Coach Inclusion & Diversity Scheme

Notts County Football Club, in partnership with the Premier League, is proud to support the Coach Inclusion & Diversity Scheme for the 2026/27 season. We're offering a 23-month, full-time academy coaching role to the successful candidate to support the development of the next generation of football coaches. The scheme is open to all, and we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and mixed heritage backgrounds, and women, as they are underrepresented groups amongst the coaching roles that exist across the professional game.

WKey Responsibilities

1. Coaching & Player Development

• Support the planning, delivery and review of coaching sessions aligned to the club’s Game Model and Coaching Philosophy
• Create engaging, developmentally appropriate learning environments for players
• Contribute to the delivery of individual player development through ILPs and ongoing feedback
• Support matchday delivery and player exposure across positions and challenges

2. Learning & Development (CIDS Programme)

• Fully engage in the Premier League Coach Development Programme
• Attend all workshops, mentoring sessions and learning events
• Engage in reflective practice and applied learning within the Academy environment
• Work towards agreed individual development goals

3. Collaboration & Environment

• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary staff (coaching, medical, education, player care)
• Build positive relationships with players, parents and staff
• Contribute to an inclusive, safe and high-performance environment
• Act as a positive role model within the Academy

4. Operations & Professional Standards

• Maintain accurate records in line with EPPP requirements (e.g. FIP)
• Support player reviews, feedback processes and ILP tracking
• Adhere to all safeguarding, equality and club policies
• Demonstrate professionalism in all aspects of the role

Development Opportunity

• As part of the CIDS programme, the successful candidate will receive:
• Dedicated mentoring and coach developer support
• Access to immersive learning experiences and peer learning
• Opportunities to work across development phases
• Access to FA/UEFA qualifications (subject to availability)
• The opportunity to achieve a Diploma in Professional Football Coaching

Essential criteria:

• UEFA B Licence as a minimum
• No prior full-time 1^st Team or Academy coaching role at a Premier League or EFL club
• Experience of coaching in one, or more, of the following environments: grassroots, community, education, development centre or part-time academy football settings
• FA Safeguarding Certificate, Emergency First Aid, and Enhanced DBS (to be completed prior to role commencement)

Desirable criteria:

• Experience of coaching a team or group of players on a regular basis
• Experience of holistic youth development activities within, or beyond, sport
• UEFA A Licence or FA Advanced Youth Award
• Teaching experience

You’ll bring:

• A drive to coach in the professional game
• Passion for player development & developmentally appropriate learning environments
• Commitment to fulfilling duty of care for children, young people, and adults in healthy, high-performance environments
• Resilience and commitment to high-performance environments
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills
• A desire to be a role model and ambassador for diversity in the game

About Notts County FC Academy

Founded in 1862, Notts County F.C. is recognised as the world’s oldest professional football club and has a proud history within English football. Based at Meadow Lane in Nottingham, the Club combines a rich heritage with a modern and progressive approach to player and coach development.

The Academy at Notts County FC is committed to creating a high-performance learning environment that supports the holistic development of young players both on and off the pitch. Operating within the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP), the Academy delivers an aligned coaching programme centred around the Club’s game model, player development philosophy and core values of honesty, empathy, accountability, respect, trust and consistency.

Across the Foundation, Youth Development and Professional Development phases, the Academy aims to provide players and staff with an engaging, inclusive and challenging environment that encourages creativity, resilience, learning and a lifelong passion for the game. The Academy is equally committed to developing coaches and practitioners through collaboration, innovation and ongoing professional development opportunities.

The Club and Academy are proud to support diversity and inclusion within football and are committed to creating opportunities for aspiring coaches from underrepresented backgrounds through initiatives such as the Coach Inclusion & Diversity Scheme (CIDS).

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Safeguarding & Equality

The Club is fully committed to safeguarding children and young people. All staff must adhere to safeguarding policies and safer recruitment practices.

The Club and the Premier League are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups within coaching, including individuals from Black, Asian and mixed heritage backgrounds, and women.