Vacancy description
Key Information
- Division:Men's Technical
- Location:National Football Centre, St George's Park
- Vacancy Type:Full-time, Permanent
- Closing Date:11 May 2025
Unite the Game and Inspire the Nation through Winning England Teams.
The men's technical coaching team are looking for a Men's YDP Phase Lead to lead and align our resources, knowledge and expertise across the Youth Development Phase Teams, and the staff that work within it, to maximise our strategy of “Winning Players, Winning Teams” The role will provide overall leadership and coordination of players and staff associated with the YDP, ensuring alignment and collaboration across the phase.
Please note, the term ‘YDP' refers to our U14-U16 age groups and the role will have no direct responsibility of an age group team, focusing on the broader leadership across the phase.
What will you be doing?
National Teams
- Chair/lead the YDP Leadership Group
- Overall leadership and management of players and staff associated with the YDP.
- Under the guidance of the Head of Coaching, responsibility for the preparation, delivery and review of YDP seasonal fixture programme, training events, games and tournaments within the agreed allocated budget and in the context of the short, medium and long term player development pathway.
- Oversee, with input from the multidisciplinary team and other National Coaches the squad and team selection process'.
- Lead the setting of objectives (using the DNA+) for the phase / camps and reviewing them across the PDP/YDP pathway
- Work closely with the Head of Coaching, PDP Phase Lead, and other leads in the MDT as appropriate, to ensure a seamless service is provided along the pathway in the best interests of the players.
- Leadership and delivery of the overall technical and tactical programme within the YDP, ensuring the alignment and optimal utilisation of all YDP coaches and MDT support staff
- Lead staff to help create and develop outstanding, inspiring performance, learning and development environment for players and staff both in and out of ‘events' to maximise the probability of success within the phase.
- Lead the creation and delivery of the technical and tactical programmes within the designated phase and liaising closely with the MDT support staff.
- Lead the review and feedback mechanism to the players and in conjunction with the clubs, where possible with face-to-face contact.
- Support in the ongoing player grading and handover activities across the age groups.
- Where possible assist in the delivery of events with other age groups.
- Carrying out performance reviews and putting in a comprehensive professional development plans for all their direct coaching reports.
Talent ID & Club Engagement
- Overall responsibility for the liaison with ‘Insights' and ‘Recruitment & Retention' department to actively identify, track and monitor players to be consider for selection to England teams, across the YDP.
- Lead and deliver our ‘Squad Selection' process for YDP activity and be the point of contact for players moving across age groups, pre and during events.
- Establish and develop close relationships through direct and face-to-face contact with professional football clubs and relationships in our Insight department, ensuring this is carried out across your phase and linked up with other phase.
- Lead on the creation and delivery of ‘Club Engagement' events/activities linked to strategic priorities
Coach Education
- In conjunction with Head of Coaching, coordinate the YDP staff's coach education duties with relevant Coach Developers.
- Deliver coach education duties under the guidance of the Head of Coaching and Coach Developers for appropriate activities.
- Liaise and collaborate with other National team staff and FA Education department to ensure good practice is shared in both education and national team settings to optimise the quality of delivery in both areas.
Other
- Ensure outstanding recorded preparation, delivery and review of all work undertaken via the appropriate FA systems.
- Develop collaborative links inside and outside of football to ensure our work remains contemporary and relevant to the demands of the future game
- As required by the needs of the specific team collaborate with FA media and communications staff to ensure consistent appropriate management of external communications.
- Establish and develop strong relationships with key stakeholders throughout the game.
- Executes additional tasks as required to meet the FA's changing priorities.
- Comply with all company policies and procedures to ensure the highest standards of health, safety, and wellbeing can be maintained.
- As part of the FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.
What are we looking for?
Essential for the role:
- A valid UEFA ‘A' Licence &/or FA Advanced Youth Award.
- Consistent, successful experience of leadership, management and development of elite coaches, players and multidisciplinary staff in an Academy, Professional or International football environment.
- Understanding of the International and Domestic professional club landscapes and strategies.
- Proven relationships and credibility within the professional club environment.
- Knowledge and understanding of recruitment principles in the YDP age groups.
- Experience of players who have entered into and graduated through professional development pathways.
- Evidence of good links and relationships with club staff and key stakeholders (PFA, LMA, FL, FAPL)
- Proven track record in the delivery of coach education courses or mentoring coaches.
- Ability to demonstrate an inspirational on and off field delivery using a variety of methods and approaches in clubs, internal meetings and coach education environments.
- Growth mindset and strong evidence of continued professional development
- Deep knowledge of technical and tactical components of successful football strategies, tactics and techniques.
Beneficial to have:
- Recent experience of coaching elite players
- International Tournament experience
- Degree in sports related subject
- Tutor / Mentoring experience
- Teaching certificate or experience
- Understanding or experience of using sports code analysis software
- Proficient skills in Microsoft Office
What's in it for you?
We are committed to ensuring everyone can flourish in their roles, to achieve this we have unique office spaces under the arch of the iconic Wembley National Stadium, which is the home of English Football. We are also delighted to offer a world-class, Elite Performance Centre, St. George's Park in Staffordshire which is an exceptional setting to develop and inspire high-performing England teams and leaders.
We pride ourselves in offering a competitive salary as well as great opportunities to develop and grow in your role. But that is not all; we also have a range of exciting benefits, some of which can be found below:
- Access to event day tickets at Wembley Stadium, alongside a host of regular internal events throughout the season, encouraging you to connect and learn with your colleagues and look after your mental health and well-being.
- Free, nutritious lunches at Wembley Stadium and St. George's Park.
- Free private medical cover.
- A contributory pension scheme.
- An additional 'Thank You' days leave, volunteering days as well as 25 days annual leave (based on a full-time, permanent contract.)
- A hybrid working model offering greater flexibility.
For more information on what it is like to work at The FA, please visit our FA Careers page, https://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/careers
We are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The Football Association actively promotes inclusion and diversity, encouraging you to be the best version of yourself at work.
We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please mention this during your application.
As part of the FA's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.
ABOUT US
The Football Association [The FA] is the not-for-profit governing body of football in England. It is responsible for promoting and developing every level of the game, from grassroots through to the professional game, and generates significant revenue to support investment into English football each year.
The FA oversees England international teams across men’s, women’s, youth and disability football, as well as running the National League System and FA Competitions including the Emirates FA Cup, and Women’s Adobe FA Cup, and the world-class facilities of Wembley Stadium and St. George’s Park, all with a purpose to inspire positive change through football.
Our game can tackle some of society’s core challenges. It can bring communities together, nationally and locally. It can be a platform for inclusion, ensuring there is a place for all. It can get people active and promote wellbeing often at a time when we need it most. With UEFA EURO 2028 – hosted in the UK and Ireland – on the horizon, we have an incredible opportunity to transform football across the country.
Now is the time to inspire positive change.
We currently work within a hybrid working model whereby the expectation is to work from your contractual location for part of the week, and as and when required by the team. The remaining days can be worked remotely. We will continue to monitor this model, and it may be adjusted in future if deemed necessary.
Your contract with The FA will specify a fixed location of Wembley Stadium or St. George’s Park unless the role is advertised as a homebased contract. The contractual location of this role can be found at the top of this advert on our FA vacancy page.
THE PROCESS
We believe that assessment and selection should be robust, fair, and inclusive.
Following receipt of your application and the closing of the application process, you can expect a period of circa two weeks for us to thoroughly screen and shortlist, ahead of any next stage and interview.
Please note, we receive a high volume of applications so this can vary but we ensure that our assessor panel reviews all applications, and no use of automated screening or AI is used.
At an interview, we want to ensure that we see the best of you as an individual and increase our understanding of your skills and experience relevant to the demands of the role. It is very much a two-way process with importance placed on the candidate experience so that regardless of outcome, you feel valued, and treated fairly and hopefully have a positive experience.
No process is ever the same, but we would like to create an environment that is welcoming and ensures the experience is as enjoyable as possible.
We tailor our assessment and selection depending on the nature and demands of the role. The FA Resourcing Team will provide you with as much notice as possible about the process and the format of any interview will always be communicated to you in advance, including what to expect on the day and who you will be seeing.
We often receive a high volume of applications, and for certain roles, we will supplement your application, utilising our on-demand video interviewing platform. On-demand video interviews enable you to answer preset questions, in the comfort of your own home or office setting and at a convenient time for you, giving us greater insight into you as an individual and the skills and experience you might bring to the role and working at The FA.
We also utilise Microsoft Teams for virtual interviews and of course host you at our world class venues, Wembley Stadium and our National Football Centre, St. George’s Park.
GROUP STRATEGY
WE HAVE MOVED FOOTBALL FORWARD.
From 2020 - 2024, we have – in collaboration with our key partners – been able to deliver meaningful change across the game.
From winning our first major tournament in over 50 years to delivering thousands of high-quality pitches to the grassroots game.
BUT WE CAN’T STOP NOW - AND WE WON’T.
This new strategy is about doubling down. Our game can tackle some of society’s core challenges. It can bring communities together, nationally and locally.
It can be a platform for inclusion, ensuring there is a place for all. It can get people active and promote wellbeing often at a time when we need it most.
With UEFA EURO 2028 – hosted in the UK and Ireland – on the horizon, we have an incredible opportunity to transform football across the country.
NOW IS THE TIME TO INSPIRE POSITIVE CHANGE.
Our ultimate purpose is to ‘Inspire positive change through football’ – everything we do ultimately ladders up to this end goal.
The 2024-2028 strategy focuses on tackling four long-term strategic challenges that will fulfil this purpose and drive real change across the game, our ‘Game Changer’ objectives.
Underpinning these Game Changers are then four activities and approaches that will enable us to meet challenges head on, our ‘Drivers’.
EDI STRATEGY
Our equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) strategy forms an integral part of our long-term commitment to using our influence across English football to create a game free from discrimination.
A GAME FREE FROM DISCRIMINATION
Our 2024 – 2028 strategy outlines three fundamental pillars for delivering a game free from discrimination – Boosting Representation, Driving Inclusion and Tackling Discrimination.
These pillars ensure that our work uniting communities, improving lives, and inspiring positive change on and off the pitch will remain a core priority for English football for years to come.
We are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The FA actively promotes inclusion and diversity, encouraging you to be the best version of yourself at work.
We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please mention this during your application.
As part of The FA’s commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance.
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