Head of Coach Development in Portsmouth

Portsmouth FC are seeking to recruit a forward thinking and experienced player and coach developer to become the Head of Coach Development (HOCD). An individual who embodies the values of Portsmouth – Stronger Together, Passionate, Proud and Honest.

The Head of Coach Development will be responsible for the implementation, management and appraisal of the academy coaching staff. Manage the coaching pathway and ensure coaching delivery aligns with the academy's playing and coaching philosophy. You will play a pivotal role in overseeing the delivery of an established coaching programme, collaborating with the Head of Academy and Phase Leads to support the culture at Portsmouth Football Club.

You will be expected to provide 1:1 coaching to develop the individual coach's skills through completion and use of staff observations and appraisals, Training Needs Analysis (TNA), Development Action Plans and the coach competency framework (CCF) to ensure players and coaches are appropriately developed, challenged, and supported to maximise their potential.

Demonstrating exemplary behaviours, strong communication skills and extensive experience in an academy, you will lead an innovative CPD programme, developing a culture of curiosity. Striving to aid staff knowledge and support every aspect of player development from the Pre-Academy to the Professional Development Phase.

You will be adept in collaborating with staff and offering reasoned analysis of player, team and phase performance to support player recruitment and retention. As a senior member of the Academy Leadership Team, you will be expected to contribute to meaningful coaching discussions within the club's Technical Board and help implement and review the Academy Performance Plan to ensure the Academy's strategic goals are met.

Key Relationships & Requirements of the Role

• Internal: Academy Leadership, Coaching, Operational and Multi-Disciplinary Staff.
• External: Parents, Local clubs, Scouts, Regulatory bodies, Link organisations.

Requirements:

• Experienced people management skills to evaluate, support and appraise staff on and off-field performance.
• In-depth coach and player development understanding.
• Highly experienced in coaching players aged 8-18 years.
• Working knowledge of using the Football Intelligence Platform system.
• EPPP audit experience and a firm comprehension of EPPP regulations.
• Effective communicator who establishes relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Influencing skills to support multi-directional management and multi-disciplinary integration.
• Liaise with technical first team staff regularly.
• Organisational expertise to support multi-tasking of your workload and that of the coaching staff.
• Empathetic and willing to listen to the thoughts of others.
• Openness to learn and evolve your understanding and performance.
• Right to work in the UK and an enhanced DBS check.

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• UEFA 'A' licence.
• FA Advanced Youth Award.
• Staff management and appraisal experience.
• Extensive Coach Development Experience in an Academy.
• FA Safeguarding Certificate.
• FA EFAiF First Aid Certificate.
• Drivers License.

Desirable Skills & Qualifications

• UEFA Pro License.
• Master's Degree level educated in Coaching or other sports related subject.
• European Mentoring & Coaching Council qualification (EMCC).
• Elite Head of Coaching (EHOC) Postgraduate diploma.

Guidance to Consider

• Due to the requirements and commitment the roles require, it is necessary that candidates live within an acceptable commutable distance to the training grounds.
• The working hours would involve a mixture of day, evening and weekend work.
• All phases play their games on Saturdays and Sundays, with attendance at the majority of these necessary.

How to Apply

The Club will not consider applications via third parties. To apply send your CV and cover letter, no later than 5 pm on 27th February 2026. If you don't hear from us within 7 days of your application submission, please consider that your application was unsuccessful.

At Portsmouth Football Club we are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and we aim to build an accurate picture of the make-up for our talent pools. Therefore, we ask that you submit the information on the below link to ensure we are always attracting a broad and diverse range of exceptional talent from all areas of society.

General Information

We promote an equal, diverse, and inclusive workplace and we are committed to providing the best experience for our colleagues. We ensure that we treat people the right way, promote respect and believe that making the most of our differences is the key to the success of our business.

Safeguarding

Portsmouth Football Club is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Health and Safety

Portsmouth Football Club is committed to ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all employees, contractors, visitors, and others who may be affected by our operations.

Data Protection

The Club processes all personal data collected during the recruitment process in accordance with Data Protection Act and GDPR.