Salary: Please state your expectations within your application

Contract: Full Time, 23 month Fixed term Contract, 42 Hours a Week

Location: The Nigel Doughty Academy, Nottingham, NG2 7SR

Department: Academy Coaching

Role & Development Programme: About the Role: The successful candidate will divide their time between Nottingham Forest Academy Coach employment and the Premier League Coach Development Programme

Closing date for Applications: Tuesday 28th October

The Perks of the Job:

• Opportunity to access tickets for events at The City Ground.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Access to high street and gym discounts.
• Discount within our Club shop.
• Free on-site parking.

About The Role:

Nottingham Forest, in partnership with the Premier League, is proud to support the Coach Inclusion & Diversity Scheme for the 2025/26 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 successful candidate will be joining The Academy with a proud tradition of producing first-team
and international players, the academy combines modern facilities with a focus on individual growth, team play, and the club’s historic footballing philosophy. 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.

What’s Involved?
You’ll split your time between Academy coaching at Nottingham Forest and the Premier League’s accredited Coach Development Programme. You’ll gain experience across development phases and work with multi-disciplinary teams. The role will hold responsibility for technical development, and to assist in the physical, mental, social and academic development of the Academy players within the Football Club as prescribed by the Club philosophy.

Your development journey will include:

• Mentoring and tailored support
• Immersive learning experiences
• Workshops, peer learning, and reflective practice
• Access to FA/UEFA qualifications (based on development need and subject to availability)
• On successful completion of all programme elements, you’ll be awarded a Diploma in Professional Football Coaching from Leeds Becket University.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

• To provide to the best of their ability, and to the standard required by NFFC, coaching players across the Academy system with a specific focus in our Foundation Phase age groups to ensure players meet the required standard to be retained and thrive within the environment.
• To assist the Foundation Phase Lead Coach(es) in the development of, and implementation of, the coaching programme in across the phases. This will include developing and implementing team, group and individual syllabuses for these players.
• To assist the technical staff in the coaching of the Academy players across the age groups, including individually focused sessions as a part of our hybrid, full time and magic hub programmes.
• To lead Academy teams for fixtures to ensure the Academy playing and coaching philosophy is being carried out.
• Following fixtures, watch video footage and assist the Performance Analysts in preparing the feedback for the players either individually or as teams.
• To have an input regarding which players train and play with different age groups and provide relevant rationale for any decision made.
• To take part in development activities, both inside and outside the Club, which will improve the quality of their coaching and overall work. This will include ensuring all qualifications are up to date and additional, relevant qualifications are undertaken when appropriate and agreed.

What are we looking for:

• UEFA B Licence as a minimum
• No prior full-time 1st 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

Recruitment Timeline

1st Stage Interview Date (Practical) - Monday 3rd November 2025
2nd Stage Interview Date (In Person)  - Thursday 6th November 2025
Offer Made to Successful Applicant  - Friday 7th November 2025
Mandatory Premier League Coach Development Programme Workshops
11th / 12th November 2025 and 9th / 10th December 2025

Forest For Everyone

We aim to create a culture which embraces and celebrates our differences, enables individuals to feel comfortable, maximise their potential and eliminate discrimination.

Nottingham Forest Football Club is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital / civil partnership status, pregnancy / maternity leave, race, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Nottingham Forest Football Club is a signatory of the FA’s Football Leadership Diversity Code. We are committed to developing policies to promote equal opportunities and diversity within our workforce. To monitor our progress against these commitments, we require all applicants to provide accurate diversity data during the application process.

Disability Confident Committed Employer

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer.  We encourage applications from people with disabilities and long-term health conditions.  If you need disability-related adjustments to the recruitment process, please indicate this in your application.

If you are likely to meet the definition of being a "disabled person" according to the Equality Act 2010, you may be eligible to apply for an interview via the Disability Confident Scheme - please indicate this in your application form below.  The information you share with us about your health or disability will not be used in recruitment selections.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Nottingham Forest Football Club is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital / civil partnership status, pregnancy / maternity leave, race, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Nottingham Forest are committed to developing policies to promote equal opportunities and diversity within our workforce. To monitor our progress against these commitments, we require all applicants to provide accurate diversity data during the application process.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

As part of the Club’s commitment to safeguarding, the successful applicant may be required to undergo a Disclosure Barring Service (“DBS”) check or an enhanced DBS check. The results of a DBS check will be considered on an individual basis, and the Club will act in a proportionate manner when deciding whether or not to proceed with the appointment.

An FA Enhanced DBS disclosure is required for all relevant new appointments to the Club. Individuals will be asked to declare any convictions, cautions or reprimands, warnings or bind-overs that may have been incurred. The Club reserves the right to carry out risk assessments where content has been disclosed on a DBS disclosure if it feels that it is relevant to the job requirements. Failure to satisfy the Club and the PL's safeguarding requirements may lead to the job offer being withdrawn or, if they have already started employment, summary termination of the employment.