The Role
The Head of Football Insights and Innovation – Academy will lead the design and delivery of a dedicated Football Insights & Innovation function to enhance how data, performance problem solving, and technology inform decision making and accelerate player development within the Manchester City Academy. You will ensure that football and performance data, structured problem solving and innovation are embedded into day-to-day practice across the Academy, including the integration of targeted Academic research. Working in close collaboration with Football Intelligence colleagues, you will focus on the applied use of data within the Academy environment. The emphasis is on translating insight into action, strengthening profiling and monitoring systems, answering key performance questions, and ensuring technology investment drives meaningful performance outcomes.
Your Impact
* Lead the development and ongoing evolution of the Academy’s applied data science provision, ensuring insight generation is aligned to coaching & performance priorities and player development objectives.
* Design, implement, and lead a structured research, innovation, and performance problem-solving framework that identifies high-value performance questions and delivers practical, measurable impact.
* Develop and oversee a clear technology governance process, ensuring that performance technologies are evaluated rigorously, implemented effectively, and used consistently across the Academy.
* Line manage and develop the Football Insights & Innovation team of Data Scientists and Insights Analysts, setting high standards of delivery, collaboration and professional practice.
* Lead cross-functional Academy football performance projects and support the integration of key systems and technologies, acting as the primary applied interface with Academy departments, Football Intelligence and relevant City Football Group stakeholders.
* In partnership with Academy Coaching, Performance Analysis and Performance Services, lead the development and refinement of Academy player profiling systems to enable targeted goal setting, informed intervention and longitudinal tracking of development.
* Work with the Director of Performance – Academy to define team objectives, practitioner development plans and ongoing learning opportunities to ensure continuous growth of the function.
* Contribute positively to the Academy Performance Management Team and wider Academy leadership, promoting intelligent data use, collaboration and innovation as core components of the performance culture.
What we are looking for
Essential
* Experience leading and managing a department delivering performance impact in elite football or high-performance sport.
* Experience embedding data and innovation into operational practice – knowledge of applied data science and player profiling within elite sport environments.
* Advanced understanding of football performance analytics (technical-tactical and physical/performance support domains).
* Knowledge of structured research methodologies and innovation processes, performance technology ecosystems in high performance sport, and principles of youth player development within elite football.
* Strategic service design and implementation capability with strong ability to translate performance data into actionable insights.
* Effective stakeholder management across multidisciplinary environments including being comfortable constructively challenging and influencing senior stakeholders.
* Project management skills with experience leading cross-functional performance projects.
* Strong structured problem-solving capability.
* Collaborative and relationship driven, impact focused and pragmatic approach.
* Curious and innovation oriented with high integrity and professional credibility while being resilient and composed in elite performance environments.
Desirable
* Experience working within an Elite Football Academy, multi-club, or matrix organisation.
* Publication or applied research experience in performance sport with an advanced postgraduate qualification (e.g. MSc/PhD in relevant discipline).
* Knowledge of AI/ML applications in football.
* Experience developing player profiling frameworks and implementation of best practice in delivery and use of performance technologies.
* Budget ownership and technology investment oversight.
* Experience implementing performance systems and designing practitioner development programmes.
This Is Your City
As part of our team, you will be entitled to 26 days annual leave plus an additional day off for your birthday, private healthcare and dental cover, an annual discretionary bonus, plus a range of partnership and lifestyle discounts.
How to Apply
Please click “Apply Now” to begin your application.
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