully aligned with Liverpool FC’s football philosophy.

What you will be doing:

Strategy, culture and leadership

• Own and deliver the PGA strategy and Academy Performance Plan with clear objectives, measures, accountabilities and review points.


• Lead, inspire and coordinate the Academy’s coaching, performance, medical, operations, education, player support and talent management functions.


• Create a safe, inclusive and high-performing culture that reflects Liverpool FC standards and supports challenge, learning and continuous improvement.


• Line manage designated staff, clarify roles and priorities, and ensure the workforce structure, capability and CPD plan meet programme needs and licence requirements.


• Provide clear reporting and recommendations to technical and executive forums on programme performance, player pathways, risk, investment and resourcing.

Talent management and player pathway

• Oversee a coherent player pathway from the wider girls’ talent system through the PGA and into the Women’s First Team.


• Work with the technical leads to align talent identification, selection, registration, retention and release decisions with the Club’s long-term squad strategy.


• Ensure every player has a robust, evidence-led individual development plan covering technical, tactical, physical, psychological, educational and social development.


• Chair or coordinate regular player progression meetings and make sure decisions, actions and feedback are documented and communicated appropriately.


• Work closely with First Team colleagues to identify players ready for exposure, training, dual registration, loans or transition, with tailored support around each move.


• Ensure players and families receive honest, timely and respectful communication throughout their Academy journey.

Technical programme and performance support

• Ensure the PGA playing and coaching programme is aligned with the Club’s football philosophy, methodology and first-team requirements.


• Support technical leaders to maintain an age-appropriate curriculum, coaching programme and quality-assurance process that meet PGA standards.


• Coordinate the multidisciplinary team so that coaching, physical performance, medicine, performance analysis, psychology and player support contribute to one integrated plan.


• Ensure appropriate player screening, monitoring, profiling, availability and return-to-play processes are in place, with clear professional accountability resting with suitably qualified practitioners.


• Use performance information, player feedback and trend analysis to inform programme decisions and targeted interventions.

Academy Player Contracts & Registration

• Lead the end-to-end administration, implementation and management of all Academy player contractual arrangements, ensuring compliance with relevant football regulations, Club policies and governance requirements.


• Act as the primary point of contact for Academy player contract administration, liaising with players, parents/guardians, coaches, legal representatives and relevant football authorities to ensure a smooth and professional process.


• Monitor key contract milestones, including scholarship offers, professional contract eligibility, registration deadlines, contract expiries and renewal dates, providing timely updates and recommendations to Academy leadership.


• Coordinate the contract offer, renewal and progression process for Academy players, supporting stakeholder communication and ensuring all administrative requirements are completed efficiently and accurately.

Academy operations and logistics

• Hold overall accountability for the safe and effective day-to-day operation of the PGA, including facilities, calendar planning, fixtures, travel, accommodation, kit, catering and matchdays.


• Ensure registrations, squad administration, competition requirements and governing-body submissions are accurate and completed on time.


• Set and manage the Academy budget, monitor investment and resource use, and provide clear forecasts and recommendations.


• Maintain effective operating procedures, emergency plans, risk assessments and communication systems across all Academy activity.


• Work across Club sites and functions to create a consistent, professional environment for players and staff.

Wellbeing, education and player support

• Ensure player health, wellbeing safeguarding and psychological safety remain central to all programme decisions.


• Work with medical and performance leads to confirm appropriate clinical governance, practitioner registration, record keeping, consent, confidentiality and escalation arrangements.


• Oversee a strong dual-career and life-skills programme, working with education providers to help players balance academic, personal and football demands.


• Ensure clear standards and support are in place for induction, injury, rehabilitation, selection decisions, transitions, loans, retention, release and exit from the programme.


• Maintain constructive relationships with parents or carers, creating appropriate channels for communication, feedback and concern reporting.

Compliance and quality assurance

• Ensure the programme meets and exceeds current PGA licence criteria and all applicable Women’s Professional Game, competition, safeguarding and Club requirements.


• Lead preparation for licensing reviews and audits, ensuring required evidence is current, accessible and owned by the appropriate lead.


• Work with safeguarding, legal, people, health and safety and data-protection colleagues to identify and manage risk.


• Maintain oversight of mandatory qualifications, professional registrations, DBS status, safeguarding, first aid and CPD across the Academy workforce.


• Review programme and department KPIs throughout the season, acting quickly where standards, player experience or compliance are at risk.

Stakeholder leadership

• Build strong working relationships with the Women’s First Team, wider Club, boys’ Academy, The FA, WSL, education partners, clubs and community organisations.


• Represent Liverpool FC Women with credibility and humility, sharing learning and bringing relevant external insight back into the programme.


• Work with communications colleagues to tell the Academy story appropriately while protecting young players’ welfare, privacy and development.

What we are looking for:

• UEFA A Licence (or working towards)


• Minimum of Level 2 National Talent and Identification in Football


• Enhanced FA DBS and relevant barred-list status, or ability to obtain before taking up regulated activity


• Current FA Safeguarding Children qualification and commitment to role‑specific safeguarding CPD


• Current Introduction to First Aid in Football or Emergency First Aid in Football qualification


• Relevant leadership or management qualification

Desirable Experience

• Significant leadership or programme-management experience in an academy, elite sport, education or comparable youth‑development environment


• Strong working knowledge of safeguarding, child protection, safer working practice and player welfare


• Experience of education partnerships, dual‑career support and working constructively with parents or carers


• Experience coordinating complex operations, budgets, compliance evidence and audit activity


• Understanding of the women’s professional game, the Talent Pathway and PGA environment


• Experience directly within a Women’s Professional Game Academy or Category 1 talent environment

To reward your hard work and commitment we offer a competitive salary, 25 days holiday (plus 8 bank holidays and the option to purchase up to an additional 5 days) and access to our benefits kit bag which includes but not limited to:

• Contributory pension scheme matching up to 5.5%


• Life Assurance Cover


• Free financial guidance and mortgage advice


• Car salary sacrifice scheme for affordable driving


• Cycle to Work scheme to keep you active


• Purchase season ticket loans for easier commuting


• Exclusive shopping discounts & cashback with top retailers


• Will Writing Service for future planning


• Employee Assistance Programme for confidential support


• Medicash Health Cash Plan for everyday healthcare needs


• Volunteering opportunities to give back to the community


• Special LFC perks – retail discounts, partner offers, free LFCTV GO access, and priority tickets for matches, events & concerts

…and much more! LFC Benefits.pdf

At Liverpool Football Club, we have an unwavering commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and are always looking to making a positive difference in the communities that we operate within. We are proud of our achievements in this area; maintaining the Premier League Equality Standard Advanced Level, becoming a founding signatory of the Football Association’s Football Leadership Diversity Code and being recognised as a leader in this important area on and off the pitch. We take our responsibilities in this area seriously and through the work being done across the club, we are committed to increasing the diversity of our people and becoming an increasingly inclusive workplace for all. We are committed to hiring great people representative of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills across our entire business. If you share our enthusiasm and passion for inclusivity, then we want to hear from you.

Liverpool FC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all Colleagues and Volunteers to share this commitment. This role is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS check.

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