Job purpose

There has never been a more exciting time to work at Wolves. The club is in the process of developing practices, strategies and teams to deliver success at the very highest level. This has never been as important as it is now in supporting performance on the field of play.

The club is in the process of developing its Performance Insights and Data department, enabling even greater quality and depth in the service provided across the club.

The successful candidate must have a passion and enthusiasm not only for analysis but also for player development within the Foundation and Youth phases. They will be responsible for developing a multi-faceted learning environment to enhance player development and learning, using their own creativity to engage with the players in a variety of ways.

A strong understanding of the technical aspects of academy football at these phases and how analysis can be utilised to support the learning environment is essential. The role will play an integral part in the MDT set up for the relevant age groups and a strong working relationship with players, coaches and support staff will be required.

Key responsibilities

• Be responsible for the design and delivery of the analysis programme for the 9-14s.


• Help to facilitate players with their own analysis and feedback, using age group appropriate methods.


• Being creative to engage with players and allow them to be responsible for their own learning whilst providing appropriate guidance.


• Ensure analysis is embedded in player development plans and is constantly evolving to keep pace with changing requirements.


• Production/presentation of analysis based on individual and team learning objectives.


• Facilitate wide angle filming of games (multiple groups) and live coding/analysis to provide instant feedback where required.


• Facilitation of filming and analysis of training to develop the link between training and game preparation.


• Manage schedule of casual analysts to ensure filming and coding takes place and provide guidance to develop their skillsets.


• Work with the academy student placement programme to utilise and develop the students on work experience.


• Manage own time across multiple age groups to cater for analysis requirements of players and coaches.


• Maintain the storage and sharing/uploading of video from both training and games as necessary.


• Designing sessions/activities to engage with the players outside of the ‘normal’ analysis environment.


• Support the coach development programme.


• Build and maintain relationships with other academy analysts and keep in regular contact with senior academy staff.


• Be a role-model of the club’s values.

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.

Key relationships

• Reporting to the Head of Performance Insights and Data, working closely with the YDP Analyst.


• Develop strong relationships with the FP and YDP coaching staff to integrate the analysis process into the coaching programme.


• Develop relationships with the PDP phase analysts to ensure consistency of analysis provision across the academy.


• Communication with the relevant recruitment staff as and when necessary.


• Maintain links with the First Team analysis staff to ensure Best Practice and playing style examples are incorporated into the Academy analysis process.

Scope of job

The role will be responsible for leading on and delivering the analysis provision across the 9-14s and will involve working with the coaching staff at these age groups. This will involve working closely with the players and coaches in this phase to enhance the learning environment and player development. A key aspect of the role will be to integrate performance analysis into the coaching process to constantly challenge the players learning and to ensure an MDT approach to development. It will require strong working relationships within the rest of the analysis department to ensure consistency of the programme across the academy. The role will involve weekend and evening work so flexibility is essential, as is being able to manage time and their own schedules as required.

Knowledge

Essential 

• A strong understanding of FP & YDP football in an elite academy setting


• A strong understanding of player development and how analysis can be used to enhance this


• A strong understanding of how best practice can be created and presented to players and coaches


• Ability to develop a learning environment and to be creative in delivering key messages


• Knowledge of how performance analysis can be integrated into the coaching process

Desirable

• Experience of working with video and data (including Wyscout, Statsbomb and Opta)

Technical/work-based skills:

Essential

• Knowledge and experience of working with industry standard analysis software, including Hudl Sportcode, Hudl platform and SBG to capture, code, analyse and feedback to players and coaches


• Experience of telestration tools to annotate video (Hudl Studio, Coach Paint)


• Experience using Apple products (including MacBook Pro) and video editing tools


• Experience of working with all Microsoft Office products


• Experience of capturing video through various methods (Spiideo cameras / Veo cameras / Manual filming)

Desirable

• Experience of working with Tableau (or similar software) to visualise data (manually collected or event)


• Ability to code matches and training live

General skills and attributes:

Essential

• A passion and enthusiasm for the role and for working with young players in a development setting


• Strong attention to detail across the entire analysis process


• A high level of communication and presentation skills, including the ability to be creative in order to highlight key messages


• Positive attitude towards challenging tasks


• Team player and ability to meet deadlines under pressure


• Ability to manage multiple tasks at the same time


• Being flexible around working hours and able to adapt at short notice


• Learning mentality, looking to constantly improve and pick up new skills/attributes


• 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

Experience:

Essential

• Experience within an elite academy sports environment

Desirable

• Working with children and/or adults at risk

Qualifications:

Essential

• A minimum 2:1 in a relevant Coaching/Sport Science related degree


• 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

Desirabe

• A Performance Analysis or related postgraduate course


• Coaching experience, including FA coaching qualifications