Role description
This is an exciting opportunity to work across the Premier League, EFL, and the Female Talent Pathway.
The female talent pathway aims to support the development of more and better home-grown players through two key programmes; Emerging Talent Centres (ETC) that focus on Identifying a depth of diverse talent – through an accessible and inclusive player pathway and Professional Game Academies (PGA that focus on driving high-quality player development through increased performance demands for female players aged 14-20. The Women's Professional game operates a two-tiered Academy system (Categories 1 and 2) within Barclays WSL and WC clubs.
As part of the male Elite Player Performance Plan, the overarching professional-game strategy for the development of male youth footballers in England, the Academies of professional football clubs are categorised into four categories (1-4) based on a combination of spending, infrastructure, staffing, and qualitative assessments of their provisions across a range of multidisciplinary areas.
To effectively categorise Academies and to support the continual raising of standards in elite player development, an independent standards organisation has been developed, mandated by the professional game, to monitor safety, compliance and the quality of work being delivered across both the male and female environments.
The independent standards organisation oversees a multidisciplinary assessment of Academies across Leadership and Management, Coaching, Performance Support, Education, Player Care, Safeguarding, Pathway and Productivity.
As part of the above, the Education and Player Care Auditor will be responsible for auditing organisation and practice across the multidisciplinary areas of the female talent and male development pathways.
The role
Review and Evaluation of Education and Player Care Programmes:
Using the Academy Audit Company assessment framework, assess the quality of Education and Player Care provisions in both the female talent and male development pathways.
Accurately and fairly report findings, identifying quality, risk and development areas.
Using outcomes from Club audits to undertake trend analysis to inform future learnings
Manage the end-to-end auditing/quality assurance process, ensuring the operation runs as smoothly as possible for the club and auditing team.
Ensure a consistent assessment is given, no matter the auditor or club.
General Responsibilities:
Using the Academy Audit Company assessment framework, assess the quality of Leadership and Management and Pathway provisions across departments.
Deliver annual club visits to ensure adherence with Safe to Operate, Compliance guidelines and the Youth Development Rules, ETC and PGA Criteria.
Using outcomes from Club audits to undertake trend analysis to inform future learnings
Support the development of a suitable Academy standards framework and auditing practices.
Meet tight deadlines.
Ensure the auditing team maintains an up-to-date knowledge of good practice.
Requirements for the role:
Experience:
Proven experience strategically reviewing, assessing, and developing education and personal development programmes.
Experience in elite/developmental sports environments
Experience in implementing identified areas across ‘Duty of Care’ focus areas including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Transition, Player/parent Voice, Mental and Emotional Wellbeing and Safeguarding
Prior leadership and management experience
Experience working with children and adults at risk and/or knowledge and understanding of issues that affect their safety and wellbeing
Skills and Abilities:
Interviewing skills and observational analysis
Effective relationship builder
A consultative approach with a range of techniques to gain understanding, connect and build trust
Analytical ability to identify areas for improvement, perform root-cause analysis and convert findings into required actions
Ability to make sound judgements based on evidence gathered during audit activity
Ability to see both the big picture and enabling detail
Clear and concise verbal communication skills
Ability to present findings and communicate them to Club staff in a developmental way
Can defend a point of view in a composed and confident way
Ability to present written information in a structured and balanced way appropriate to the needs of the reader
Strong time management and organisational skills
A team player who understands values and collaboration High-level emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills who seeks and acts on feedback
Builds trust by showing humility, behaving consistently and putting the needs of others first
Listens to others' perspectives and understands why people (individuals/groups) do what they do
Qualifications and Knowledge
High practical and theoretical understanding of Education & Player Care demands in elite-level sports (desirable: player development, football, dual careers)
Appropriate Degree and qualified teaching status; Qualified Teacher Status (QTS)/ Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) or equivalent
Understanding of education across primary, secondary, further and/or higher education
Athlete Personal Development and Lifestyle (APDL) or equivalent
Understanding Athlete Transition (UAT) or equivalent
Understanding and appreciation of context and cultural differences between clubs of different sizes and philosophies
Understanding and comfort in Quantitative and Qualitative assessment
Personal Attributes & Other Requirements
Person-centred approach and a sound understanding of the rights, needs and best interests of children and adults at risk
Sharing our commitment to safeguarding and driving continual improvement to promote and protect the safety and wellbeing of children and adults at risk
Motivated by being part of a successful game-wide Academy system
Sets and works to high standards
Comfortable following systems and processes, applies a structured approach to projects and planning
IT literate
A hunger for continued learning and continuous professional development
Full driving licence as frequent travel will be required
Full DBS Clearance
