Blackpool FC advertising for 'influential' academy director role to help club's youth team reach Category Two level

The aim has been set out in a job advert for a new academy director that will oversee the youth team's operations.

Initially, the club wants its youth team to become the best category three academy in the country.

There are four categories of academies. Category one to three academies register players from the under-nine age group through to professionals.

Category one is the highest status of academy. Blackpool are currently at category three.

The successful applicant will lead the academy into the 2020s and deliver the club's '5 in 25' academy vision, the club announced.

This is the club’s objective to see five academy products reach the first-team squad by 2025.

The academy director will be tasked with:

- Administering the academy to ensure compliance with the rules and regulations of the FA, Premier League and EFL to become, at minimum, the best category three football academy in the country, with an aspiration of progressing to category two

- Overseeing the academy operation end to end on a day-to-day basis

- Ensuring the implementation of the academy strategy and operational plan in conjunction with the club's business plan to achieve the primary objective of '5 in 25'

- Ensuring that the three points above are reflected in the 2025/26 productivity report

- Using internal academy forums to drive the project streams that will deliver the strategy as set out in the academy strategy and operational plan and in accordance with the club’s business plan

- Build an academy management team to be proud of and to attack the role of academy director with a positive and engaging attitude

Applicants are required to have previous experience of working as an academy director or academy manager, ideally at a professional football club.

The club are also looking for the successful candidate to have extensive experience of working with elite youth players and experience of managing budgets.

The applicant, who ought to hold the relevant licenses, needs to have strong planning and organisational skills, a desire to deliver results and an ability to cope with pressure and setbacks in a positive way.

The candidate will also need to have a safeguarding and protecting children certificate.

The salary is said to be competitive for the role, the club said. The closing date for applications is June 3, 2020.

To find out how to apply for the role, click here.