Cheltenham Town FC

Job Title

Professional Development Phase Lead Coach (PDPLC)

Responsible to

Head of Coaching & Academy Manager

Build Relationships with

Internal:

Academy Manager, Director of Football, First Team Manager, Senior Professional Development Phase Lead Coach, Lead Phase Coaches, Coaches (Part Time), Heads of department, First Team staff, Academy Player Care Manager and Players.

External:

Premier League clubs & Football League clubs, FA, Universities/colleges, FAYCD, and PFA.

Salary

Competitive and based on knowledge and experience

Job Description

Location

Cheltenham Town FC Training Ground, Cheltenham, GL51 9RX

Working Pattern and Work base

Full time up to 40 hours per week

• Flexible working arrangements/hours
• Required to work outside of normal office hours, at evenings and weekends, on bank holidays and public holidays.

Required to work across different bases

Travel

Regular travel to fixtures, meetings and other events in conjunction with the performance of the duties detailed below.

Overall purpose of the job

To enhance the technical and tactical advancement (individual and team) of the Under-17s to Under-18s and prepare players for first team football.

To enhance the football and holistic development of the players in the Under 17s to Under 18s age groups. Manage the technical and tactical advancement (individual and team) of the players in conjunction with other coaches.

Responsible for the detailed holistic planning and implementation of individual learning plans in line with club coaching and playing philosophy.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities

Personal Development

Undertake self-development to ensure knowledge in relation to all aspect of your role is up-to-date and forward thinking:

• Assist with U21’s ILP training sessions
• Provide occasional cover for absent coaches

Coaching Curriculum, Playing and Coaching Philosophy

Ensure the academy’s coaching curriculum is consistently delivered in line with the academy’s playing philosophy and coaching philosophy:

• Complete matchday/individual objectives on a match basis
• Adhere to matchday protocol
• Ensure the minimum player to coach ratio for all sessions and matches is met at a 10:1 ratio
• Manage the training programme for those on loan.

Games Programme

• Arrange pre match meetings and produce presentations.
• Organise and manager U17 & U18 fixtures.
• To provide tournament/festival football once per season
• To organise and provide 3 different game format experiences across a season (not including 11v11)
• Manage the games programme for players on loan.

Psychological programme

• Deliver workshops to players on the 5cs in line with the psychological programme and adapt match day objectives / match day types to suit.
• Attend, meet and communicate with lead psychologist to help with CPD in this area.

Sports Science & Medicine

• Communicate with academy physio on a daily basis on player’s physical progress.
• Communicate with the Lead Athlete Physical Development Coach for updates on player’s conditioning programme.
• Ensure all training is planned following the physical development guidance.

Performance Analysis

• Communicate with the Performance Analyst assigned to the phase to ensure games are tagged correctly and on time
• Produce and compile best practice clips (upload to Dartfish)
• Plan and prepare 2-3 group clips meeting each week for each age group
• Provide a minimum of one individual clips meeting each week linking to games, training and best practice.
• Link PMA feedback to Dartfish (best practice / areas of development)
• Record training monthly to review coaching and training methods
• Help players compile ‘Me at my best’ player highlight reels

Reviews

• Monitor players training and match minutes and feedback are completed weekly on PMA by coaches.
• After every 6 week block player must receive a MDT written review from the age group coach.
• Organise four sit down player and parent interviews and ensure academy player competencies has been completed by the players and their coaches.
• Monitor and evaluate ILPs and set/review them every 6 weeks.
• End of season Multidisciplinary report provided to all players by the end of the season.

Administration

• Monitor and update player contact and emergency details on google drive for signed and trialist players.
• Communicate to players, parents and coaches on a weekly/monthly basis on the curriculum, fixtures and events.
• Always be available as a contact for PDP phase players, parents and coaches and those working/playing across in the phase.

Talent ID

• Communicate with Talent ID Manger on trialist start dates.
• Ensure contact with trialist parent/guardian is made and relevant documentation has been sent/received.
• Organise trialist induction, this must be carried out before the player trains and provide trialist pack.
• Meet with HOR, Talent ID Manger, Academy Head of Coaching and AM to discuss decision on signing trialist and implement decision made in line with protocol.
• Attend LFE exit trials and showcase games.

Pathway Programme

• Champion and drive the player pathway opportunities for players to play & train across from YDP into PDP to help aid the decision of future scholars and to assist in the development of our schoolboys.
• Lead U16 training session bi-weekly
• Report into the Talent ID Manager/Academy Manager the PDP player matrix
• Attend all Technical board meetings
• Attend games of players who are on work experience / loan (minimum attendance at 1 of every 3 games)
• Ensure all documentation for loan players are up to date and the correct procedures and communications have been adhere too.
• Aim to have one academy player training with the first team every session
• Provide evidence (video, statistical and character) to document a players journey and development.

Signing players

• Contact new signing and send relevant information and arrange signing meeting.
• Deliver the signing meeting presentation informing players and parents about the academy.
• Ensure relevant EFL forms are completed and handed to the club secretary.
• Maintain in accordance with governing body rules the registration database of all academy players.

Facilities

• Adhere to match day protocol

Meetings

• Attend and input into the Technical Board 6 weekly meetings
• Attend and input into weekly AMT meetings
• Attend and chair MDT 6 weekly meetings
• Organise and chair PDP departmental meeting (daily) and PDP departmental 6 weekly meeting (collect minutes)
• Attend and input into parents and player’s 6 weekly review meetings.
• Meet/Communicate with first team staff every morning/end of day to discuss training & games plans for individual players.

Such other duties as may be appropriate to achieve the objectives of the post and to assist the Academy Manager.

Person Specifications (Essential)

Qualifications

• UEFA A Coaching Licence
• FA Advanced Youth Award (or working towards)
• Safeguarding and Protecting Children
• Basic First Aid for Sport (BFAS)

Required Experience

Experience of working in at least 1 of the following roles:

• A football coaching role
• A mentoring/coaching role

Knowledge and/or experience of at least 3 of the following:

• The process of learning in young people (pedagogy)
• Running and designing development programmes
• Football coaching
• Leading a team
• Managing people
• Sports Psychology

ICT experience of PMA, excel, word and any other software as required to carry out the duties required for the job.

Personal Qualities

• Excellent communication and customer service skills
• Have a flexible attitude to work
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
• Have a polite and courteous manner
• Be organised and have good time management skills
• The ability to meet stringent deadlines
• Be able to adapt to different and changing situations
• Have the drive and enthusiasm to set high standards and achieve company objectives
• Have a personable approach

Other Requirements

• Have a full clean driving licence
• D1 licence (desirable)
• DBS clearance

Safeguarding

• To have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to follow the child protection procedures adopted by the FA and the club.