Head Coach & Elite Development Lead

Organisation: Varsity Nine
Salary: £35000 - £45000
Location: Milton Keynes
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 31 August 2026
Job Description: About Varsity Nine
Varsity Nine is building one of Europe’s leading private football and athlete development environments, creating pathways across academy football, US College scholarships, professional opportunities, international programmes, and elite showcase events.

We work with talented players from the UK and around the world, combining high-level coaching, performance analysis, education, recruitment support, and player management to help each athlete progress. Joining Varsity Nine means becoming part of a fast-growing, ambitious football organisation with a clear purpose: to create life-changing opportunities for young athletes.

This is an opportunity to work in a dynamic environment, contribute to meaningful player outcomes, and help shape a modern football business with significant plans for growth.

Role Summary

The Head Coach & Elite Development Lead is a "boots on the ground" leadership position. The role will mainly be based in Milton Keynes, with a secondary working location at Bisham Abbey Sports Centre. While you sit on the football strategy team, your primary domain is the pitch. You are the architect of performance for the Elite Squads and the lead facilitator of coaching standards across the entire programme.

Your mission is to bridge the gap between the Leadership team and the grass—ensuring that the football philosophy developed is executed with intensity, precision, and elite-level detail every single day.

Responsibilities

Elite Coaching & Tactical Execution
- Lead Practitioner: Take primary responsibility for the planning and delivery of all Elite Squad sessions, ensuring they mirror an elite professional environment.
- Philosophy Implementation: Work with the Academy and Technical Directors to translate the "Varsity Nine DNA" into practical, high-intensity training drills.
- On-Pitch Standards: Ensure the coaching vocabulary, intensity, and methodology are consistent across all age groups and squads.
- Masterclasses: Periodically lead "Masterclass" sessions for the wider programme to ensure every player, regardless of squad, understands the Varsity Nine way.

Match Day Leadership
- Head of Match Day: Take full tactical control of Elite Squad fixtures, from pre-match team talks to real-time tactical interventions and post-match debriefs.
- Professional Standards: Set the tone for touchline behaviour, ensuring staff and players maintain a high-performance, disciplined environment.
- Showcase Management: Lead the technical delivery of US Scholarship showcase matches and international tour fixtures, ensuring players are positioned to perform for watching scouts.
- Advanced Performance Analysis: Work with the analysis team to review match footage, using data to inform the following week’s training cycle and tactical adjustments.

Player Development & Scouting
- Elite PDPs: Design and oversee Personal Development Plans (PDPs) for elite players, focusing on technical, tactical, physical, and personal development milestones aligned to their individual pathway objectives.
- Scouting & Assessment: Lead the technical assessment of players during trials, fixtures, recruitment events, showcase events, and wider Varsity Nine scouting activity, identifying talent that fits the Varsity Nine player profile across the academy, US College pathway, professional pathway, and wider group opportunities.
- Varsity Nine Scouting Solutions: Support the development and delivery of Varsity Nine’s scouting solutions, helping to identify, monitor, track, and profile players across relevant age groups, competitions, partner programmes, and external talent markets.
- Player Tracking & Reporting: Maintain clear scouting records, player notes, assessment reports, and progression recommendations to support internal decision-making across coaching, recruitment, placement, and player management teams.
- Progression: Identify high-potential players within the wider programme and external scouting network, supporting their transition into Elite Squads, US College placement opportunities, professional pathway activity, or other appropriate Varsity Nine player development routes.

Strategic Leadership
- Leadership Team: Contribute to the broader strategy of building Europe’s leading private academy.
- International Oversight: Lead the coaching delivery on international tours, acting as the technical figurehead for the brand abroad.
- Mentorship: Act as a mentor to junior coaching staff, providing feedback on their on-pitch delivery and session management.

Requirements

Essential
- UEFA A Licence (UEFA Pro preferential).
- Right to work in the UK (no sponsorship is available for this role).
- Elite Experience: Minimum 7 years working specifically with elite/academy players in a professional or high-performance setting.
- On-Grass Excellence: A proven track record of delivering high-quality, engaging, and tactically sound coaching sessions.
- Leadership Presence: The ability to command the respect of elite athletes and lead a technical staff.
- Logistics: Full clean driving licence (ability to drive company minibus for match-day transport).
- Clearance: Clean DBS.

Desirable
- International coaching experience
- Knowledge of the pro and /or US Collegiate recruitment landscape.

Package Details
- Salary: £35,000–£45,000 (subject to experience)
- Performance Bonus: TBC based on competitive milestones (e.g., FA Youth Cup success) and player retention - full schedule TBA.
- Structure: Reporting directly to the Academy Director.
- Review: Formal compensation and role review after 12 months to align with the growth of the programme.
- Benefits: 21 Days Leave + Bank Holidays; Pension; Business travel reimbursement; National and International travel opportunities.
How to apply: Please email Vivion (vivion@varsitynine.com) with your CV and a cover letter.