Job title: Women’s Academy Manager
Department: Blackburn Rovers Women Football Club
Based at: UCLAN Sports Arena and Ewood Park, Blackburn as and when required.
Reports to: Head of Women’s Football
Responsible for: All Academy staff
Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week plus any additional hours necessary for the performance of duties. This will include evening and weekend work.
Contractual Status: Permanent

Job purpose: Lead and inspire an environment that develops and supports players of the future to achieve their potential within a safe, inclusive, high performing professional club. Support the development of a clearly aligned, safe, inclusive club philosophy
from youth to senior football.

Duties and responsibilities:
 To be committed to ensuring the safeguarding and welfare of all staff and players, promoting their well-being whilst maintaining professional boundaries;
 Oversee the player development curriculum alongside the Technical Talent Lead;
 Develop an effective pathway that prepares players to compete in senior professional football;
 To provide all players with dual career support throughout their journey;
 Develop a coaching and performance workforce within the club, that better supports players in the pathway;
 Create dynamic and versatile future players;
 Reflect and review on successes and opportunities to make best use of investments;
 Ensure the Emerging Talent Centre (ETC) programme adheres to or exceeds FA licence requirements;
 Be an advocate and guardian of the women’s game.
 Seek input and respond to feedback from other staff across the Ladies department in the development and the delivery of the curriculum
 Oversee the work of staff to ensure practice supports player engagement in their learning and development;
 Ensure Identification Plans include accessible opportunities for potential players;
 Be a role model of good personal wellbeing practice, and therefore show the way to the staff for sustainable performance;
 Provide clarity regarding expectations, regular feedback, and appropriate support to enable strong leadership, engagement, and performance in the role;
 Ensure every staff member has a personalised Development Plan (DP) that is tailored to meet their needs and wants;
 Observe, and provide feedback to coaches to assist their development;
 Ensure all games activities are well managed with a development philosophy clear to players and coaches;
 Experience of mentoring / line management of coaches in a football academy
 Work to develop and maintain positive relationships with partners;
 Lead the audit and accreditation process from the clubs perspective;
 Develop relationships with parents communicate with parents, and educate then regarding their role in supporting their child’s football and personal development;
 Manage and harness productive relationships with First Team staff and support players entering the First Team environment;
 Manage and harness productive relationships with other senior clubs where players may exit to;
 Seek feedback from others, and reflect on personal behaviour and
performance to identify areas for improvement;
 Create and maintain a personalised Development Plan (PDP), taking input and feedback from a variety of sources;
 Regularly review skills against job specification and identify areas for
improvement;
 Attend CPD events and undertake CPD activities in line with identified development themes

Skills required:
 Identifies with a core value of developing players and the game, more so than competing and winning
 Understands the importance in building the culture and focuses on building a safe, welcoming environment;
 Takes pride in delivering high quality work;
 Is committed to achieving objectives;
 Is willing to commit to the working schedule to meet the business
requirements;
 Is willing / able to adapt and change with the demands of a situation;
 Has strategies for self-management and maintaining work-life balance;
 Works collaboratively (with players, parents, coaches and partners);
 Is a good listener;
 Has strong communication skills; uses understandable language that’s relatable at different age groups;
 Expresses enthusiasm, confidence and belief in players’ capabilities;
 Earns trust by being respectful, supportive, and transparent;
 Is approachable; builds strong and personal relationships with different types of people;
 Is innovative and open minded; Unafraid to try new things in pursuit of developing and engaging players;
 Uses research and insight to inform decisions;
 Is highly organised; and
 Considers the impact of decisions on others

Knowledge required:
 Experience of creating and managing programmes to facilitate young players’ long term athletic development;
 An up to date understanding of Child Protection and Safeguarding procedures;
 Experience of roles which have brought understanding of how children learn and develop;
 Experience of leading a team of people; and
 Knowledge and awareness of diversity and equality challenges in football

Qualifications required:
 UEFA B/FA Level 3 in Coaching Football (Essential);
 UEFA A / FA Level 4 in Coaching Football (Desirable);
 FA Safeguarding Children
 FA Level 1 Introduction to First Aid in Football (IFAiF) or FA Emergency First Aid.
 Complete the Effective Coaching in the Female Game Course (ECFG) within 18 months of appointment.