First Team Goalkeeping Coach - Women's Football in Sheffield

Sheffield United Women are seeking a First Team Goalkeeper Coach to lead the development and performance of the Club's First Team goalkeepers, ensuring their work is fully aligned with the Club's playing identity, coaching philosophy and Strategic Framework. The successful candidate will play a key role in developing goalkeepers who can perform within the Club's high-intensity, front-foot style of play, while providing detailed individual development, matchday preparation and opposition-specific insight.

Working closely with the Head Coach and wider multidisciplinary team, the role will also contribute to performance analysis, player development and the continued integration of the Women and Girls pathway. A key part of the role will be maintaining a consistent goalkeeping philosophy between the First Team and Academy, supporting the identification and transition of emerging talent and contributing to a sustainable pathway for goalkeepers within Sheffield United Women.

Core Role Responsibilities:

• Goalkeeping Coaching & Game Identity: Coach, monitor and report on the progress of all goalkeepers within the Women's First Team, ensuring sessions are directly linked to the Club's Game Identity principles. Develop goalkeepers capable of playing under the Club's high-intensity, high-line playing style - including sweeping actions, distribution under pressure, and ball-playing range - in support of the Club's ambition to build a distinct, winning identity. Implement and monitor the SUFC Women and Girls Coaching Syllabus for goalkeeping, ensuring consistent language and principles are used across First Team and Academy. Contribute goalkeeping-specific data and insight (e.g. distribution success, sweeper actions, claims, save success) to the wider Performance Analysis function, supporting data-informed coaching and recruitment decisions.
• Matchday Duties & Opposition Preparation: Lead all goalkeeping-specific matchday preparation, including technical and tactical warm-ups, and clear in-game communication with First Team goalkeepers throughout the fixture. Produce goalkeeping-specific opposition analysis ahead of each fixture, covering opposition attacking patterns, shot locations and types, delivery into the box, and the finishing tendencies of opposition forwards, translating this into clear in-game strategies for the Club's goalkeepers. Lead on insight and preparation for opposition set plays (corners, free-kicks, throw-ins) from a goalkeeping perspective, including opposition routines, delivery types and zonal/blocking set-ups, working closely with the Performance Analysis department to produce clear, actionable briefing materials. Ensure goalkeepers are fully briefed on the matchday tactical plan, opposition threats and set-play responsibilities ahead of every fixture, and to review this understanding as part of matchday preparation. Contribute goalkeeping insight to pre-match and post-match reports, working with the Performance Analysis department to ensure goalkeeping considerations are reflected in the Club's wider opposition preparation. Conduct a structured post-match review of goalkeeping performance (e.g. shot-stopping, claims, sweeper actions, distribution, set-play organisation) within 24-48 hours of each fixture, feeding insight into IDPs and MDT review meetings.
• Player Development: Put in place Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for each goalkeeper, embedding reflection, accountability and player ownership consistent with the Club's Player Development pillar. Ensure all playing, training and IDP information for First Team goalkeepers is accurately recorded and kept up to date on the Club's player management system throughout the season. Play an active part in the organisation and delivery of SUFC Women and Girls in-service training events throughout the season.
• High-Performance Environment & MDT Collaboration: Attend and contribute to Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) meetings, ensuring goalkeeping load, welfare and performance data is integrated into wider First Team planning. Maintain clear, consistent communication with the Head Coach, Performance Analysis, Physical Performance and Medical departments in support of an elite daily environment. Model the Club's values - Hardworking, Ambitious, Integrity, Inclusive - in all coaching and staff interactions, contributing to a high-challenge, high-support culture.
• Sustainability & Succession: Regularly liaise with the Academy Goalkeeping Coach(es) regarding the development of all Club goalkeepers, ensuring a shared game model and shared language across age groups. Support the identification, transition and integration of Academy goalkeepers into the First Team environment, contributing to a sustainable goalkeeping pipeline. Hold all relevant qualifications required for the post and maintain a clear understanding of the SUFC Women and Girls philosophy, vision, values and Strategic Framework. Adhere to all Sheffield United Football Club's Safeguarding Policies and Procedures to foster an environment which protects from harm those defined as children and adults at risk. Report any concerns of a Safeguarding nature to the relevant parties and remain fully compliant with any applicable Safeguarding checks and due diligence and recognise your responsibility to the Club's Safeguarding agenda. Report any concerns of discrimination to the relevant parties and promote a welcoming and inclusive club environment for all. Adhere to the Club's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies, supporting the Club to create an environment which is inclusive and all-encompassing. Carry out and actively participate in all training requests as directed by the Club, including mandatory health and safety training, emergency procedures, fire safety, manual handling, safeguarding, and role-specific safety instruction. Any other duties commensurate with the position.

Essential Criteria for the Role:

• UEFA B Goalkeeping Qualification
• FA Safeguarding Children
• Introduction to First Aid in Sport and/or Emergency First Aid in Football
• Experience of, and enthusiasm for, coaching and mentoring elite young and senior players in a professional women's football environment
• Track record of consistent high performance in a professional football environment

Aptitudes and Skills Required:

• Analysing & interpreting (including goalkeeping and game model data)
• Organising & executing
• Coping with pressure & setbacks
• Adhering to Club principles, values and Strategic Framework
• Excellent communication skills, able to build effective relationships across a multi-disciplinary team

Desirables Criteria for the Role:

• UEFA A Goalkeeping Qualification
• Previous experience developing goalkeepers through a club pathway (Academy to First Team)
• Experience of opposition analysis and set-play preparation from a goalkeeping perspective

Desirable Aptitudes and Skills:

• Interacting & presenting
• Working knowledge of goalkeeping-specific performance data and its application to coaching and recruitment

Closing Date: Monday 24th August 2026

Please note that in the instance of high volumes of applications we may close this vacancy earlier than the closing date noted above.

Eligibility for Employment in the UK: In accordance with current legislative requirements the successful applicant must produce documentary verification of their eligibility to work in the UK and will not be allowed to start work until this has been received.

Equality and Diversity: Sheffield United FC is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in employment and its employment policies for recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion are designed to ensure that no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic and national origin, disability or gender reassignment. Sheffield United FC are a Disability Confident Committed Employer. If you would like further information regarding the scheme and how we are able to support disabled persons within the workplace, then please contact our HR team at careers@sufc.co.uk