Academy and Youth Development Manager

All India Football Federation; Delhi; On-site; INR 1,500,000 - 2,600,000; Full time

Job summary

All India Football Federation is seeking an Academy & Youth Development Manager in its Strategy & Operations department. You will design, structure, and regulate the long-term elite and foundational pathways for national football development, setting academy standards and optimizing youth leagues.

You will build a structured scouting and auditing ecosystem to track and develop talent across the country, reporting to the Chief of Strategy and Operations and collaborating on the AIFF Youth Scheme

Qualifications

• 5+ years in football sports management or youth academy administration.
• Understanding of licensing, regulatory processes, and safeguarding.
• Experience with data collection, audits, and performance evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement nationwide academy accreditation and ranking systems.
• Oversee strategy and operations of grassroots and national youth leagues.
• Map district-level football ecosystems to locate talent hubs.
• Conduct development audits of pathways and facilities.
• Standardize foundational youth programs to boost participation.
• Produce reports for leadership to guide long-term strategy.

Skills

Football management

Youth academy admin

Regulatory frameworks

Data analytics

Stakeholder relations

Talent identification

Job description

Role Overview

As the Academy & Youth Development Manager within the Strategy & Operations department, you will design, structure, and regulate the long-term elite and foundational pathways for the All India Football Federation (AIFF). You will be responsible for setting nation-wide academy standards, optimizing competitive youth leagues, and building a structured scouting and auditing ecosystem to continuously track and develop youth football talent across the country. The role will report Directly to the Chief of Strategy and Operations and would work closely on the AIFF Youth Scheme, Baby Leagues, Youth Development Audits and player pathway mapping.

Contract Period- One Year

Role Overview

As the Academy & Youth Development Manager within the Strategy & Operations department, you will design, structure, and regulate the long-term elite and foundational pathways for the All India Football Federation (AIFF). You will be responsible for setting nation-wide academy standards, optimizing competitive youth leagues, and building a structured scouting and auditing ecosystem to continuously track and develop youth football talent across the country. The role will report Directly to the Chief of Strategy and Operations and would work closely on the AIFF Youth Scheme, Baby Leagues, Youth Development Audits and player pathway mapping.

Key Responsibilities

• Academy Accreditation: Design, manage, and implement the formal accreditation and ranking systems for football academies nationwide.
• Youth Leagues Management: Oversee the strategic planning, competitive structure, and execution of grassroots and national youth leagues.
• Ecosystem Mapping: Conduct extensive mapping of district-level football setups to locate talent hubs and optimize resource distribution.
• Development Audits: Conduct continuous, structured performance and operational audits of player development pathways and academy facilities.
• Grassroots Expansion: Standardize foundational youth development programs to increase participation and improve technical baselines.
• Strategic Reporting: Synthesize audit data and ecosystem maps into actionable reports for executive leadership to steer long-term sporting strategy.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Experience: 5+ years in football sports management, youth academy administration, or technical football development.
• Regulatory Expertise: Deep understanding of domestic academy licensing, regulatory frameworks, and child protection/safeguarding protocols.
• Data & Analytics: Proficiency in ecosystem mapping, data collection, and auditing frameworks to evaluate sporting performance.
• Stakeholder Relations: Strong ability to collaborate with state associations, private academy owners, commercial clubs, and grassroots coaches.
• Football Vision: Strong familiarity with modern talent identification methodologies and elite player path structures.