PGA U21 Head Coach + Operations

Organisation: Charlton Athletic Football Club
Salary: Competitive
Location: London
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 15 August 2025
Job Description: Position: PGA U21 Head Coach + Operations

Location: Sparrows Lane Training Ground

Hours: FTE Mon-Fri (+matchdays as needed)

About Us:

Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Charlton, south-east London. The club was founded on June 9th, 1905 and has a very storied history from rising to the top-flight of English Football in the 1930s (First Division) and again in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, to winning the FA Cup in 1947 and to leaving their Valley home in the mid-1980s only to make an impassioned return in 1992. Historically, the women's team played under Charlton Athletic from 2000 to 2007 but were released to become an independently run team in 2007 following the men's team's relegation from the Premier League.

The women's team were originally formed as a non-professional team in 1991 and were highly successful in the early 2000s winning The FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Charity Shield, as well as coming runners-up in the top division in multiple seasons. In February 2021, the club acquired the Charlton Athletic Women's team, turning the team full-time professional, and integrating them to become one club again.

In 2024 our men's first team was promoted to the Championship, the second tier of English football, and our women's team competes in the Women’s Championship, the second highest division of women's football in England. At Charlton, we are ‘one club’ and can be truly described as a ‘family club’.

Role Description:

The purpose of this role is to:

· Support and develop all players within the group to attain the highest levels of performance possible in a safe, secure, and supportive environment.

· Drive and nurture a positive culture within the training group. Be a coach who makes the PGA a place where players learn, have fun, and enhance their knowledge of the game

· Deliver football coaching sessions in line with the PGA curriculum / blueprint.

· Ensure the age group’s coaching programme adheres to and exceeds all club standards and FA PGA licence requirements.

· Execute a high-performance schedule preparing players for First team football.

· Plan and execute a professional schedule beneficial to PDP within the department

· Prepare and support player in transition to senior environments.

· Be an advocate and guardian of the women’s game

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Coaching Programme

· Plan, prepare, deliver, and evaluate coaching sessions, following a training programme typically devised by the PGA Academy Manager

· Provide input to the development and ongoing improvement / adaptation of the coaching curriculum· Coach in a way that ensures players:

o are encouraged to ask questions and seek feedback for improvement and clarity

o are encouraged to have input to footballing decisions and their own learning process.

o are communicated the why’ as well as ‘what’ of decisions

o know and understand the purpose and ‘why’ of training sessions

· Provide learning and development opportunities to any volunteer coaches, through for example:

o Giving them stretching responsibility

o Providing developmental feedback on their coaching

o Seeking their input and views on players and sessions

· Input into selection decisions (e.g., attend trials and take part in selection decisions post-trial)

· Work across age groups and / or senior environments (coach is likely to hold responsibility for one age group and work with different groups from time to time)

Player development

· Work with individual players set appropriated development targets with a plan to work towards

· Input information into the PGA’s monitoring system to allow for analysis

· Provide feedback to players (using technology where appropriate) that is recorded in the IDPs.

· Monitor and evaluate player development and provide feedback to players and parents/carers on a regular basis.

· Liaise with and work closely with coaches, medics and performance staff regarding player development, and prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of injuries

· Ensure all PGA games are well managed with a development philosophy clear to players and parents/carers

· Effectively manage an approach to winning that is productive and developmental

· Be available to players to offer advice, guidance and support on football and personal matters. E.g., ensure they are managed well through things like injury and other challenges that could affect their performance and wellbeing.

· Ensure player behaviour in the group reflects what is required in the PGA

· Work with the PGA’s Safeguarding Manager to ensure that the wellbeing and welfare of all players and staff is always an operational priority

Management & Operations

In conjunction with the PGA Academy Manager:

· Be the main point of contact for internal and external logistics around PGA schedule.

· Liaise and plan PGA fixtures and travel arrangements with support from Academy manager.

· Record and upload documentation to relevant systems for players and league compliance.

· Record participation and attendance at PGA activities for the designated age group.

· Ensure communication to players and parents/carers concerning the age group is consistent and aligned to PGA communications

MAIN JOB REQUIREMENTS AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education/Qualifications/Training:

Essential

· FA Level 3/UEFA B or above coaching qualification

· FA DBS

· FA Safeguarding Children

· FA Level 1 Introduction to First Aid in Football (IFAiF)

· They should complete the Effective Coaching in the Female Game Course (ECFG) within 18 months of appointment

Specific Experience:

· Experience of working with young athletes

· Experience of working in a football environment.

· Understanding of the needs of the modern young player in terms of their physical and psychological development.

· An up to date understanding of Child Protection and Safeguarding procedures

· Roles which have brought understanding of how children learn and develop (e.g., teaching)

· Experience of planning and executing sporting events

Abilities/Skills/Knowledge:

Engages in professional development other than technical football coaching development, for example:

· FA Advanced Youth Award (AYA).

· Physical Development of Youth Female Players (growth and maturation, female athlete physiology & menstrual cycle)

· Talent Identification & Talent Development across all sports (RAE, Unconscious Bias, Performance vs Potential)

· Player support qualifications (e.g., Talented Athlete Lifestyle Support)

Safeguarding

Charlton Athletic Football club are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We endeavour to provide a fun, safe and welcoming environment where children and young people feel respected and valued.

If you are successful then you will be required to undertake an Enhanced DBS.

Additional Information

· This a full-time role that includes work on weekends and evenings

· Applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK

· Charlton Athletic is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. This post is subject to a satisfactory DBS Disclosure

· As such, this post is exempt for the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and the successful candidate must disclose all convictions spent convictions should be declared, that have not been subject to filtering by the DBS

· Charlton Athletic FC is committed to the principle of equal opportunity and its policies for recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion are designed to ensure that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic and national origin, disability or gender reassignment.

· Any personal data that you provide to Charlton Athletic Football Club Ltd (data controller) will be processed in line with applicable data protection laws and will be used only for the purpose of recruitment.

· We will keep your personal information for 6 months after which we will erase it. You can always choose to have your data erased earlier by emailing us at dpo@cafc.co.uk.

· We’d love to hear from you if you believe you can meet the challenges of working within an elite sporting environment.

Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive we regret that we are unable to respond to unsuccessful applicants.

Safeguarding:

Charlton Athletic Football Club are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. The successful candidate may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS). The possession of a criminal record will not necessarily prevent an applicant from obtaining a post, as all cases are mediated individually according to the nature of the role and the information provided.

Note: Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive we regret that we are unable to respond to unsuccessful applicants.

To Apply: Please send a copy of your CV as well as a covering letter explaining why you want to apply for this placement to: ADD LINK HERE
How to apply: Apply here: https://cafc.peoplehr.net/Pages/JobBoard/Opening.aspx?v=d1784458-1105-47a3-8e5c-bd5aa6e35d4a