Head of Academy Psychology

Head of Academy Psychology

Permanent

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Newcastle Upon Tyne

Competitive Salary

Be part of something bigger. Turn potential into performance — helping young players thrive on and off the pitch.

We are the heartbeat of the city . A club with bold ambitions on a global stage and deep roots in our community. If you’re driven to raise the bar and make an impact, you’ll find the platform, the people and the pride to do your best work here.

You’ll set direction, join the dots across the Club, and turn strategy into delivery, with high standards, pace and purpose.

About the role

We’re building something powerful at our Academy — a place where young talent grows with confidence, resilience and ambition. We have a comprehensive psychological strategy and a team of accomplished practitioners, and we want you to drive our academy’s psychology and wellbeing vision.

As Head of Academy Psychology, you’ll set the direction, raise the standard, and make sure that the environment is fully resourced for our players to thrive on and off the pitch. You’ll work closely with the Academy Director, the club’s Head of Psychology, and a tight, committed multi‑disciplinary team who are all pushing in the same direction: forward.

This is your chance to bring evidence‑based practice to life in a club that’s on the rise, and to make a real difference to players, staff and the wider programme from day one.

What you’ll do

* Lead he psychology and wellbeing strategy across the Academy.

* Ensure a connected, high‑performing psychology team with strong support and development.

* Lead age‑appropriate curriculum design that strengthens how our players think, feel and perform.

* Ensure PDP phase psychological work that fits seamlessly with our training and playing models.

* Lead on cross‑department collaboration — coaches, medical, safeguarding, analysis and more.

* Enable targeted 1:1 and group support for player wellbeing and performance.

* Research, projects, assessment tools and resources that move our Academy forward.

You will possess
Essential

* Postgraduate degree in psychology or sport psychology.

* HCPC registration.

* Proven leadership across elite or professional sport.

* Significant strategic experience in managing elite psychology programmes.

* Advanced understanding of wellbeing, youth development and evidence‑based practice.

* Strong communication skills and the confidence to influence senior staff.

* Substantial experience in the development of psychological assessments, creating psychological resources, and curriculum content.

Desirable

* Doctorate or equivalent experience.

* Coaching qualifications.

* Experience with adolescent elite performers.

* Video analysis/data presentation skills.

* Knowledge of modern professional football demands.

* Additional language skills.

The team

We’re at our best when we’re in it together.

That’s why our Academy team share ideas, solve problems quickly and build relationships that players can rely on. It keeps our support consistent, connected, and genuinely human.

United As One.

We’re committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and believe in equal opportunities for all. We recognise that the diversity of our people is one of our greatest strengths. We work together to reflect the communities we serve and to maintain an inclusive environment in which everyone can be their authentic self and is enabled to achieve their full potential.

Safeguarding

We’re committed to being a place where everyone is safe, heard, valued and able to thrive so we place high value on the safeguarding and welfare of everyone we engage with.