Coach Development Manager in London

The Elite Coaching Plan (ECP) is the Premier League’s commitment to developing coaching development systems unrivalled across sport. The ECP provides the best development and support to enhance the skill and expertise of coaches working within the professional game. We focus on collaboration with clubs to support the development of academy coaches, coach developers, and first team coaches.

This work is strengthened through the Pro Coach Partnership, with key professional game partners including The Football Association (FA), English Football League (EFL), Professional Footballers Association (PFA), Women’s Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), League Managers Association (LMA), and League Coaching Association (LCA) to elevate coaching quality across the professional game.

This role supports the learning and professional development of Coach Developers within clubs, focusing on enhancing the skill and expertise of coaches. The Coach Development Manager will manage, oversee, and refine the design and delivery of the EHOCD (Elite Head of Coach Development) and FCD (Future Coach Developer) programmes.

The Premier League is home to some of the most competitive football in the world. We inspire fans, communities, and partners in the UK and globally. The Premier League brings people together from all backgrounds and is accessible in over 900 million homes in 189 countries. We organise the competition and its Handbook, manage centralised broadcast and commercial rights, and support youth development, safeguarding, the wider game, international development work, and liaison with governing bodies and other leagues.

We are an equal opportunities employer and strive to create an inclusive culture where talent can flourish. We encourage applications from women, people from minority ethnic communities, LGBTQ+ people and disabled people. Our hybrid-working model offers some days at home while aligning with office/site visits where possible. Time with your line manager is coordinated to fit work and team requirements.

The Role

• Work with the Senior Coach Development Manager to ensure programme objectives align with the Best Development strategy and evolving club needs.
• Drive innovation in learning to enhance the programme’s impact, accessibility, and long-term effectiveness.
• Support the Head of Coach Development in clubs by reviewing its scope, functions, and development pathways.
• Contribute to research efforts on the Head of Coach Development role to inform sustainable coach development.
• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous enhancement of EHOC and FCD with a research-informed approach.
• Oversee quality assurance of programme content and delivery, identifying needs and opportunities for refinement.
• Collaborate with professional game partners and clubs to support coach development and the coaching system.
• Act as primary liaison with football professional game partners and other sporting organisations.
• Ensure EHOC and FCD align with strategic priorities and future challenges.
• Collaborate with internal departments to maintain relationships supporting broadly the organisation’s objectives.
• Coordinate logistics, scheduling, and resource allocation for EHOC and FCD with the Project and Operations Manager.
• Manage external consultants to ensure alignment with programme objectives and impactful learning experiences.
• Lead assessment-centre planning and execution to identify suitable coach developers.
• Ensure recruitment processes for coach developers are rigorous and equitable.
• Collaborate with the Premier League Football Department, EFL, FA, LCA, LMA, PFA and PGAAC to review and enhance coaching governance.
• Support and contribute to the delivery of the Elite Coaching Plan in line with strategic priorities.
• Contribute to key areas within Football Development to support objectives.
• Collaborate with academic institutions and strategic partners to establish accreditation pathways for coach developers.

Requirements

• Significant experience in coach development within professional football or high-performance sport, with a deep understanding of development principles.
• Degree or master’s degree in a relevant subject (e.g., Sports Coaching, Coach Development, Education, or related field), or equivalent professional experience.
• Knowledge of the football landscape, particularly the coaching workforce, clubs, and the broader system.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to drive innovation and influence development.
• Proven track record in designing, delivering, and managing learning programmes in a high-performance environment.
• Expertise in research-informed approaches to coach learning.
• Ability to engage and collaborate with multiple stakeholders, including clubs, partners, academic institutions, and professionals.
• Excellent project management skills to coordinate multiple workstreams and priorities.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including high-level presentation ability.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and commitment to best practice.
• Full driving licence; frequent travel will be required.

Safeguarding and Recruitment

Our safeguarding includes robust safer recruitment procedures for roles involving work with children and adults at risk. For details, see our Saf safeguarding Policy and Safer Recruitment Guidance.

How to Apply

Please visit our careers page and apply with your CV and a cover letter. The closing date is 8 February 2026. Successful candidates should be available for in-person interviews commencing 11 March 2026.

Accessibility

We will remove barriers that prospective candidates might face. If you have a disability and need the advert in an alternative format or adjustments to the interview process, please contact.