Essendon Football Club has a reputation as a leader in the Australian sports industry and we are committed to our vision of being recognised as the most respected, inclusive and successful sporting club in the country, consistently setting the benchmark both on and off the field. We currently have a fantastic opportunity for a Head of Player Development to ‘Don the Sash’ and join our Football Performance Team based at our state of the art club headquarters at Melbourne Airport.
The Opportunity
Reporting to the General Manager Football Performance, the Head of Player Development will be responsible for managing all aspects of the Player Development Program to ensure that we are nurturing and maximising young talent and developing them into professional footballers who embrace the Essendon Way and who will be the next generation to carry the legacy of our proud and successful club.
You will play a lead role in the development and co-ordination of the player development program which will be heavily focused on the early development (eg: first 3years) of players as well as oversee the individual development plans for the whole playing group in partnership with the Coaching, High Performance and Player Welfare teams. In addition you’ll be responsible for:
- Leading, coaching and developing EFC’s Player Development team (including VFL Coach)
- Lead the development and implementation of the player development framework and program which will deliver a consistently strong player pipeline and depth to the core playing group
- Execute development programs to enhance the physical, mental and technical components of the development group and provide education and understanding of what it takes to achieve success the Essendon Way
- Lead the completion of player assessments and individual plans for the development group
- Work with the coaching staff to facilitate individual development plans for rest of the playing group
- Build and maintain strong relationships across the football department to foster a strong development and performance culture
What we’re looking For
To be considered for the role, candidates must have the following essential skills and experience:
- Strong background in a sport (at an elite or high level);
- Proven experience in designing and implementing athlete development programs and plans;
- Demonstrated in-depth understanding of the on and off field requirements of elite footballers;
- Proven personal integrity and leadership experience with demonstrated success in building, developing and managing high performance teams;
- Strength in coaching, teaching and communications skills;
- Strong IT skills with an ability to use a range of high performance software and interpret data;
- Capable of working a wide array of hours with a varying time schedule to suit the seasonal priorities of the football industry; and
- Permanent Residency in Australia, or appropriate visa to work permanently.
Other skills and experience which are highly desirable but not essential:
- Qualifications in Psychology or Teaching
- Level III Coaching Accreditation
- Five plus (5+) years experience working in an elite athlete development environment
To Apply
If you thrive on working in a fast paced, performance driven environment with a passionate and dedicated team of high achieving professionals we’d love to hear from you!
To apply, please email a cover letter along with your resume to recruitment@essendonfc.com.au. Position description is available by request.
Applications close 5pm, Sunday 21st September 2014
Please note that this role will be subject to background checks.
