Company Description

At the heart and soul of London since 1895 West Ham United is a dynamic, fan-focused football Club constantly moving forward but always with an eye on the past.

Our home at the London Stadium has a capacity of 62,500 making it one of the biggest club Stadia in the country however our tickets are the lowest priced for London based clubs in the Premier League, echoing objectives to create Affordable Family Football.

In 2018, our Women's team gained a professional status for the very first time, jumping 2 divisions and competed in the Women's Super League (WSL), the premier division of women's football in England. After finishing a respectable 7th, the team enjoyed particular success in the FA Cup reaching the final of the competition, eventually being beaten by 2017 winners Manchester City.

In April 2019, we opened our brand-new Academy facility based at Chadwell Heath which will help to bring through some of the very best talents in the area, the recent emergence of First Team Players Declan Rice and Ben Johnson are a testament to the work already being done at the Academy.

On the business side, we are continuing to create a Stadium our supporters can call home, with the renaming of the Billy Bonds Stand and Claret and Blue pitch surrounding amongst the latest developments. Additionally, the Club has achieved the Disability Confident Leader status.

The Club employees a constantly growing workforce of approximately 300 core staff and 500 Foundation and events staff, and is a truly unique place to work. We welcome talented individuals who will thrive in our ambitious organisation.

In October 2023, West Ham United was awarded the Advanced level of the Premier League Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard, recognising the Club’s ongoing dedication and commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI). It is the second time West Ham United has received the award, which is the top accolade that can be achieved by Premier League clubs, having first been presented with the Advanced level in 2020.

Position

Women’s First Team Coach

Competitive Salary

Full-time 1 year Fixed Term Contract

Closing Date: Wednesday 19 June

Location: Chadwell Heath Training Ground, Chigwell Construction Stadium and with travel required for domestic away fixtures and international training camps and tours.

West Ham United Football Club has a new vacancy for a Women’s first team coach. Working with the West Ham Women’s first team, the successful candidate will work closely with the Women’s Manager and Assistant Manager to ensure that the team is coached in line with our playing philosophy and that individual player development is maximised to ensure the team is fully prepared to perform. There may be a requirement to work with selected development squad players.

The successful candidate will form part of multidisciplinary team focused on supporting & improving player & team performance. This includes consistent and responsive coaching support on & off the pitch, daily attendance at training, attendance at all first team home and away fixtures.

Interviews are scheduled to take place week commencing Monday 24th June at West Ham Training Ground (Chadwell Heath).

Key Responsibilities:

Coaching

• Support the technical staff in setting season-long performance objective feeding in to game-specific objectives that align with the playing philosophy & style


• Lead on aligning individual player development plans with the season-long and game-specific team objectives


• Contribute to the delivery of an outstanding performance, learning and development environment for players and staff

Player Management

• Provide one-to-one coaching support to players, based on each individual’s need, to ensure they are ready to perform to their best ability (linking in with the MDT where necessary)


• Work with the multi-disciplinary support team at West Ham to provide holistic support to contribute to the health, fitness and wellbeing of all players


• Maintain and monitor records of individual player development plans


• Provide support & alignment to the West Ham Women’s Academy to ensure the next group of home-grown players are supported in their transition to the first team


• Lead on the communication & support for loan players & respective loan clubs alongside development plan tracking

Playing style & coaching

• Contribute to the development of performance strategies/game plans in line with the Club’s playing philosophy


• Plan and prepare in detail, and evaluate coaching sessions that develop the team as a whole, unit and individual players in line with this philosophy


• Lead on coaching specific elements of the game (e.g., position specific sessions) as requested by the Women’s Manager


• Contribute to the goal-setting activities of the team, and provide feedback in relation to progress each week


• Contribute to all first team training sessions


• Work with individual players on a 1-to-1 basis to support their development and performance

Match management

• Engage in pre-match preparation for the players in conjunction with the coaching team


• Fulfil any specific match day duties (e.g., warmups, technical and tactical information and player feedback) in conjunction with the coaching team


• Review information from games to input into team decisions


• Review matches to gather feedback on individual player development, team and individual goals and objectives

Multi-disciplinary contribution

• Attend multi-disciplinary team meetings and case conferences to provide coaching input where necessary


• Use data and performance analysis to inform coaching sessions both on a team and individual level


• Work in conjunction with other Club performance staff such as the Performance Director, Head of Sport Science, Head of Medical and the Club Doctor


• Support the coaching and recruitment teams in reviewing information on potential signings (including reviewing data, video analysis and scouting reports), if requested


• Liaise with the academy manager in relation to player development and the development opportunities from the academy to first team


• Input into any decision-making required in relation to player loans

Self-development

• Create and maintain your own plan for development, engaging in regular CPD to ensure your coaching knowledge is up-to-date

Requirements

Essential for the role:

• UEFA A Licence


• Experience of coaching in a professional football environment


• Knowledge of the WSL


• Experience & ability to evidence elite player development


• Strong, adaptable interpersonal skills


• Experience of working in high performing environments.


• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team


• Deep knowledge of technical and tactical components of the game including strategies and tactics.


• Ability to create and implement Individual Player Development Plans.


• Growth mind-set and strong evidence of continued professional development


• Enhanced DBS


• Full and valid driving licence

Technical Skills

Proficient in the use of Sportscode

Experienced in the use of Microsoft Office/Mac programs

Ability to create presentations and present to a wide range of key stakeholders

Desirable

• UEFA Pro Licence


• Experience of being an assistant coach within the women's game


• Experience of coaching women


• Experience working in the WSL and or Championship