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Professional Play to Coach Scheme – Academy Coach
Derby County Football Club
Derby County Football Club is a professional association football club based in Derby, Derbyshire, England. The club competes in League One, the third tier of English football. Derby has played its home matches at Pride Park Stadium since 1997.
Job Posted- 6 May 2026
Status- Full Time
Location- England
Closing date- 17 May 2026
Derby County Football Club, established in 1884, is one of the founder members of the English Football League and has a rich and varied history, including two First Division titles in 1972 and 1975 and an FA Cup success in 1946. The club are currently playing in the Sky Bet Championship, the second tier of English Football following their promotion from League One in the 2023/24 season and is under the management of Head Coach John Eustace. The club also boasts a successful and respected Category One Academy, a status which has been held since 2014, and a Women’s side competing in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division. Derby County recently embarked on an exciting new era following the change in ownership to Clowes Developments (UK) Limited, in the summer of 2022. Our track record of producing talent is outstanding, and we intend to protect that proud legacy, investing in key roles within the club to build on the foundations in place for success.
Working for Derby County Football Club offers a unique opportunity to be part of one of England’s most historic and passionately supported clubs. With a proud legacy, a dedicated fan base, and an exciting vision for the future, Derby County offers a dynamic and rewarding work environment both on and off the pitch. Whether you're joining the team in coaching, administration, marketing, or operations, you'll be contributing to a culture rooted in ambition, community, and progress. Employees benefit from a collaborative work environment and opportunities for professional development.
We're offering a 23-month, full-time academy coaching role to the successful candidate to support the development of the next generation of football coaches. The scheme is open to all, and we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and mixed heritage backgrounds, and women, as they are underrepresented groups amongst the coaching roles that exist across the professional game.
The fixed-term employment opportunity will include experience across development phases, including working with multi-disciplinary teams. Successful applicants will enter the Premier League’s Coach Development Programme, accredited by Leeds Beckett University. Coaches will receive a Diploma in Professional Football Coaching upon successfully completing the programme. The development programme includes mentoring, workshops, peer learning, projects and FA/UEFA qualifications, dependent on need.
Key Responsibilities:
• To develop responsibility for the planning, delivering and reviewing coaching sessions for players across the Foundation, Youth Development and Professional Development phases.
• Develop an understanding of performance analysis with individual players, units, and teams to support player development.
• To undertake player review meetings in a Multi-Disciplinary environment.
• To take responsibility for your development through your Development Programme and DCFC Development Action Plan.
• To ensure the Academy’s holistic approach to player development is always adhered to.
• To highlight and celebrate good practice and challenge poor practice where identified.
• To attend player Succession Planning Meetings to support the recruitment team.
• To participate in a review process, including monthly reports and work programmes highlighting progress and development strategy.
• To be responsible for the health, safety and welfare of customers and colleagues, complying with health and safety guidance and policy.
• Continuously work to maintain, embed and improve the club’s safeguarding provision, ensuring the highest standards for safeguarding children and adults at risk.
• To uphold and promote organisational policies and procedures, promoting those specifically applicable to this area of work and including equality, diversity and inclusion.
• To present and promote an appropriate public image representing the organisation.
• To undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required commensurate with the post.
Personal characteristics and experience:
• A drive to coach in the professional game
• Passion for player development & developmentally appropriate learning environments
• Commitment to fulfilling duty of care for children, young people, and adults in healthy, high-performance environments
• Resilience and commitment to high-performance environments
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• A desire to be a role model and ambassador for diversity in the game
Qualifications:
Essential
• UEFA B Licence as a minimum
• No prior full-time 1st Team or Academy coaching role at a Premier League or EFL club
• Experience of coaching in one, or more, of the following environments: grassroots, community, education, development centre or part-time academy football settings
• FA Safeguarding Certificate, Emergency First Aid, and Enhanced DBS (to be completed prior to role commencement)
Desirable
• UEFA A Licence
The scheme is open to all, and we particularly welcome applications from individuals from Black, Asian and mixed heritage backgrounds, as they are underrepresented groups amongst the coaching roles that exist across the professional game.
How to Apply
Please click APPLY NOW to begin the application process.