Job Description

Season: Fall

About Unity

Unity Preparatory Charter School of Brooklyn is a tuition-free, independent public charter school serving grades 6-12. Our mission is to provide all students with exceptional preparation for college and their careers that empowers them to lead fulfilling lives.

Athletics are an important part of that preparation, providing opportunities to develop discipline, confidence, teamwork, resilience, leadership, and school pride. As Panthers, our student-athletes are expected to compete with purpose, support one another, and represent Unity with pride.

Unity's Middle School is located at 432 Monroe Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, and our High School is located at 584 Driggs Avenue in Williamsburg.

Unity coaches are educators, mentors, and leaders who use athletics to help students grow on and off the field. The Head Soccer Coach builds a competitive, inclusive, high-character program in which student-athletes develop their skills, meet high academic and behavioral expectations, experience belonging, and represent the Panthers with pride. Our coaches pursue competitive excellence while recognizing that great teams and players are built through excellent practice, preparation, and feedback.

Essential Responsibilities

Build an Excellent Athletic Program

• Develop and lead a competitive, well-organized soccer program reflecting Unity's expectations for excellence, sportsmanship, and student development.
• Plan and lead consistently high-quality practices that maximize active participation, meaningful repetitions, feedback, technical and tactical development, conditioning, team execution, and match preparation.
• Assess players' technical, tactical, physical, and developmental needs; provide clear instruction and feedback; and develop effective lineups, formations, substitutions, and match strategies.
• With the active support of the Athletic Director and other coaches, recruit, encourage, motivate, and engage students, building a program they are excited to join, work hard for, contribute to, and remain part of.
• Establish and reinforce clear team expectations, routines, roles, and standards.

Develop Student-Athletes

• Build strong relationships with student-athletes and know them as individuals, students, and competitors.
• Teach discipline, resilience, teamwork, leadership, accountability, and sportsmanship while providing the support students need to meet high expectations.
• Know the academic standing, attendance, and eligibility status of each student-athlete and partner with students, families, teachers, and school leaders to help athletes meet Unity's academic expectations.
• Reinforce the responsibilities of being a Unity student-athlete and help students develop leadership and respond productively to adversity, feedback, success, and disappointment.
• Create opportunities for student-athletes to maximize their potential and excel, including supporting players who aspire to compete in college soccer or pursue other athletic opportunities beyond high school.

Build Team & School Culture

• Create a team environment characterized by belonging, enthusiasm, hard work, mutual respect, and a strong Panthers identity, ensuring student-athletes represent Unity with pride and sportsmanship.
• Model composure, integrity, respect, preparation, and accountability in interactions with students, families, officials, opponents, spectators, and colleagues.
• Contribute positively to Unity's broader school culture and celebrate student-athletes' growth and accomplishments.

Partner with Families & the School Community

• Build strong, respectful relationships with families through clear, timely, and proactive communication about schedules, expectations, student progress, and concerns.
• Partner with the Athletic Director, school leaders, teachers, and other staff to support the overall educational development of student-athletes.
• Address concerns professionally and participate in relevant athletics and school events.

Operate with Excellence

• Maintain a consistent practice and match schedule, communicate changes promptly, and arrive prepared and on time for all team activities.
• Follow all school, league, city, and state requirements, including health and safety procedures.
• Maintain required records and ensure proper care, inventory, and return of equipment, uniforms, and supplies.
• Work closely with the Athletic Director on scheduling, transportation, facilities, eligibility, equipment, awards, and end-of-season responsibilities.

What Success Looks Like

A successful season at Unity is about more than wins and losses. We expect our Panthers to compete with purpose and pursue excellence while ensuring that student-athletes:

• Grow meaningfully through consistently well-planned, productive practices, compete at a high level, and have opportunities to realize their athletic potential.
• Meet high academic, attendance, behavioral, and eligibility expectations.
• Demonstrate discipline, teamwork, leadership, and sportsmanship.
• Feel known, valued, challenged, and supported and demonstrate pride in representing Unity and the Panthers.
• Demonstrate strong participation, attendance, engagement, retention, and commitment to their teammates and program.
• Players aspiring to compete in college soccer or beyond receive the encouragement, guidance, development, and exposure needed to pursue those opportunities.
• Finish the season stronger-as athletes, students, teammates, and young people-than when they began.

What We Look For in a Unity Coach

• Student-Centered: You see coaching as an opportunity to teach, mentor, challenge, and develop young people.
• Competitive & Developmental: You want to win and compete at a high level while developing players and building a strong program.
• High Expectations, High Support: You build trusting relationships, hold students accountable, and help them rise to ambitious expectations.
• Prepared & Dependable: You plan ahead, communicate clearly, and consistently follow through.
• A Culture Builder: You create belonging, teamwork, enthusiasm, and Panthers pride.
• Reflective & Coachable: You seek feedback, collaborate well, and continually improve your craft.

Qualifications

Required

• Strong knowledge of soccer rules, technical fundamentals, tactical principles, player development, and match management.
• Demonstrated ability to teach and develop young athletes across a range of skill levels.
• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build positive relationships and communicate effectively with students, families, colleagues, officials, and opposing programs.
• Demonstrated reliability, professionalism, sound judgment, integrity, and accountability.
• Current CPR/AED certification, or willingness to obtain certification with support from Unity prior to the start of the season.
• Ability and willingness to meet all applicable certification, safety, league, and regulatory requirements.

Preferred

• Prior soccer coaching experience; high school soccer coaching experience strongly preferred.
• Experience working with adolescents in a school, youth development, club, or community-based setting.
• Experience building a positive team culture and developing student-athletes individually and collectively.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described are representative of those required to perform the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made. The role may require extended standing; walking, bending, stooping, climbing stairs, and reaching overhead; physical agility to participate appropriately in practices; and lifting up to 25 pounds to shoulder height and 50 pounds to waist height.