National Academy Scout Midlands

Nottingham Forest; Nottingham; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A professional football club is seeking a national scout to identify promising young talents across various regions. This part-time role requires expertise in talent identification and scouting processes, along with strong interpersonal skills for communication with players, parents, and management. Successful candidates should have at least 3 years of experience in academy football and be able to demonstrate a meticulous approach to tracking player development. The position offers an engaging atmosphere with various perks for employees.

Benefits

Access to tickets for events

Employee Assistance Programme

Gym discounts

Discount in club shop

Free on-site parking

Qualifications

• Experience of at least 3 years working in elite Academy Football.
• Ability to work under pressure and adapt to unsociable hours.
• Dedicated to self-improvement and personal development.

Responsibilities

• Identify and track players suitable for the academy.
• Profile players in the agreed region/country before key entry points.
• Support in monitoring loan players and contributing to their development.

Skills

Creative thinking

Talent identification and recruitment experience

Live and video scouting

Excellent interpersonal skills

Attention to detail

Organized and methodical approach

High level I.T. skills

Education

Required governing body qualifications

Job description

Salary and Contract

Salary: Please state your expectations within your application

Contract: Part Time, 10 hours a week

Location: Various Locations Across the Midlands & The Nigel Doughty Academy, Nottingham, NG2 7SR

Working Arrangements: Various

Closing Date For Applications: 13th February 2026

Role Overview

Our ‘national’ scouts will focus on the identification and reporting of young talent, from a specific region / country, who can either enter our pathway at key entry points - as scholars, as young professionals in our U18’s, or as emerging talents with strong first team potential in our B Team. In addition, our National Academy Scouts will be asked to support the Player Pathways Manager with the monitoring and feedback sessions of our loan players.

The Perks of the Job

• Opportunity to access tickets for events at The City Ground.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Access to high street and gym discounts.
• Discount within our Club shop.
• Free on-site parking.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Identification and tracking of players in an agreed region or country territory who can enter our Academy at scholarship age, U18 PDP or B Team PDP
• In depth knowledge of players in that country / region from U14 and above to allow us sufficient time to complete detailed player profiling ahead of the key entry points and also act quicker than our competitors in that market
• Support areas, regions, countries outside the designated territory as required to allow player comparison across a national target list. This may include a\ending tournaments cross border and certainly international youth team fixtures in your territory
• Undertake video scouting in the same age space as designated by our technical scouting team
• Deliver on all scouting processes utilised within our recruitment team, including but not limited to - reporting, database management, information flows, meeting attendance, theory based CPD, etc.
• Play a positive and active role in the wider recruitment team when discussing and evaluating players, providing strong clear views and recommendations
• Develop and maintain a strong network of contacts ensuring we receive timely intel, which is reported on, firmly connecting us to the market allowing us to be agile and dynamic
• Communicate regularly, formally and informally, with the Head of PDP / ET Recruitment and maintain a strong understanding of our talent pipeline, succession plans and recruitment requirements
• Attend NF Academy and B Team matches to allow you to have a clear understanding of existing talent and also contribute to the review and grading of any trialist players
• Maintain strong communications, in a warm and friendly way, with the family of any trialist players spending time in the Academy ensuring that we are the best in the country at building relationships, parental communications and player care
• Bring new and innovative ideas to the scouting leadership, peers and other MDT departments to continually improve our delivery and processes, being prepared to think and do things differently
• Regularly update your own CPD to ensure that you remain current and educated on best practice across talent ID and recruitment
• Represent Nottingham Forest in a way which reflects the rich history and traditions of the club, in terms of dress, behaviours and communications
• Understand our Academy and Football strategies, our culture and values. Make decisions and behave in a way always taking cognisance of these important underpinning guidance / direction pieces
• Support, when designated matches, our Player Pathways Manager with monitoring loan players and building potential loan club relationships / options

Skills, Experience and Knowledge

• A creative thinker with an outstanding track record in talent ID and recruitment, particularly in the YDP, PDP and ET space
• Ambitious and driven with a hunger to own and develop an exciting project within a territory
• Experience of live and video scouting / report writing
• Required governing body qualifications for that level of recruitment role
• Excellent knowledge of player development processes
• At least 3 years’ experience working in elite Academy Football.
• Meticulous attention to detail
• Strong relationship builder - building, developing and influencing relationships
• Excellent interpersonal skills with an adaptability to work with members of staff across departments
• Ability to work under pressure and willing to work unsociable hours and meet deadlines
• Dedicated to self-improvement and personal development in a very creative way
• Organised, methodical and logical approach to work but with a creative spark
• High level I.T. skills
• Enhanced DBS Check

Working Relationships

• Head of Football Development & Talent Management
• Head of Academy
• Head of PDP & ET Recruitment
• Heads of Phase (YDP, PDP & B Team Coach)
• Parents

Forest For Everyone

At Nottingham Forest Football Club we are committed to creating an environment where differences are respected, individuality is celebrated, everyone feels valued, supported, and included. Our goal is to ensure every member of our team can be themselves, contribute fully, and reach their potential without barriers.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Mental Wellbeing

As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applications from talented people of all backgrounds regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We continue to develop policies and practices that promote equality, diversity, inclusion and mental wellbeing across our workforce. To help us measure progress and hold ourselves accountable, we ask all applicants to provide accurate diversity information during the recruitment process.

Disability Confident Committed Employer

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer, taking positive steps to attract, recruit, and support disabled people. As part of this commitment, we work hard to ensure our recruitment processes are fair, inclusive, and accessible to everyone. We are committed to offering interviews for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a role and provide reasonable adjustments at every stage from the application process through to ongoing support in the workplace.

If you are likely to meet the definition of being a "disabled person" according to the Equality Act 2010, you may be eligible to apply for an interview via the Disability Confident Scheme. Please indicate this in your application form. The information you share with us about your health or disability will not be used in recruitment selections.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

As part of the Club’s commitment to safeguarding, the successful applicant may be required to undergo a Disclosure Barring Service ("DBS") check or an enhanced DBS check. The results of a DBS check will be considered on an individual basis, and the Club will act in a proportionate manner when deciding whether or not to proceed with the appointment.

An FA Enhanced DBS disclosure is required for all relevant new appointments to the Club. Individuals will be asked to declare any convictions, cautions or reprimands, warnings or bind-overs that may have been incurred. The Club reserves the right to carry out risk assessments where content has been disclosed on a DBS disclosure if it feels that it is relevant to the job requirements. Failure to satisfy the Club and the PL\'s safeguarding requirements may lead to the job offer being withdrawn or, if they have already started employment, summary termination of the employment.

Health and Safety

At Nottingham Forest Football Club, we are committed to ensuring a safe and healthy working environment for all employees. In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, you are required to take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by your actions or omissions at work. You must also cooperate with the Club's health and safety policies and procedures. Should you identify any health and safety concerns, please report them promptly to your manager or a member of the Health and Safety/Facilities team.