Pre-Academy Head Coach

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a part-time Pre-Academy Head Coach to join Millwall Football Academy. The successful candidate will lead the delivery of the Pre-Academy technical programme, working with our youngest players to identify & enhance strong technical, physical, and social foundations aligned with the Millwall Academy philosophy.

The primary focus of the Pre-Academy Head Coach will be to plan, deliver and review a high-quality coaching programme in line with the Academy’s How We Play, Coach, and Support strategies. The role will involve leading all training sessions and matchday activity, overseeing player development, and ensuring a positive, engaging, and age-appropriate learning environment.

The Pre-Academy Head Coach will play a key role in identifying and nurturing future talent, contributing to individual player development plans for our future academy players. The role will also involve working closely with recruitment to ensure a joined up approach to player development & recruitment, including regular communication with parents and guardians.

Across allocated blocks of work, the successful candidate will be expected to lead and contribute to department meetings, multi-disciplinary reviews, and academy depth chart discussions, as well as actively engage in continuous professional development (CPD) as part of Millwall’s Coach Development Plan.

This is a fantastic opportunity to take a leading role in shaping the early stages of the player pathway at a renowned football club. If you’re passionate about developing young players and creating inspiring learning environments, we’d love to hear from you.

• Uphold and demonstrate the values, standards & behaviours expected by Millwall Football Club, inside & outside of training and matchdays for our Pre Academy players
• Lead on the planning, delivering, and reviewing of training sessions and matchdays
• Supporting the Pre Academy recruitment team in the identification & recruitment of future U9 academy players
• Contribute to the development and review of individual player development plans
• Attend and contribute to department & multi-disciplinary once per block
• Participate in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) sessions as part of Millwall's Coach Development Plan
• Report any safeguarding or welfare concerns on our Speak out Safe reporting system

Closing date for applications:
Friday 3rd July 2026

• Experience in coaching foundation phase and pre-academy players
• Demonstrates professionalism and competencies in creating, implementing & reviewing individual player development plans, recording evidence, and providing feedback to players, parents and line managers
• Knowledge and understanding of the requirements of coaching and development principles
• Effective communication skills to deliver and support key messages, and sustain positive working relationships with the players & parents
• The successful candidate shall also display attributes that align with the values of the academy:

  A ttitude – S elfless – P ositive– I ntegrity – R espect – E xcellence

• From a safeguarding perspective, the successful candidate should be resilient, self-aware and open to sharing information.

• Relevant experience within other EPPP environments
• Knowledge and understanding of EPPP requirements
• Experience in early years teaching & sports delivery

Established in 1885, Millwall Football Club is one of the most famous football clubs in England. Currently competing in the EFL Championship, they play their home games at The Den, which is based in South Bermondsey, and has been the home of the Club since 1994.