Overview
To drive the vision of the academy through strategic planning, operational management and good leadership of people. Providing leadership to all areas of the academy so that it can deliver well-rounded, footballers into the professional game.
Accountabilities
Accountabilities
Below are the areas of responsibility that Academy Managers are accountable for. KPIs and behavioural objectives for individuals within the role should be set in relation to these areas. No more than seven objectives should exist at any one time.
* The Academy Manager is accountable for: The Academy strategy is translated into clear objectives which are cascaded down and bought into at all levels.
* The alignment of the Academy’s Playing and Coaching Philosophy with the Club’s philosophy Owns the Academy’s Playing and Coaching Philosophy ensuring it is understood and adopted throughout the Academy.
* An operational plan/ performance plan to deliver the strategic objectives Takes ownership and drives the operational plan/Academy performance plan through others.
* Financial performance of the Academy Has responsibility for the day-to-day financial management of the Academy
* Identifying and managing change effectively Manages changes in strategy or process effectively (implemented quickly and effectively without resistance).
* Management of Academy staff Academy staff know what is required of them and are well-managed to achieve their goals. Academy staff report satisfaction levels reported as high
* Player progression through the system To ensure the academy achieves its goals in relation to player outcomes.
* Expectations to players as footballers and individuals Expectations around player experience are met or exceeded
* The Academy’s reputation within the club and the Academy environment The Academy Manager is regarded as the key leadership figure and influencer within the Club structure.
Activities
Activities are the actions essential to performing the role well. They may not represent everything that an Academy Manager does.
A clear vision and supporting strategy for the Academy
Plan future Academy strategy
Activities include:
* Use the Club strategy to inform Academy vision and strategy
* Spend time thinking about and exploring how the Academy should look and feel in the future
* Research external sources to inform vision/ strategy e.g. other football academies, other high performance sports
* Build a picture which describes how all elements of the Academy work together and the outputs they would like to see
* Involves Department Heads in strategic discussions and decisions
* Identify alternative ways to achieve the vision
* Connect the impact of each department in terms of delivery of the vision
* Presents proposed Academy strategy to the CEO for approval
* Engages with staff to enable them to understand how they contribute to the vision & strategy – considers how to make this appealing to people in all roles so that they buy-in
The alignment of the Academy’s Playing and Coaching Philosophy with the Club’s philosophy
Facilitate development of the Academy’s coaching philosophy & curriculum:
Activities include:
* Facilitates the creation of the Academy’s Playing and Coaching Philosophy in line with Club Philosophy. This will involve consultation with Head of Coaching, Lead Phase Coaches, CEO, 1st Team Manager & General Manager
* Identifies what behaviours underpin the values and link to the Philosophy
* Draft detailed Philosophy
* Present Philosophy back to stakeholders for approval
* Work with Heads of Department to embed the Philosophy in their area
* Regularly monitor adoption of Philosophy in all areas of the Academy
An operational plan/ performance plan to deliver the strategic objectives
Manage the creation and implementation of an operational plan that reflects the strategy and vision.
Activities include:
* Builds operational / performance plans based on Academy KPI outputs and EPPP requirements in consultation with Department Heads
* Agrees KPIs with all Department Heads
* Asks Departmental Heads to produce plans to meet KPI targets in their areas
* Review all plans to ensure alignment to achieve Academy KPIs
* Review and interpret all (management) information/ reports supplied by all Departmental Heads to assess progress and feed back into operational planning
* Monitors Departmental progress towards KPIs adapt plans as necessary
* Monitor audit metrics between audits to check progress/ ensure standards are met
Financial performance of the Academy
Manage the financial operations of the business:
Activities include:
* Produces a business case for the Academy budget to present to the CEO & General Manager
* Cascade budgets to Departmental Heads and gives clear budget targets
* Asks for regular management reporting in relation to budget spent/ outstanding from all departments
* Check departments meet their budgetary targets
* Monitors and adjust focus of overall spend as required
* Calculate and monitor value add from players (as Club assets)
Identifying and managing change effectively
Manage change proactively:
Activities include:
* Looks for opportunities to make improvement through changing how things are done
* A change management plan is developed whenever significant change is required (covering target groups, stakeholders & change agents)
* A communication plan is developed prior to implementing change
* Change is implemented systematically in line with plans and reviewed regularly/adapted as required
Management of Academy staff
Performance manage Department Heads.
Activities include:
* Review the organisational structure of the Academy to ensure that it supports the vision and strategic plan
* Write Role Profiles / checks and updates Role Profiles, of all Academy staff to ensure they will enable the role holder to deliver relevant KPIs
* Implement suitable performance management processes and communicates this across the Academy
* Ensure that others are performance managing their staff appropriately
* Agree clear objectives with team (Department Heads)
* Provide regular feedback to Department Heads
* Hold regular 1:1 conversations with team
* Ensure all direct reports have Development Action Plans
* Be available to team - open-door philosophy or clear articulation of when they can have ad hoc conversations
* Diagnose and manage underperformance
Recruit suitable people into the Academy:
Activities include:
* Lead on recruitment for all Departmental Managers
* Advise/ offer support for recruitment to other key posts (Lead Phase coaches etc.)
* Contribute to recruitment decision for direct reports to Departmental Managers– discuss needs with managers, take part in interviews, offer thoughts
* Create a succession plan for the academy
* Speak to Department Managers to understand their long-term aspirations
Player progression through the system
Monitor progress and adapt plans:
Activities include:
* Monitors player progression through Head of Coaching/ Lead Phase coach (possibly self in older age-groups)
* Meets with the Technical Board to discuss players (informed by LPCs)
* Discuss changes to individual/ group player strategy
* Have a method to track players who leave to identify where do they go
The expectations set to players as footballers and individuals
Deliver expected ‘service’ to players and their families:
Activities include:
* Produce ‘Player Charter’ to outline the Club’s way of working with players
* Negotiate individual contracts directly or through agents
* Create Education & Welfare Standards with Education & Welfare Department
* Quality assure that education and welfare and player care promises are delivered
* Monitor player & parent satisfaction and adapt way of working as necessary
* Develop a strategy to help players who are leaving the club
The Academy’s reputation within the club and the Academy environment
Manage relationships internally and externally:
Activities include:
* Ensure regular contact with CEO & General Manager – ad hoc and formal
* Create and maintain relationships with 1st Team Manager & Staff
* Watch games/ training so that visible to parents and available to chat
* Regularly spend time with coaches and players
* Maintain relationships with schools, local universities etc.
* Develop a strategy for managing parents including how parent’s evenings are run
* Hold ‘team building’/ ‘away days’ with Department Heads to gain greater cohesion and shared direction within the Academy leadership team – take responsibility for creating an elite learning and development environment
* Proactively manages the reputation of the Academy to the wider Club and at external events
Work Relationships
The Academy Manager needs to build relationships with the following:
Internally:
CEO/General manager: to ensure that the Academy is represented on the football agenda at board level
MDT: Heads of department – to gain buy-in and to ensure a sense of team so that they work together in order to innovate and move the academy forward as a unit.
Head of Coaching: ultimate strategic responsibility for coaching. Need to understand development priorities and stay informed regarding coaching achievements.
Lead Phase Coaches: so they feel valued and buy-in to/ support the vision and strategy.
Coaches: Part Time & Full Time so they feel valued.
First team staff: to assist with creating a pathway for players.
Parents: so they are aware of the degree to which the Academy values them/ their children and so that they have a senior individual that they can raise concerns with if necessary.
Players: So they see the Academy Manager as someone who values them as people.
Externally:
Premier League: as ‘advisor’/ central body
EFL: as ‘advisor’/ central body
LFE: related to education
FA: as the governing body of the sport
Universities / colleges: who can help with research etc.
Academies in other Clubs: people in similar roles in other Clubs – share information and learning
Performance Directors in other elite sporting environments: people in similar roles in other sports – share information and learning
Intermediaries: as influential over player decisions to stay at or leave a Club
About The Candidate
Person Specification
Academy Managers must have experience of working in at least three of the following roles:
* A role which involves working in an elite performance sports environment
* A role which involves working in a high performing business environment
* A role which involves leading and managing people
* A role which involves strategic planning
* A role which involves education/ pedagogy
Academy Manager must have knowledge and/ or experience of at least three of the following:
* Understanding how elite players are developed
* The process of learning in coaches
* How a football Club works (not necessarily as a coach/ high level player)
* Working with young people
* Business management/ Financial management/ budget planning
NOTE:
The Academy Manager must have experience of football if:
* The Lead Phase Coaches report directly to the Academy Manager
It is deemed beneficial if Academy Manager have additional experience/ knowledge related to the following:
* Playing football
* Football coaching
* Coaching of another sport
* Understanding of Long Term Athlete Development
* Elite sport (athlete or otherwise)
* Organisation/ planning
* Project management
* Change management
Essential Qualifications
The following qualifications/certificates are essential for an Academy Manager to be employed:
* Enhanced DBS
* FA Advanced Youth Award
Desirable Qualifications
The following qualifications are deemed to be useful to the Academy Manager but should not preclude someone from being recruited into the role if their experience and characteristics fit:
* Level 4 coaching qualification in another sport
* Qualification in Education such as PGCE, Pedagogy MSc etc
* Coaching/ Mentoring Qualification
* Business degree (MBA or similar)
* Sport Science Degree
* Degree
Motivation: what needs to appeal to them?
• Wants to create asustainable organisation which will deliver long-term goals
• Likes to have theautonomy to make decisions and set direction
• Enjoys working hardto overcome challenges
• Gets satisfactionfrom providing leadership and management to enable a team to performeffectively and deliver results
• Gets a buzz fromseeing players grow, develop and succeed:
• Gains satisfactionfrom being able to add value to the Club and the game
Interpersonal dexterity: how should theyinteract with people?
• Is able to quickly understand the different needs and agendas ofothers
• Adapts style and manner of interaction to build relationships withvery types of different people
• Able to use different approaches to influence people across differentlevels to gain backing for objectives
• Communicates in a clear and straightforward way to ensure othersunderstand important information
• Is able present and defend a point of view or decision confidently
Resilience: what are the tough aspects ofthe role?
• Able to remain composed when faced with conflicting demands
• Able to cope effectively with pressure caused by long-hours, lack ofresources and high expectations
• Bounces back from setbacks quickly
• Is comfortable being ‘hands off’ and delivering through others
• Remains positive despite limited recognition and feedback
Thinking: how do they need to deal withinformation?
• Applies logic andrational analysis when interpreting data to draw sound conclusions
• Sees the big picture by analysing information from different sourcesand drawing things together
• Thinks strategically to develop new ways to deliver required results
• Prioritises when faced with conflicting demands in order to focuseffort where greatest gain will result
• Thinks creatively around problems to generate alternative options andsolutions
• Able to create and apply a structured approach to managing projectsand planning and implementing change
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