Women's U23 Head Coach

The Head Coach will lead and manage the England Women’s U23 team, fostering a high‑performance environment that prepares players for senior international football. The role contributes to a world‑class performance pathway for England winning teams, influences player development, and supports the development of outstanding coaches in collaboration with FA Education. Responsibilities Provide inspirational leadership to players and staff, establishing a culture of excellence and continuous improvement in preparation for, delivery of, and review of international events and tournaments. Line‑manage the assistant coach and oversee the wider multidisciplinary team (MDT), ensuring effective collaboration, professional development, and alignment with the team’s objectives. Design and implement the national team’s seasonal plan, integrating key departmental objectives and ensuring alignment with the age‑group cycle and the broader England pathway. Develop clarity on the strengths and performance gaps of high‑potential players, accurately assessing their readiness for senior team transition. Work closely with colleagues across departments to maximise opportunities for player development, sharing best practice and learning from others. Attend live fixtures each week, conduct regular club visits, and maintain an up‑to‑date understanding of player performance and potential, building strong relationships with clubs for effective individual player development plans (IDPs). Select squads for England events, collaborating with the MDT and Senior Women Head Coach to ensure the best possible team composition and readiness. Support the FA Education Strategy by assisting in the development of outstanding coaches in the female game and disseminating the England Women’s How We Play through formal and informal coach development opportunities. Ensure full compliance with The FA’s Safeguarding Policy and all relevant health, safety, and wellbeing procedures for players and staff. Collaborate with FA media and communications staff to manage external communications and social media, and execute additional tasks as required to meet the changing priorities of The FA Group. Execute additional tasks as required to meet the FA’s changing priorities and comply with all company policies and procedures. Qualifications Knowledge: UEFA A Licence. Experience: High‑level people development skills and experience. Consistent, successful experience of management and development of elite players and multidisciplinary staff. Ability to demonstrate inspirational leadership on and off the pitch using a variety of methods and approaches. Significant experience of working with senior players with a track record of high performance. Demonstrated understanding of senior women’s international football. Experience as a head coach within the women’s game. Experience working in high‑performing environments. Deep knowledge of technical and tactical components of the women’s international game including strategies and tactics. Ability to create and implement a Player Development Plan. Growth mindset and strong evidence of continued professional development. Explicit knowledge and understanding of the England DNA. Technical Skills: Extensive experience of Excel, ability to effectively manage budgets, Advanced Microsoft Office, ability to create presentations and present to a wide range of key stakeholders. Beneficial to have UEFA Pro Licence. Experience working in the WSL 1 and WSL 2. Understanding of the demands of international women’s football. Previous experience of Sportscode. Basic project management skills. Basic analysis skills. Benefits Access to event‑day tickets at Wembley Stadium and a host of regular internal events throughout the season. Free, nutritious lunches at Wembley Stadium and St. George’s Park. Free private medical cover. A contributory pension scheme. An additional ‘Thank You’ day(s), volunteering days, and 25 days annual leave (based on a full‑time, permanent contract). A hybrid working model offering greater flexibility. We are a diverse workplace, aspiring to represent football across the country. The Football Association actively promotes inclusion and diversity, encouraging you to be the best version of yourself at work. We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. If you have any particular requirements in respect of the recruitment or interview process, please mention this during your application. As part of the FA’s commitment to ensuring a safe environment for everyone in football, every employee will be required to complete a DBS check. The level of the check required will be based on the activity of the specific job role and in line with legislation and government guidance. #J-18808-Ljbffr