JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Player Care Manager
DEPARTMENT: Academy Player Care
REPORTS TO: Head of Player Care
LOCATION: Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground, Compton Park
HOURS: 37.5 hours. Flexible working week. Evening and weekend work as required
DATE: November 2022

We are Wolves; progressive, determined, bright, unified and humble. A pack that is hungry for

success. Wolves is one of the fastest growing professional football clubs in the UK, and also boasts

one of the richest histories in the beautiful game.

Formed in 1877, Wolves was a founder member of the Football League, and was one of the

country’s most successful sides in the fifties and sixties. During a two decade spell the Black

Country’s most decorated side won three First Division titles and one of its four FA Cups.

Fast forward to 2022, three seasons at Molineux saw Wolves clinch the Sky Bet Championship
trophy with 99 points, followed by a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, which included
memorable wins over Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Arsenal. The next
season saw the team complete a memorable double over the reigning champions, equal the
previous season’s seventh place finish and reach the quarter finals of the Europa League all as part
of the ‘longest season’ in league history, either starting before or finishing after all other teams.

But this post is about not what we have done, but what we will achieve next.

We take seriously our commitment to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk and to
ensuring that Wolves is free from discrimination and harassment.
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Job purpose:

The Player Care Manager must lead the Academy’s provision of player care. This will require working
directly with the players, their families and the staff at the club in order to ensure there is a joined-
up approach to their health and wellbeing and that the right support is in place.

Whilst developing each players sporting opportunity, a vital component of their success will be the
support and care that they receive from staff in this highly challenging environment. There must be a
coordinated approach to the specific care shown towards each individual in the Academy.

The Player Care Manager will have an overview of the players full wellbeing from pitch to personal
development.

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Key responsibilities:

• To manage the academy player care programme

• To be the day-to-day contact for players and parents within the pre-academy

• To lead the host family provision ensuring that all parties are supported, and that available bed

stock meets demand, and that it meets the needs of the business

• To work with the MDT to ensure that the players journey is tracked and documented allowing

for smooth transition between phases

• To develop and manage the exit strategy as defined by The Premier League

• To develop an alumni offer to support players post exit

• To support all transitional MDT meetings in YDP and PDP

• To develop, track and provide a support programme for all players leaving the Club from YDP

and PDP

• To work with the operations and education team to ensure that all off field provision is synced

and high quality

• Develop and contribute to opportunities that aid the holistic development of our players

• Develop and create a communication stream to promote the value of player care in the player

journey

General responsibilities:

• Compliance with Club policies

• Compliance with the Club’s health and safety procedures

• Compliance with the Club’s safeguarding policies

• To promote the Club’s values

• To work consistently to embed equality & diversity into the Club

• To undertake such other duties as may be reasonably expected

• To maintain professional conduct at all times
  

Safeguarding:

• This role carries a specific safeguarding responsibility. This means that the post-holder is

required to apply all relevant policies and uphold the Club’s commitment to safeguarding
vulnerable people.

• Working on a one-to-one basis with players to ensure their health and wellbeing, with a

responsibility to raise safeguarding issues, where required, through the appropriate channels.

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Key relationships:

• Head of Player Care – 1:1 line management

• Head of Academy Operations – day to day support

• Player Care Officers – 1:1 management

• Safeguarding Manager - liaise with regularly to gain knowledge of the players needs and to co-

deliver against set objectives

• Head of Safeguarding - Supervision and Support

• Professional, Youth and Foundation Phase Staff - liaise with regularly to gain knowledge of the

players needs

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Scope of job:

To manage the player care programme in the academy to ensure it continues to provide
individualised plans for every player.

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Person Specification
Job Title: Player Care Manager

Knowledge: the level and breadth of knowledge to do the job e.g. understanding of a defined system,
method or procedure, legal or regulatory frameworks etc

Essential

• Proven experience of working within a high-performance sporting environment, and with young

people

• A positive, proactive attitude towards ensuring that programmes and projects implemented,

succeed and are embedded

• Knowledge and understanding of Safeguarding regarding work with U18’s
  

Desirable

• Experience of working in a Football Academy

• Knowledge in the emotional and wellbeing demands on elite performers

Technical/work-based skills: skills specific to the job e.g. language competence, typing skills, coaching skills
etc

Essential

• Proven experience of working within a team and producing excellent results

• Proven experience of managing people

• Skilled in mentoring, coaching and development for elite performers

• IT literate
  

Desirable

• Excellent IT skills

• Knowledge of a Premier League Academy system

General skills and attributes: more general characteristics e.g. flexibility, communication skills, team working
etc

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, and an ability to work well with others. An ability to communicate

at a variety of levels, with an ability to flex the style to suit the situation

• Understanding of how to work safely with children and/or adults at risk and uphold generally

accepted practice when working with those participants

• Promote, adhere to and implement the Club’s Equality Policy and to work consistently to embed

equality and diversity within Club

• Effective questioning and listening skills

• Flexibility around the player’s needs, is likely to involve weekend and evening work

• Enthusiasm and positivity
  

Desirable

• An understanding of the demands on young football players

Experience: proven record of experience in a particular field, profession or specialism.

Essential

• Full driving licence

• Experience with young elite performers

Desirable

• Working with children and/or adults at risk

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Qualifications: the level of educational, professional and/or occupational training required

Essential

• Educated to at least degree level or equivalent in a relevant discipline

• Post-holder must hold or obtain at the earliest opportunity the relevant safeguarding training (i.e.

FA Safeguarding Children Workshop)

• Post-holder will be subject to a DBS check at the appropriate level and cleared by the Wolves Head

of Safeguarding

Desirable

• Other sports related qualifications
  

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