Location: The City Ground, Nottingham, NG2 5FJ

Department: Frest Netball

Reporting to: Netball Head Coach

Closing Date For Applications: 2nd October 2026

About the Role:

Nottingham Forest Netball is seeking an ambitious, collaborative and development-focused coach to join our performance environment in the dual role of NSL Assistant Coach and NXT GEN Assistant Coach.

This is a unique opportunity to work across two interconnected levels of the Nottingham Forest Netball performance pathway, supporting both the performance of our senior NSL programme and the development of the next generation of athletes.

The successful candidate will play an important role in creating a clear and connected pathway from emerging talent through to NSL elite netball.

Working closely with both the NSL Head Coach and NXT GEN Head Coach, the Assistant Coach will contribute to the planning and delivery of high-performance training, match preparation, performance review and individual athlete development.

The role will require someone who can operate effectively in both a senior performance environment and an athlete development environment, understanding when to challenge, when to support and how to adapt their coaching approach to the needs of different athletes.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

NSL Assistant Coach

• Supporting the planning and delivery of NSL training sessions.

• Contributing to weekly training plans and session design.

• Delivering individual, unit and small-group coaching.

• Providing technical and tactical feedback to athletes.

• Supporting the implementation of the team's playing philosophy.

• Assisting with opposition preparation and analysis.

• Contributing to match-day tactical planning.

• Supporting the Head Coach with in-game decision-making and tactical adjustments.

• Observing and analysing performance during matches.

• Contributing to post-match review and evaluation.

• Supporting individual athlete development within the NSL squad.

• Maintaining high standards of professionalism, preparation and performance.

• Contributing to selection discussions where appropriate.

• Supporting the Head Coach in creating a positive, challenging and high-performance environment.

NXT GEN Assistant Coach

• Supporting the planning and delivery of NXT GEN training sessions.

• Delivering technical and tactical coaching.

• Supporting individual athlete development plans.

• Providing regular, constructive and athlete-centred feedback.

• Helping athletes understand the demands of NSL-level netball.

• Supporting the development of tactical understanding and decision-making.

• Creating opportunities for athletes to develop leadership and accountability.

• Supporting match preparation and competitive performance.

• Contributing to opposition analysis and post-match review.

• Monitoring individual athlete progress.

• Identifying athletes who may be ready for increased exposure to the NSL environment.

• Supporting appropriate transition opportunities between NXT GEN and NSL.

• Helping athletes understand and demonstrate the behaviours required within a high-performance environment.

Connecting the NSL & NXT GEN Pathway

• A key responsibility of this dual role will be to ensure that the two programmes are connected rather than operating independently.

• The Assistant Coach will:

• Maintain strong communication between the NSL and NXT GEN coaching teams.

• Promote consistency in coaching language and terminology.

• Support alignment of technical and tactical principles.

• Help NXT GEN athletes understand the expectations of the NSL environment.

• Identify opportunities for NXT GEN athletes to train with or observe the NSL programme.

• Provide feedback to NXT GEN coaches following athlete exposure to the senior environment.

• Support the transition of NXT GEN athletes into NSL training and competition where appropriate.

• Help identify future NSL athletes through observation and assessment.

• Share relevant performance observations with the appropriate coaching and support staff.

• Contribute to long-term succession planning within Nottingham Forest Netball.

Athlete Development

• Build positive and professional relationships with athletes.

• Understand the individual needs, ambitions and development areas of players.

• Provide clear and constructive feedback.

• Challenge athletes appropriately.

• Encourage athletes to take ownership of their development.

• Help athletes develop technical consistency and tactical awareness.

• Develop decision-making under pressure.

• Support athletes in developing resilience and confidence.

• Encourage leadership and accountability.

• Support athletes in understanding the demands of elite sport.

• Contribute to individual development plans and reviews.

• Track athlete progression and identify emerging potential.

Coaching & Technical Development

The Assistant Coach will be expected to demonstrate strong technical and tactical knowledge and contribute actively to the evolution of Nottingham Forest's playing philosophy.

This will include:

• Technical skill development.

• Position-specific coaching.

• Tactical understanding.

• Decision-making.

• Transition play.

• Attacking and defensive principles.

• Unit combinations.

• Set-piece and restart strategies.

• Game management.

• Understanding of opposition.

• Developing players' ability to read and respond to the game.

Match-Day Responsibilities

The Assistant Coach will support the Head Coach on match days across both programmes.

This may include:

• Pre-match preparation.

• Opposition analysis.

• Warm-up support.

• Individual player preparation.

• Bench management.

• Live tactical observation.

• Statistical and performance information.

• Half-time analysis and feedback.

• Supporting tactical changes.

• Post-match review.

• Player feedback.

Performance Analysis

• Reviewing match footage.

• Analysing opposition.

• Identifying tactical trends.

• Reviewing individual and team performance.

• Supporting video review sessions.

• Providing coaches and athletes with relevant performance information.

• Using analysis to inform future training sessions.

• Identifying recurring performance trends and development priorities.

Multidisciplinary Working

The Assistant Coach will work closely with Nottingham Forest Netball's wider performance team.

This may include:

• Strength & conditioning staff

• Physiotherapy and medical staff

• Performance analysis

• Psychology / wellbeing

• Nutrition

• Talent identification

• Pathway coaches

• Senior coaching staff

Culture & Leadership

• Model professionalism and high standards.

• Promote a positive and inclusive environment.

• Build trust and strong relationships.

• Challenge inappropriate behaviours.

• Encourage accountability.

• Promote learning and reflection.

• Support athlete wellbeing.

• Develop leadership within the playing group.

• Demonstrate integrity and professionalism at all times.

• Represent Nottingham Forest Netball positively.

• The Assistant Coach should be someone athletes want to learn from and want to be around, while still being willing to challenge them to improve.

Talent Identification & Recruitment

• Watching relevant competitions.

• Supporting trials and selection processes.

• Monitoring NXT GEN and pathway athletes.

• Identifying emerging talent.

• Building relationships with clubs, schools, universities and other performance programmes.

• Providing informed feedback on prospective athletes.

• Supporting long-term recruitment planning.

What are we looking for:

Essential

• The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Recognised Level 2 England Netball coaching qualification.

• Experience coaching within NSL/NXT GEN environment or equivalent.

• Strong technical and tactical knowledge.

• Experience of developing athletes.

• Understanding of the transition from pathway to senior performance.

• Excellent communication skills.

• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.

• Ability to work collaboratively within a coaching team.

• Ability to provide clear and constructive feedback.

• Strong organisational and planning skills.

• Commitment to safeguarding and athlete welfare.

• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

• Commitment to continuing professional development.

Desirable

• Coaching at international level.

• Recognised Level 3 England Netball coaching qualification.

• England Netball pathway environments.

• Working with Future Roses / England pathway athletes.

• Multidisciplinary performance environments.

• Performance analysis.

• Talent identification.

• Individual athlete development planning.

• Senior match-day coaching.

• Supporting athlete transition between pathway and senior environments.

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 Invite all applicants to provide 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 Safeguarding

As part of the Club’s commitment to safeguarding, the successful applicant may be required to undergo a Disclosure Barring Service (“DBS”) check. The level of check required will depend on the requirements of the role. Individuals will be asked to declare any convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings or bind-overs that they are required to disclose for the level of check applicable to the role, in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (as amended) and the DBS filtering rules. The results of any check will be considered on an individual basis, and the Club will act proportionately in deciding whether to proceed with the appointment. The Club reserves the right to carry out risk assessments where content has been disclosed if it feels that it is relevant to the job requirements of the role. Failure to satisfy the Club, FA’s 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, in accordance with the Club's disciplinary procedures

Health and Safety

Nottingham Forest is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, visitors, and guests. All employees are expected to comply with company health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments, use equipment and PPE correctly and report any hazards, accidents and near misses. Appropriate training will be provided to ensure everyone understands their health and safety responsibilities.