Academy Performance Coach (U9-U16)

About AFC Bournemouth

Main duties

The current post holder will strive to develop gold standard practice within the Academy Performance & Medicine department at AFC Bournemouth. This will be achieved through the understanding and implementation of best practice strength and conditioning, and appropriate level of scientific support.

Departmental Requirements:

• To work and liaise effectively within the department and integrate into the club’s pursuit of increasing the category rating set by the EPPP.
• Willing to further their knowledge through continuous professional development and implement relevant knowledge into practice, of which the club will support.
• Willingness to work across a range of age groups spanning from the U9’s to the U16s.

Strength and Conditioning Responsibilities:

• Deliver best practice strength and conditioning coaching in line with the department philosophies, to academy squads U9-U16.
• Lead/Assist in the production and delivery of gym and field-based conditioning programmes tailored for differing needs of each age group and individuals.
• Produce and lead end stage rehabilitation sessions with injured players.
• Develop and assist in all physical assessment procedures with all academysquads, and ensure all data is recorded and interpreted, with future programmestailored to individual needs.
• Maintain a chronological database of all conditioning conducted with the playersand be able to intervene and readjust programmes.
• Collaborate with the medical team ensuring best practice injury preventionmethods.
• Adhere to the club movement syllabus that can be applied across different agegroups highlighting key movements that players should be able to attain during certain stages of development with clear progressions as key motor skills are learnt.

Sport Science Responsibilities:

• Ensure that all playing staff are offered high quality scientific support on a day-to- day basis.
• To keep abreast with sport science research development and advances and maintain an open and flexible stance about best sport science practice.
• Lead the collection of maturation data and the implementation of academy growth and maturation protocols including the academy bio-banding programme.
• Lead and monitor individual readiness and recovery strategies and implement subsequent interventions daily.
• Monitor and interpret individual and team training data whilst providing knowledgeable feedback to medical department and coaches.
• Use training data to try to offer advice on subsequent team training periodization.
• Produce individual and team phase reports including readiness, recovery, trainingand conditioning data. Provide high level of interpretation, recommendation andfeedback to coaches and medical department.
• Demonstrate a willingness to further personal knowledge into all disciplines ofsport science/performance support including nutrition, physiology, psychology, and biomechanics, by attending relevant educational courses to positively enhance future sport science practice.
• Partake and contribute to department in service sessions on a regular basis, aimed at enhancing the knowledge of the department and ensuring best practice.
• Contribution to 8/12 weekly player reports providing individual feedback in conjunction with the medical team on players athletic profile and development.

General:

• As a member of staff to ensure in all matters, you follow and actively promote the club’s mental health policies and practices to ensure an open, non-judgmental and inclusive environment for everyone engaged with the club.
• As a member of staff to ensure that you to adhere to the club’s safeguarding policies and procedures and are committed to our safeguarding values, creating a safe and positive environment for all those who interact with the club.
• Obligation to adhere to the club’s health and safety policy and procedures.
• As a member of staff to ensure in all matters you follow and actively promote theclub’s equality policies and practices to ensure a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment for everyone engaged with the club.

Key competencies

Required:

• BSc Sport & Exercise Science (or similar).
• Extensive experience working in a Performance support setting with youth athletes.
• Experience of working in a Football academy setting.
• Extensive knowledge of growth and maturation and its implications on youth development.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Power BI.
• Recent & in-date DBS & FA Safeguarding Children Certificates.
• Emergency First Aid in Football (EFAiF).

Desired:

• MSc in Sport Science, S&C or related discipline.
• UKSCA or NSCA accreditation.
• Experience using GPS systems.

Person specification

The Club’s values are at the core of its staff behaviour and how they approach everything they do, therefore we are looking for someone is honest, inclusive, kind, hardworking and loyal.

Staff benefits

In return for your hard work and commitment to us, you will receive a competitive reward package which will include, but is not limited to:

• Free onsite parking.
• Season ticket and allocation of complimentary/purchased tickets.
• Subsidised lunches and complimentary healthy snacks throughout the day.
• Discounts at the club Superstore.
• Contribution towards eye tests and glasses.
• Discounts and benefits from partners and local businesses.
• Club pension & Life Assurance Scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) by Health Assured.
• Paid parental leave (bank of five days per year).
• Club events or other social events throughout the year run by our club social team.
• Paid volunteer opportunities (2 days per year).
• Paid day’s leave on your birthday.

How to apply

Please email application form to academyjobs@afcb.co.uk.

The Club reserves the right to close this vacancy before the proposed deadline should it deem appropriate.

AFC Bournemouth is an equal opportunities employer and ensures staff and volunteers are able to achieve their full potential.

We take pride in our approach to diversity and inclusion and embrace the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of our society. We take our responsibility seriously, to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability or any other characteristic protected by law.

We actively encourage applications from women, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from ethnically diverse communities.

For further information on accessibility within the stadium please click here.

AFC Bournemouth is committed to protecting all children, young persons, and adults at risk in its care or attending its premises and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment.

For all positions where a DBS check is required, an offer of employment will be subject to receipt of satisfactory disclosure at the appropriate level.

Any and all potential agreements, relationships or commitments that could be considered a conflict of interest should be disclosed upon application to this vacancy by emailing jobs@afcb.co.uk. You will also be asked whether you have any conflicts to disclose upon receipt of your application.

Satisfactory references will be required for all positions, your eligibility to work with the club will be subject to receiving appropriate referencing.

We strive to create a positive and safe environment and ensure all who interact with the club feel safe, protected, and heard.

AFC Bournemouth can exercise their right to perform external searches and to confirm information provided by candidates. It does not retain any data during this process.