Assistant Football Coach

Assistant Football Coach

Soccerstarts Football Academy™Growing confident players for football, sport and life.

Soccerstarts Football Academy is looking for enthusiastic, reliable and committed people to join our weekend coaching team.

We provide carefully structured football sessions for children from walking age through to nine years, helping them grow in confidence and develop skills for football, sport and life.

This opportunity may suit an experienced coach ready to move directly into a paid Assistant Coach role or someone with strong potential who would benefit from an initial coach-development pathway.

Locations and working hours

Musselburgh Sports Centre — Saturdays8:15am–2:15pm

Edinburgh College, Sighthill — Sundays9:00am–2:15pm

Applicants who can work at both venues would be particularly welcome. However, applications will also be considered from people who can commit consistently to one venue.

A minimum commitment of two full shifts per month is required, with opportunities for additional shifts depending on availability and the needs of the academy.

The role

Working alongside the Head Coach and Owner, the successful candidate will:

• Help with loading and unloading equipment, setting up the coaching area and tidying everything away at the end of the coaching day.
• Welcome children and their parents or carers.
• Support the safe and effective delivery of age-appropriate football sessions.
• Demonstrate activities and provide children with positive encouragement.
• Help keep children engaged, included and appropriately challenged.
• Coach and referee small-sided football games for the relevant age groups.
• Support transitions between activities and classes.
• Bring their own personality and energy to the role while understanding the importance of supporting the Head Coach to deliver consistently high-quality sessions.
• Help maintain a safe, positive and well-organised coaching environment.
• Build positive and professional relationships with children and their parents or carers.
• Follow Soccerstarts policies, procedures, safeguarding expectations and ways of working.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for someone who is:

• Reliable, punctual and able to commit consistently.
• Enthusiastic and positive when working with children and their parents or carers.
• Patient, approachable and encouraging.
• Genuinely committed to developing their skills in football coaching and working effectively with children.
• Able to bring personality, enthusiasm and energy to every coaching day.
• Able to understand the importance of their role in supporting the Head Coach to deliver great sessions.
• Able to communicate professionally with children, parents or carers and colleagues.
• Willing to learn and follow the Soccerstarts coaching approach.
• Comfortable working with children across different ages and stages of development.
• Confident supporting activities and coaching or refereeing appropriate small-sided games.
• Able to work effectively as part of a small coaching team.

A candidate’s motivation, maturity, reliability and potential are more important than their age.

Experience and qualifications

Ideally, applicants will already have some of the following:

• Experience of football or sports coaching.
• Experience of working with children.
• Relevant Scottish FA coaching qualifications.
• Current PVG Scheme membership for regulated work with children.
• A current First Aid qualification.

These are desirable rather than automatic barriers to applying. Applications are welcomed from suitable people who have the right attitude and potential but have not yet gained all the relevant experience or qualifications.

Two possible entry routes

Experienced or ready-now applicants

Applicants who already demonstrate suitable experience, qualifications, knowledge and coaching ability may be considered directly for a paid Assistant Coach position.

Coach-development pathway

Applicants who show strong potential but do not yet have sufficient experience, knowledge or qualifications may be considered for a separate voluntary coach-development opportunity alongside the Head Coach and Owner.

The development pathway may provide opportunities to:

• Gain practical experience working with children and their parents or carers.
• Learn the Soccerstarts coaching structure, philosophy and standards.
• Complete or update PVG Scheme membership.
• Complete a recognised First Aid qualification.
• Complete relevant Scottish FA coaching courses to develop sufficient knowledge of both Scottish FA and Soccerstarts approaches and contribute at the standard expected of a paid Soccerstarts coach.

Progression into a paid coaching position would depend on the individual demonstrating the required knowledge, coaching ability, reliability, commitment and understanding of the Soccerstarts way of working.

Participation in the coach-development pathway would not automatically guarantee paid employment.

Who might this opportunity suit?

This opportunity could be particularly suitable for someone who is:

• Already coaching football and looking for regular weekend work.
• Experienced in working with children and committed to developing as a football coach.
• Studying or planning a career in teaching, childcare, sport or football coaching.
• Looking to gain meaningful practical coaching experience and relevant qualifications.
• A young person with the maturity, personality, commitment and motivation to develop within a professional coaching environment.

Recruitment process

Applications will initially be reviewed based on the information and CV provided.

Suitable applicants may then be sent a short screening questionnaire by email. This will help us understand their experience, qualifications, availability, motivation and suitability before deciding who to invite to interview.

Candidates who are not currently ready for a paid position may still be considered for the coach-development pathway if they demonstrate the right attitude, potential and commitment.

Pay and the precise working arrangement will be discussed with suitable candidates during the screening or interview process.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: £13.00 per hour

Work Location: In person