Academy Player Care Officer

Derby County are seeking to recruit an Academy Player Care Officer to join the Education & Player Services at Moor Farm Training Centre.

Working for Derby County Football Club offers a unique opportunity to be part of one of England’s most historic and passionately supported clubs. With a proud legacy, a dedicated fan base, and an exciting vision for the future, Derby County offers a dynamic and rewarding work environment both on and off the pitch. Whether you're joining the team in coaching, administration, marketing, or operations, you'll be contributing to a culture rooted in ambition, community, and progress. Employees benefit from a collaborative work environment and opportunities for professional development.

The successful candidate will be responsible for leading and delivering the club’s Player Care programme in line with the Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) Category One requirements. The role exists to support the holistic development, welfare, safeguarding, education, and wellbeing of all academy players, ensuring they are provided with a safe, supportive, and developmentally appropriate environment to maximise both footballing and personal potential.

Key Role Responsibilities:

Player Welfare & Pastoral Care

• Act as the primary welfare contact for academy players.
• Provide age-appropriate pastoral support across all academy phases.
• Build strong relationships with players and parents/carers.
• Support players with personal, emotional, social, and lifestyle challenges.

Safeguarding & Compliance

• Ensure safeguarding and welfare compliance with EPPP, FA, Premier League, and club policies.
• Work with the Club Safeguarding Lead to manage concerns, procedures, and records.
• Promote a positive safeguarding culture and deliver safeguarding education.

Education & Dual Career Support

• Support players’ education in line with EPPP requirements.
• Liaise with schools and the Head of Education to balance football and learning.
• Promote positive attitudes to education and personal development.

Transitions & Life Skills

• Support key transitions (academy entry, phase changes, scholarships, professional/release).
• Deliver life skills programmes (independent living, finance, social media, wellbeing, EDI).

Player Release & Aftercare

• Support players and families during release.
• Provide and record aftercare support in education, employment, and alternative pathways.

Parent & Family Engagement

• Act as a key point of contact for parents/carers.
• Deliver parent education sessions and workshops.

Multidisciplinary Working

• Collaborate with coaches and support staff to deliver holistic player care.
• Contribute to multidisciplinary meetings and Individual Development Plans (IDPs).

Personal characteristics and experience:

·         Experience working within a professional football academy.

·         Safeguarding qualification (e.g. FA Safeguarding Children).

·         Knowledge of equality, diversity, and inclusion best practices.

·         Experience working with young people in elite sport, education, youth work, or pastoral care.

·         Strong knowledge of safeguarding and child protection principles.

·         Understanding of the EPPP framework and Category One academy requirements.

·         Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

·         Ability to build trust with players, parents, and staff.

·         Strong organisational and administrative skills.

·         Willingness to work evenings and weekends

·         Confident, Resilient and Self-Motivated

·         Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written

·         Excellent Presentation skills

·         Ability to work in a fast-paced, target-driven environment

·         Ability to prioritise and manage own workload

·         Work using own initiative and as part of a team

Qualifications:

Essential

·         Relevant qualification in youth work, education, psychology, social work, or sports development.

Salary is competitive, dependent on experience.

This is a full-time role, and due to the demands of professional football, there is a requirement for weekend and evening work, as well as regular national travel.

Who are Derby County…

Derby County Football Club, established in 1884, is one of the founder members of the English Football League and has a rich and varied history, including two First Division titles in 1972 and 1975 and an FA Cup success in 1946. The club are currently playing in the Sky Bet Championship, the second tier of English Football, following their promotion from League One in the 2023/24 season and is under the management of Head Coach John Eustace. The club also boasts a successful and respected Category One Academy, a status which has been held since 2014, and a Women’s side competing in the FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division. Derby County recently embarked on an exciting new era following the change in ownership to Clowes Developments (UK) Limited in the summer of 2022. Our track record of producing talent is outstanding, and we intend to protect that proud legacy, investing in key roles within the club to build on the foundations in place for success.

Everything we do as a Club is built around the three pillars of stability, integrity and progress. Our core values are:

·         We are proud of who we are and what we do

·         We are positive, inspired and passionate

·         We are ambitious and driven

·         We are prepared, honest and humble

·         We are the heartbeat of our community

·         We are the club of opportunity

Derby County employee benefits include:

·         25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

·         Two complimentary staff season tickets

·         Two complimentary staff away memberships, subject to availability

·         20% discount at DCFC Megastore

·         Company Pension with Aviva

·         Discounts with select Club partners and sponsors

·         Healthshield Cash Health Plan to support employee health and well-being, and Perks for great deals and discounts

·         Participating in our employee forum, ‘The Herd’ and Staff Events!

·         Training and development opportunities

·         Access to programmes and volunteering opportunities with Derby County Community Trust

·         Subsidised lunchtime meals at Moor Farm

How to apply…

Derby County Football Club is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

As part of the Club's commitment to providing a safe environment for children and young people, applicants should be aware that this post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Criminal Record Check.

Derby County Football Club is an Inclusive Club for all and is committed to Equality and Diversity.

To apply for this role, please complete an application form, which can be found HERE.

Alternatively, please copy and paste - http://thera.ms/apply - to your chosen browser.

More information can be found at https://www.dcfc.co.uk/page/jobsandcareers

The closing date for receipt of applications is Sunday, 18 January 2026. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early.

Strictly no agencies, please.

Derby County Football Club’s Job Applicant Privacy Policy can be found at dcfc.co.uk.