Job Description

Salary: Please state your expectations within your application

Contract: Part Time, Fixed Term until 30th June 2027

Location: The Nigel Doughty Academy, Nottingham, NG2 7SR

Department: Forest Women

Reporting to: Head of Women and Girls Football

Closing Date For Applications: 1st October

About the Role:

As the Lead Sport Psychologist for the Women’s Team, you will implement a psychology program focused on building an elite performance culture. Your responsibilities include collaborating with coaches and multidisciplinary staff to integrate a unified psychological framework, utilising Spotlight Profiling for development, managing player mental health screenings, and supporting players through transitions, injuries, and loans. Additionally, you will drive your own professional growth through external club visits and international sports relationships.

The Perks of the Job:

• Opportunity to access tickets for events at The City Ground.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Access to high street and gym discounts.
• Discount within our Club shop.
• Free on-site parking.

Key Tasks and Responsibilities:

Player Support

• Individual Support: Deliver regular 1-to-1 sessions, applying psychological practice to help players shape inner experiences, meet game demands, and navigate challenges, uncertainty, and high-pressure situations with flexibility.
• Team Workshops: Deliver group sessions and team workshops, implementing a psychological syllabus to drive performance and ensure consistent on- and off-pitch values.
• Transitions: Provide support across key career and life stages, including injury, selection, maternity, career changes, retirement, new signings, departures, and loans
• Leadership Group: Contribute insight, strategy, and advocacy to develop leaders, shaping a progressive, person-centred, and high-performing future.

Staff Support

• Player Profiles: Utilise Spotlight Profiles to help staff understand how to work effectively with different player profiles.
• Department Collaboration: Collaborate closely within the MDT and performance staff to align everyday environments with psychological principles, establishing a unified language and methodology.
• Individual Support: Provide psychological support and development for staff members.
• Staff Workshops: Deliver staff workshops and development sessions using Spotlight Profiling for staff.

Cross-Club Collaboration

• Cross-Club Alignment: Work alongside the First Team psychologist and club systems to install a club-wide psychology methodology and language across the club.

What are we looking for:

• Postgraduate degree in Psychology or Sport Psychology
• Member of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• FA Safeguarding Children
• Experience of working in an elite sporting environment
• Experience of working in Academy football
• Mental Health First Aid Qualification
• UK Anti-Doping Introduction to Clean Sport Certificate

Forest For Everyone

We aim to create a culture which embraces and celebrates our differences, enables individuals to feel comfortable, maximise their potential and eliminate discrimination.

Nottingham Forest Football Club is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified persons, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital / civil partnership status, pregnancy / maternity leave, race, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected characteristic.

Nottingham Forest Football Club is a signatory of the FA’s Football Leadership Diversity Code. We are committed to developing policies to promote equal opportunities and diversity within our workforce. To monitor our progress against these commitments, we Invite all applicants to provide diversity data during the application process.

Disability Confident Committed Employer

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer. We encourage applications from people with disabilities and long-term health conditions. If you need disability-related adjustments to the recruitment process, please indicate this in your application.

If you are likely to meet the definition of being a "disabled person" according to the Equality Act 2010, you may be eligible to apply for an interview via the Disability Confident Scheme - please indicate this in your application form below. The information you share with us about your health or disability will not be used in recruitment selections.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

As part of the Club’s commitment to safeguarding, the successful applicant may be required to undergo a Disclosure Barring Service (“DBS”) check. The level of check required will depend on the requirements of the role. Individuals will be asked to declare any convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings or bind-overs that they are required to disclose for the level of check applicable to the role, in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (as amended) and the DBS filtering rules. The results of any check will be considered on an individual basis, and the Club will act proportionately in deciding whether to proceed with the appointment. The Club reserves the right to carry out risk assessments where content has been disclosed if it feels that it is relevant to the job requirements of the role. Failure to satisfy the Club, FA’s and the PL's safeguarding requirements may lead to the job offer being withdrawn or, if they have already started employment, summary termination of the employment, in accordance with the Club's disciplinary procedures

Health and Safety

Nottingham Forest is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy working environment for all employees, contractors, visitors, and guests. All employees are expected to comply with company health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments, use equipment and PPE correctly and report any hazards, accidents and near misses. Appropriate training will be provided to ensure everyone understands their health and safety responsibilities.