ROLE DESCRIPTION

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
U21 Physical Development Coach (Team)

Location: Rush Green

Closing Date: 2nd June 2024


Provide elite physical development support that improves the physical characteristics and performance capabilities of the Under 21 squad in line with the department methodology, while positively contributing to MDT operations providing information & insight to support decision making.


Key Responsibilities:


· As a key member of the U21 MDT, build and maintain key relationships (coaching, analysis, medical, nutrition, psychology). Communicate effectively with the 21s MDT, Football Science and Medicine Department, Loan Group, 1st team and others (i.e., Chefs, recruitment, player care, education, groundskeepers).

· Lead the planning, delivery, and review of physical development (on & off-pitch) to the Under 21s age group on a whole team level. When required support the planning, delivery, and review of physical development (on & off-pitch) to the U21 individual cases (i.e., Return to Play, Complex Cases).

· Lead the planning, delivery, and reporting of physical profiling to the U21 age group in line with department methodology. When required support planning, delivery, and reporting of physical profiling to individual cases (i.e., Return to Play, Complex Cases).

· Implement a system of monitoring (workload, well-being, neuromuscular state) with the U21 age group including data collection, analysis-interpretation, and feedback/reporting to inform MDT communications and decision-making, in line with department methodology.

· Work in collaboration with the U21s Coaches to lead in the planning, programming, and review of football technical/tactical/Physical training ensuring an integrated and systematic approach to football physical conditioning, including but not limited to monitoring and reporting on training and game demands.

· Lead the planning, delivery, and review of physical development (on & off-pitch) to the U21 Goalkeepers.

· As a key member of the Physical Development Team and U21 MDT assume responsibility and use initiative in proactively handling logistics, organisation, and arrangements of performance-related matters to ensure smooth operations, including but not limited to supporting match day physical performance support and nutrition provision.

· Be an ambassador for the physical development team, by playing a role in improving department and academy philosophies, systems, and processes. Work collaboratively with staff to develop ideas to contribute to department alignment, best practices, and iterative improvement.



Key Performance Indicators

· PDP Players make improvements in the ‘Movements That Matter’ of the West Ham Way

· PDP Players make improvements in the ‘Underpinning Physical Qualities’ of the West Ham Way

· Minimize PDP players time loss to injury (soft tissue/non-contact)

· PDP Physical development support provides a positive & meaningful contribution to MDT operations through information, insight and impact

· Physical development support that positively impacts PDP player development and education


Macro / Annual


· Annual plan created around football physical development for the U21 team

· Physical profiling process planned and completed minimum 4+ time per year as directed

· Annual review of age group physical development progress presented to key stakeholders

· Professional accreditation and personal CPD completed as required


Meso / 8 Weekly Blocks


· Mesocycle plan created to support physical development

· Physical performance data reported for each period.

· Demonstrate an effective development and performance program.

· Create Individual plans as necessary

· Mesocycle workload reporting produced and fed back


Micro / Weekly


· Lead team-based programmes that relate to performance gaps

· Deliver team-based programmes (gym and pitch)

· Daily report workload (dose and response) and player status reporting to relevant MDT and key stakeholders around the programme

· Weekly reporting of training and game demands

· Record all data (i.e. Teambuilder, GPS, Wellness, Response to load)

· Manage logistics, organisation, and arrangements of performance-related matters for the squad

Requirements
Education/qualifications/experience

To engage in the necessary CPD and professional qualifications to further your expertise (ensuring all Premier League and FA stipulations are adhered to).
BSc in Sports Science, S&C or related field
MSc, MSc in Sports Science, S&C or related field
UKSCA Accreditation or Equivalent
Working towards BASES Accreditation
Demonstrable Full-time working with Elite Youth Athletes

Knowledge


Outstanding knowledge of pitch-based physical development delivery
Outstanding knowledge of gym-based physical development delivery
Exceptional expertise in collaborating within a multidisciplinary team to aid in the progress of elite athlete development.
A comprehensive understanding of Academy Football and the demands of U21s.
The knowledge to plan and periodise training on a Micro, Meso, and Marco basis for U21 footballers.
A comprehensive understanding of premier league level training and match demands. (Desirable)

Skills and abilities


Perform duties with due regard to club policies and procedures and legislative requirements at all times
Ensure working practices are compliant with relevant legislation and data protection legislation and/or general data protection regulations (GDPR) requirements.
Ensure, where relevant, that all performance data is captured in a timely manner onto the Performance Management Application (PMA).
Proficiency in Power BI. (Desirable)
Proficiency with Catapult. (Desirable)
Proficiency with Vald Equipment. (Desirable)
Other information
EDI Statement


Our club's history is rooted in a solid commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and we openly strive to be leaders in promoting EDI values. West Ham United is tactical in its approach to addressing inequity and prioritising the undertaking of meaningful and lasting change for all.


We prioritise removing barriers to attracting and engaging the best talent from all communities. We are proactive in creating equal access to opportunities and benefits for everyone and a discrimination-free environment where everyone experiences being treated with dignity and respect regardless of their background, circumstances, or protected characteristics.




Safeguarding


At our Club and Foundation, we advocate a proactive approach to ensure every child and adult has the right to experience safety and be treated with care, respect, and dignity. Therefore, we prioritise protection from harm and promote safeguarding good practice and compliance as an integral part of all our operations and engagement. This includes conducting robust, safer recruitment checks to identify any potential risks associated with individuals who may pose a threat to children or adults who are at risk of harm.


Staff must follow the Club’s Safeguarding reporting procedures to report without delay allegations of abuse, poor practice, or anything else that is or may impact the welfare of a child, young person, or adult at risk. After contacting and taking guidance from the Safeguarding Team, staff must use the Club’s Child Protection Online Management System (CPOMS) to record the concern within 24 hours unless directed otherwise.