u18 Head Coach

Global Sports Jobs Limited; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Global Sports Jobs Limited seeks an experienced Academy Coach to plan, deliver, and review high-quality coaching across the U16 to U21 development pathway. You will lead ILPs, coordinate a multidisciplinary team, and align training with the Academy Performance Plan to maximise player potential.

Responsibilities include ongoing development of plans, frequent parent communications, and safeguarding and welfare of academy players, with emphasis on consistency and results across sessions and matches.

Qualifications

• Experience coaching adolescents in Category 1 and/or Premier League Academy settings.
• Experience supporting parents/carers of adolescents in similar settings.
• Experience delivering ILPs/IDPs within a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Qualifications to conform to PGAAC and PLYDR requirements.
• UEFA A Licence (FA Level 4) and CPD compliance.
• FA Advanced Youth Award (FA Level 4).
• FA Introduction to First Aid in Football certificate.
• FA Safeguarding Children certificate.
• Knowledge of Premier League Youth Development Rules.

Responsibilities

• Lead creation and development of ILPs and U18 Plan; support U16 transitions with U16 coaching staff.
• Coordinate multi-disciplinary team to create seasonal, weekly, and daily training plans.
• Lead team training sessions aligned with the Academy Performance Plan and Technical Plan.
• Lead individual training sessions in line with ILP commitments.
• Oversee player and parent reviews, record feedback, and action follow-up.
• Ensure alignment between U16, U18, and U21 programmes and Academy Values.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Resilience

Detail-oriented

Mentoring

Player development

Education

UEFA A Licence (FA Level 4)

FA Advanced Youth Award (FA Level 4)

First Aid in Football

Safeguarding Children

Higher education degree in coaching/sports science

Tools

HUDL video analysis

Job description

About the Role

The role is responsible for planning, delivering and reviewing high-quality coaching activities that support the individual development needs of Academy players. It works across the player pathway to ensure smooth and effective transitions from the U16 age group into the Professional Development Phase and from the U18s into the U21 programme, maintaining consistency in player development. The role contributes to the ongoing development of the Academy Performance Plan and Technical Plan, helping to drive continuous improvement and maximise player potential.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the creation and ongoing development of Individual Learning Plans and the U18 Age Group Plan, and support the transition of players from the U16 age group into the Professional Development Phase with U16 coaching staff to ensure continuity of style
• Expectations and individual development priorities.
• Lead and sustain frequent, consistent and supportive communication with all players and their families, prepare meaningful content for individual player and parent reviews, support preparation of content for Performance Education, Physical Development and Psychology delivery
• And align video to team and individual commitments.
• Lead the multi-disciplinary team to create seasonal, weekly and daily team and individual training plans.
• Lead delivery of team training sessions in line with the Academy Performance Plan (Technical Plan), integrating team and individual outcomes into practice.
• Lead delivery of individual training sessions, both inside and outside team training sessions, in line with Individual Learning Plan commitments.
• Lead teams and individuals through fixtures, tours, tournaments and competitions, ensuring appropriate competitiveness and aligning environment design and coaching behaviours to the Academy Performance Plan.
• Lead delivery of performance education sessions, support delivery of the U16 and U21 programmes as needed, attend first team games and youth international football events as required, and oversee implementation of the Academy Values and Behaviours towards staff and players.
• Lead effective review of team training sessions in line with reflection expectations in the Academy Performance Plan (Technical Plan), and review individual training sessions and their impact on player-coach relationships and player performance over time.
• Review all team and individual match performances in all games programme, tours and tournament fixtures.
• Coordinate the ongoing rolling review of each player’s Individual Learning Plan, ensuring clear action plans involving colleagues from different disciplinary backgrounds through weekly multi-disciplinary team meetings.
• Lead all player and parent review meetings, record feedback and share and follow up agreed actions, ensure each player’s Performance Clock is up to date and accurate, provide regular player access to personal performance data, and support the feedback process for all trialists.
• Act as an active role model for Academy coaches across the pathway and wider Club environment, offer guidance and support to less experienced coaching colleagues
• And act as a key point of connection between the U16 age group and the Professional Development Phase to support alignment between the U18 and U21 programmes.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Experience of coaching adolescents in a Category 1 and/or Premier League Academy setting.
• Experience of supporting parents/carers of adolescents within similar settings.
• Experience of delivering individual player development programmes (ILPs/IDPs) within a multi-disciplinary environment.
• Hold appropriate and up to date qualifications to conform to Professional Game Academy Audit Company (PGAAC) and Premier League Youth Development Rules (PLYDR) requirements.
• Hold a UEFA A Licence (FA Level 4 qualification) and remain up to date with associated CPD requirements.
• Hold the FA Advanced Youth Award (FA Level 4 qualification).
• Hold a valid FA Introduction to First Aid in Football certificate.
• Hold a valid FA Safeguarding Children certificate.
• Broad awareness of the football industry’s governing policies and youth football protocols, in particular the Premier League’s Youth Development Rules.
• Knowledge of regulations, research and expected practices in relation to working with adolescents, with particular reference to safeguarding, well-being, social development and safety.
• Be player/person-centred (individualised) in approach to development.
• Have high-level interpersonal skills, including being an effective and adaptable communicator.
• Demonstrate resilience towards the everyday rigours of high-performance environments.
• Be diligent, hard-working, detail-driven and intrinsically motivated by the Academy’s mission.
• Hold a forward-thinking, positive and optimistic mindset.

Preferred Skills

• A minimum of 2 years’ coaching experience within the Professional Development Phase (U16–U21) at a Category 1 Academy.
• Experience of leading or supporting the development of less experienced coaching staff.
• Experience within the England Youth International pathway or equivalent representative football.
• The FA Talent Identification Level 1 qualification.
• A related higher education degree in coaching, analysis or sports science (or similar qualification).
• Confidence in the use of video/performance analysis platforms (e.g. HUDL or similar) to support individual player development.
• Awareness of First Team environments and the holistic demands placed on elite level athletes.
• Continuously demonstrates openness and inclusiveness.
• Action orientated and solution focused.
• Shows pro-activeness and an ability to work around or overcome obstacles that others may find challenging.
• Understands the importance of being a confident custodian for an organisation with history and tradition.