Weekend Player Support Jobs (NOW HIRING)

To provide best-in-class welfare support and social development initiatives to Academy players within the Professional Development Phase. To be a key point of contact for all players and their familiesregardingtheir welfare, the way they are being treated, or if they have concerns about other people's welfare. You will be a fantastic collaborator tofacilitateworking with all Academy and Club staff to ensure that Brentford FC is carrying out its duty of care in the running of its Academy.

Key Responsibilities

• Work in line with the Academy Football schedule for this role, which includes evenings and weekends in line with the U18 and B Team schedule and will include travel with different teams across the Professional Development Phase.

• Act as the main day-to-day contact for parentsof PDP Phase playersand their inquiries, supporting communication and information sharing as needed across departments and stakeholders.

• Act as one of the first points of contact for AcademyPDPplayers for non-medical emergencies, queries and logistical support ifrequired.

• Support the safe delivery of events and Activities within the Professional Development Phase including monitoring and supporting any children involved in adult squads or matchdays.

• Support Player Development by being a core contributor to the Professional Development Phase Individual Development Plan process, leading on the delivery of elements to support Player's Social Development and Social Excellence.

• Delivery of the Academy Life Skills Curriculum within the Professional Development Phase, mentoring and supporting colleagues working within other phases too, coordinating and working collaboratively with theexpertisewithin the Academy to ensure this is effective.

• Assistidentifyingand coordinating Players within the Professional Development Phase for community,mediaand commercial appearances in conjunction with the relevant departments.

• Be responsible forthe management and delivery of the Academy Transition Strategy across players' journeys within the Professional Development Phase, including working with those from the U16 offered scholarships to ensureappropriate preparationfor transition.

• Work collaboratively with the Recruitment Department and other departments as necessary to ensure positive trialists experiences within the Professional Development Phase.

• Be a direct supporttoand coordinate departments to ensureappropriateinductionof players at their point of joining the Professional Development Phase.

• Lead on the support at the ending ofplayers'journeys with the Academy within the Professional Development Phase, ensuring coordination of the process andappropriate supportto players asrequired.

• Ensure the delivery of the Academy Aftercare Support process and development of a network of support mechanisms within and outside the Football Industry to which players can be directed.

• Maintain a player and parent complaints procedure andin the event ofa complaint being made, ensure that the complaints procedures are met and see the procedures through to the final decision.

• Encourage a culture with players,and those staff supporting them in the Professional Development Phase,ofhigh expectationsand standards, complimented bya high levelof supportto help players achieve that,to encourage the best development environment for players.

• Proven ability to develop trusting, professional relationships with adolescents, including a deep understanding of child and adolescent development, trauma-informed practice, and positive behaviour support strategies.

• Work collaboratively with and support, theHuman Development Department, the Medical and Performance Department and the Academy Safeguarding Team, to deliver the Academy's Mental and Emotional Wellbeing Strategy, including the coordination of logistics and personal development activities for injured players as part of their Rehabilitation Plans.

• Work with Players in the Professional Development Phase to ensure that they understand and can meaningfully contribute their views to their Individual Development Plans

• Work with the First Team Player Support Department and the Academy Operations Department to develop a network of contacts who can be upon as needed 24/7: estate agents, car suppliers, food providers, entertainment, travel companies.

• To promote and support a culture where Player voice and Parent voice is collected through different mechanisms, including the Player's Forum and Parent's Forums, supporting the needs of different Departments and ensuring feedback and views are appropriately considered and acted upon where suitable to do so.

• Mentor and support staff within the team working with other phases, promoting their development and good practice with the younger age groups.

• Experience working directly with families, understanding the importance of family voice and partnership in promoting player welfare and social development.

Knowledge

• Substantial experience working in a safeguarding, pastoral or player care role within a professional football academy or similar high-performance youth environment (e.g. elite sport, education, social care, or youth justice).

• Demonstrable knowledge of statutory safeguarding frameworks, including Working Together to Safeguard Children, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and the FA's Safeguarding Children policies and procedures.

• A relevant qualification in youth work, social work, psychology, sport development, education, or a related field, or equivalent experience.

Specialist Skills

• Agood understanding of different faiths and religions and local communities to provide credible support to players wishing to practice their faith

• A track recordof identifying, responding to, and escalating safeguarding concerns appropriately, with sound judgement and confidentiality.

• Excellent organisational and administrative skills, includingmaintainingplayer welfare records and tracking interventions.

• Commitmentto equity,diversityand inclusion, with a clear understanding of how to provide culturally competent support to young people from a wide range of backgrounds.

• High levelof adaptability, an ability to prioritise workand a willingness to take on tasks as required by the Club to support successful delivery

• An ability toassessand consider a player's needs holistically, beyond their football development on the pitchand into other aspects of their life.

People Skills

• Highly effective collaborator,used to working withand supportingdifferent stakeholders with differentexpertiseand priorities.

• Strong communicator, both written and verbal, with the ability manage sensitive conversations witha variety of stakeholders, including children, youngpeopleand their families.

• An ability to design and deliver presentations to various stakeholders, including children and young people.

• Strongunderstanding ofappropriate professionalboundaries inyourrelationships with children, youngathletesand their families.

• Curiosity anda high levelof emotional intelligence in your engagement with children, youngpeopleand other stakeholders.

• An abilityand confidenceto advocate for players, theirneedsandbest interests,whilst ensuringand balancingalignment to Club and Academy priorities and frameworks

External Impact

• Representthe Academy at Premier League/EFL Player Care Hubs as requested by your line manager.

• Positivelyrepresentthe Club in all interactions with Players,Parentsand all other stakeholders, internal and external, that you engage with.

Decision Making

• Exercise independent thinking and decision makingwithin the defined Academy frameworks for Player Support,knowing when toseekguidance, direction and approval asrequiredfrom line managers and other senior staff.

Innovation

• Contributeto the design anddelivery of the Academy Player Alumni programmeand the integrationwith the Club's Former Player Association.

• Review andreflectupon your own practice and Academy processes,seekingto ensureareas of personal and process improvement.

General Club Accountabilities

• Tocomply withall Club policies, including health and safety, dataregulationsand other legal,ethicaland social requirements

• To build andmaintaingood working relationships while maintaining a professional image

• To keep confidential any information gainedregardingthe Club and its personnel

• Toalwaysmaintaina flexible approach to work

Inclusion Statement

Brentford FC is proud to be an organisation that values equity,diversityand inclusion. We strive to create a culture that celebrates difference and ensures fairness, safety, representation, and belonging.

We recognise that some groupsremainunderrepresented in our workforce and are actively working to change this. As part of that commitment, we strongly encourage applications from people of all backgrounds - particularly those from ethnically diverse communities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and disabled people.

We're committed to a fair and inclusive recruitment process, with all decisions made based on merit and suitability - regardless of background or protected characteristic.Should you beselected forinterview, we welcome the opportunity to discuss any specific arrangements,accommodationsor reasonable adjustments you mayrequireto be made.