Academy Head of Player Care
Application Deadline: 14 June 2026
Department: Academy - Player Care
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: AFC Bournemouth Performance Centre, Wimborne
Reporting To: Head of Academy
Description
Academy Values
* Players First: every player valued. Every decision made with care.
* Togetherness: working as part of a wider team and willing to contribute beyond own interests.
* Integrity: carrying out academy and club values in an open and honest manner.
* Accountability: willing to take responsibility for actions, allowing for learning, growth and reflection.
JOB PURPOSE
Adhere to our Player Care purpose of supporting player development by building a positive and supportive environment for our players to develop as people.
Key Responsibilities
Player Care
* Lead the Player care department within the Academy Management Team (AMT), including writing the Academy Performance Plan, managing the Player Care KPI’s and leading on the Audit.
* Lead the Academy’s holistic Player Care programme across all age groups, focusing on U15-Dev. Squad age groups.
* Ensure players are supported throughout their Academy journey.
* Develop systems that support player our player behaviours.
* Work closely with the Academy Alumni & Transitions Manager to support players during key transition moments, including recruitment, release, injury, scholarships, and professional contracts.
* Work closely with safeguarding and multidisciplinary staff to ensure player welfare remains a priority.
Working with Families
* Build strong relationships with parents and families across the Academy, focusing on U15-Dev. Squad players.
* Deliver parent engagement events, workshops, inductions, and ongoing communication programmes.
* Support families in understanding Academy expectations, player pathways, and personal development opportunities.
* Act as a key point of contact for player and family support matters.
Collaboration & MDT Working
* Work collaboratively with coaching, medical, psychology, operations, recruitment, and safeguarding departments.
* Attend multidisciplinary meetings and contribute to individual player support plans.
* Provide guidance and education to staff around player care, communication, and wellbeing best practice.
Other duties
* 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.
* 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 the club’s equality policies and practices to ensure a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment for everyone engaged with the club.
* Equality champions are responsible for advocating and raising awareness of EDI throughout their department. The equality champion should also endeavour to attend as many equality champions meetings as possible and provide valuable/ considered feedback to the EDI manager on any relevant campaigns, issues or activities.
The duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time; or the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands.
Benefits
* Free onsite parking.
* Season ticket and allocation of complimentary/purchased tickets (subject to availability).
* Subsidised lunches and complimentary healthy snacks throughout the day.
* Discounts at the club Superstore.
* Access to Health Cash Plan with Simplyhealth.
* Employee Assistance Programme
* Contribution towards eye tests and glasses.
* Discounts and benefits from partners and local businesses.
* Club pension & Life Assurance Scheme.
* 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.
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