Southampton Football Club
U21's Head Coach & Academy Manager (Women's Programme)
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Help shape the future of women's football at Southampton FC.
Southampton FC Women are looking for an outstanding coach and leader to become the next U21's Head Coach & Academy Manager, taking ownership of one of the most exciting player development pathways in the women's game.
This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of the Girls' Academy while directly leading the U21 squad, creating an environment where talented young players can develop, thrive and transition into first-team football.
This newly combined leadership role places coaching and player development at its heart. You'll spend as much time on the grass as you will shaping the academy programme, working alongside an ambitious multidisciplinary team to deliver an elite environment for players aged 15-21.
The impact you'll make
- Lead the strategic direction and day-to-day operation of Southampton FC Women's Girls' Academy, creating a positive, high-performance culture across the programme.
- Develop and coach the U21 squad, delivering engaging sessions and preparing players to meet the demands of senior football.
- Build a genuine player pathway into the first team, working closely with coaches and performance staff to maximise every player's potential.
- Lead and inspire academy coaches and support staff, creating an environment built on collaboration, learning and continuous improvement.
- Drive player development through individual reviews, progression planning and multidisciplinary collaboration.
- Help shape the next chapter of Southampton FC Women's academy programme, influencing how future talent is developed both on and off the pitch.
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What's in it for you?
- The opportunity to shape the future of one of England's most ambitious women's football programmes.
- A genuine leadership position where you'll influence both academy strategy and on-pitch performance.
- A varied role with an almost even split between coaching and academy leadership, offering the best of both worlds.
- The chance to work alongside experienced leaders across coaching, performance, medical, education and player care within an integrated multidisciplinary environment.
- Significant autonomy to introduce new ideas, develop staff and build a culture that supports long-term player success.
- The opportunity to play a key role in developing players capable of progressing into Southampton FC Women's first-team environment.
Your skills and experience
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- UEFA B Licence (minimum), with UEFA A Licence desirable.
- Experience coaching players within an academy or high-performance environment, ideally within the older youth age groups (U18/U21).
- A strong understanding of player development, talent identification and preparing players for senior football.
- Experience leading, mentoring or developing coaches and multidisciplinary staff.
- Knowledge of academy governance, safeguarding and compliance processes.
- Excellent communication, organisational and relationship-building skills.
- The ability to balance strategic leadership with high-quality coaching delivery in a fast-paced football environment.
If you're passionate about developing elite young players and want to play a central role in shaping the future of Southampton FC Women's academy pathway, click Apply to begin your application.
The Executives in Sport Group are retained on behalf of Southampton FC Women to appoint an U21's Head Coach & Academy Manager. All direct applications and CVs will be forwarded to The Executives in Sport Group.
Please note that due to the volume of applications received, we are unfortunately unable to provide individual feedback to unsuccessful applicants.
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