Football Development Manager
We are Wolves; progressive, determined, bright, unified and humble. A pack that is hungry for success. Wolves is one of the fastest growing professional football clubs in the UK, and also boasts one of the richest histories in the beautiful game.
Formed in 1877, Wolves was a founder member of the Football League, and was one of the country’s most successful sides in the fifties and sixties. During a two decade spell the Black Country’s most decorated side won three First Division titles and one of its four FA Cups.
Fast forward to 2021, three seasons at Molineux saw Wolves clinch the Sky Bet Championship trophy with 99 points, followed by a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, which included memorable wins over Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal. The next season saw the team complete a memorable double over the reigning champions, equal the previous season’s seventh place finish and reach the quarter finals of the Europa League all as part of the ‘longest season’ in league history, either starting before or finishing after all other teams.
But this post is about what we will do next, not what we have done.
We take seriously our commitment to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk and to ensuring that Wolves is free from discrimination and harassment.
Full description
JOB TITLE: Football Development Manager
DEPARTMENT: Football Development
REPORTS TO: International Projects Manager
LOCATION: Molineux Stadium / Compton training ground and external facilities
HOURS: 37.5 hours this will include evening and weekends
DATE: June 2022
We are Wolves; progressive, determined, bright, unified and humble. A pack that is hungry for success. Wolves is one of the fastest growing professional football clubs in the UK, and also boasts one of the richest histories in the beautiful game.
Formed in 1877, Wolves was a founder member of the Football League, and was one of the country’s most successful sides in the fifties and sixties. During a two decade spell the Black Country’s most decorated side won three First Division titles and one of its four FA Cups.
Fast forward to 2021, three seasons at Molineux saw Wolves clinch the Sky Bet Championship trophy with 99 points, followed by a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, which included memorable wins over Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal. The next season saw the team complete a memorable double over the reigning champions, equal the previous season’s seventh place finish and reach the quarter finals of the Europa League all as part of the ‘longest season’ in league history, either starting before or finishing after all other teams.
But this post is about what we will do next, not what we have done.
We take seriously our commitment to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk and to ensuring that Wolves is free from discrimination and harassment.
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Job purpose
To manage the Football Development Department, leading on strategy, planning, delivery of soccer schools, evening and weekend coaching sessions in the UK and rest of the world. Will manage the full time Football Development Officers and causal staff day to day.
Take the lead on the player tracking, organising and implementing the information of activities and the coach’s role on evaluating players.
Manage the financial reporting of the relevant activities within the programme.
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Key responsibilities
- Strategically target key areas of growth and retention (Wolverhampton, surround areas, West Midlands) of core activities including soccer school, evening and weekend sessions
- Work with International Projects Manager on the strategic growth of global football development activities, including soccer schools, partnerships, and tours
- To oversee the organisation and delivery of evening and weekends sessions, Wolves tots, soccer schools, position specific, and any new activities added to the programme.
- Target schools, colleges, universities, and leisure centres on facility use and other activities to support core events
- Lead on the organisation of staffing for all activities
- Lead on staff development, organising and attending CPD events
- Work with partners on staff identification and pathway into Wolves coaching structure
- Monitor and review with FDO’s on educational programmes
- Monitor and review with FDO’s on soccer schools, evening & weekend, Tots programmes, organising 1 to 1’s followed by continuous development plans
- Support international growth with staff and activities including soccer camps, partnerships, and tours
- Create relevant sessions plans, monitoring and evaluations for staff
- Conduct weekly meetings with International Projects Manager and then Football Development Officers
- Meet weekly with ‘marketing team’ to report on activities and understand other departments direction
- Support the clubs ‘Pyramid’ on player movement.
General responsibilities
- Compliance with Club policies
- Compliance with the Club’s health and safety procedures
- Compliance with the Club’s safeguarding policies
- To promote the Club’s values
- To work consistently to embed equality & diversity into the Club
- To undertake such other duties as may be reasonably expected
- To maintain professional conduct at all times
Safeguarding
- This role carries a specific safeguarding responsibility. This means that the post-holder is required to apply all relevant policies and uphold the Club’s commitment to safeguarding vulnerable people.
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Key relationships
- General Manager, Marketing Commercial Growth
- International Projects Manager
- Marketing Manager
- Head of Digital
- Support Insight and Loyalty Manager
- Football Development Officers
- Head of Safeguarding
- HR Manager
- Wolves Foundation Senior Management team
- Programme partners
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Scope of job
- Manage the ever-expanding Football Development activities in Wolverhampton and surround areas. (Currently 6 different venues, over 400 children coached per week)
- Manage full time and casual members of staff with the expectation of increasing department numbers
- Develop, monitor, and maintain a football development budget of over £500k
Person Specification
Job Title: Football Development Manager
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Knowledge: the level and breadth of knowledge to do the job e.g. understanding of a defined system, method or procedure, legal or regulatory frameworks etc |
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Essential - Strong understanding of football development activities - Understand how to promote the brand through football development activities - Knowledge of coaching pathway structure - Knowledge of player pathway (boys & girls) - Understand and create a football development budget - To understand, demonstrate knowledge and have experience of current safeguarding practices
Desirable - Knowledge of developing a coaching curriculum |
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Technical/work-based skills: skills specific to the job e.g. language competence, typing skills, coaching skills etc |
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Essential - Coaching players through a coaching structure - Knowledge of current coaching trends - Ability to assess and track player’s progress - Understanding of the club’s vision, mission, and values - To be able to act as a positive mentor to children and young people in sport - Be a positive mentor to Football Development Officer’s and casual staff - Accurately record and complete relevant paperwork - Planning and organisational skills - Presentation skills with the ability to present at a high level Desirable - Ability to identify, document and present case studies of activities - Evidence of working with targeted groups - Evidence of working in school environment, recreational, development and elite levels
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General skills and attributes: more general characteristics e.g. flexibility, communication skills, team working etc |
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Essential
- Ability to manage up with Heads of Departments and down to Football Development Officers and casual staff - Ability to communicate at all levels and with external partners - Ability to build good relationships with external partners - Ability to remain calm under pressure - Availability for flexible working hours – this will include evening and weekends - Ability to travel around the club’s domestic geographical area - Availability to travel Internationally to deliver on activities - Understanding of how to work safely with children and/or adults at risk and uphold generally accepted practice when working with those participants. - Promote, adhere to and implement the Club’s Equality Policy and to work consistently to embed equality and diversity within Club.
Desirable - Analytical skills, able to analyse data and make recommendations on improving the service or process
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Experience: proven record of experience in a particular field, profession or specialism.
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Essential
Desirable - Working with children and/or adults at risk - Experience with working with key stakeholders at a professional club
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Qualifications: the level of educational, professional and/or occupational training required
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Essential - Post-holder must hold or obtain at the earliest opportunity the relevant safeguarding training (i.e. FA Safeguarding Children Workshop) - Post-holder will be subject to a DBS check at the appropriate level and cleared by the Wolves Safeguarding Manager - Level 3 / UEFA B in coaching Football - FA Safeguarding - FA Emergency Aid - Hold a full driving licence
Desirable - Qualified to degree level
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