Details

Posted: 03-Feb-26

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina

Type: Full-time

Categories:

Coaching Coaching - Soccer

Our Company: North Carolina FC Youth (NCFC Youth) is a non-profit youth soccer organization home to more than 16,000 players (ages 2.5-19) and their families each year. Through full-service programming, NCFC Youth offers youth soccer for all levels of play – from Recreation and outreach programs up to the highest levels of elite competition. In addition, NCFC Youth hosts tournaments, camps, and other events to ensure the best player development opportunities.  NCFC Youth’s on and off field operations are supported by more than 1,700 personnel including full-time staff, seasonal coaches, and volunteer coaches. 

Since 1974, we have been living our mission of providing positive, high quality soccer opportunities at all levels of play for youth and their families and serving as a valuable community partner. NCFC Youth takes strides to accomplish this through living out our core values of fun, excellence, community, innovation, and passion.

The Position: The NC Couarge Academy Director is responsible for administrative oversight and year-round support of all soccer related activities for the NC Couarge Academy Program.

Essential Functions:

Act as the technical leader of the academy, defining, implementing, and protecting the club’s game model, playing philosophy, and development standards across all age groups. Lead the design, delivery, and ongoing evaluation of the academy curriculum, ensuring clear alignment from U11–U12 through U13–U19 and into pre-professional environments. Serve as the guardian of academy culture, establishing and enforcing non-negotiable standards for players, staff, and families that reflect the Courage Identity and values. Oversee and ensure the quality and consistency of the Individual Development Plan (IDP) process, including the use of video, performance data, and reflective practices to support player growth. Regularly observe training sessions and matches, providing clear, actionable feedback to coaching staff and adjusting the development plan as needed. Lead, manage, and develop academy staff, including structured evaluation, ongoing professional development, accountability, and role clarity. Work closely with the Pre-Academy Director to ensure U11–U12 programming, curriculum, and standards are fully aligned with the U13–U19 academy pathway. Collaborate with St. Mary’s Boarding School to support the identification, recruitment, and integration of top national talent into the academy environment. Work directly with First Team coaching staff to identify, prepare, and integrate top academy players into the professional training environment. Manage and oversee all staffing, rostering, scheduling, and planning for the USL W League team, ensuring alignment with academy development goals and professional standards. Oversee staff, roster construction, and planning for USL Academy League participation, using the competition as a meaningful developmental step within the pathway. Balance short-term competitive success with long-term player development, making principled decisions that align with the academy’s mission and professional standards. Serve as a visible, accountable leader capable of making difficult decisions, leading challenging conversations, and modeling professionalism, ownership, and emotional control. Identify coaches to coach within the Academy and help them develop while they are coaches in the program. Work with team coaches to secure team managers and ensure that all team managers are trained on expectations for the program. Work on coordination with CEO and Director of Soccer to create the program budget for the year. Manage Academy budget once created. Oversee the travel and game scheduling process for the whole program. Oversee periodzation of training and game schedule within the framework of the Academy program. Oversee the technical direction, the curriculum, methodology and style of player for the Academy. Develop training schedule for the program in conjunction with GK Director. Create selection process for Academt Program and communicate process to necessary parties. Oversee the selecton process for all players within the Academy. Oversee the evaluation process for players within the Academy. Oversee the process for players outside of the Academy to be evaluated in the Academy environment. Oversee the identification and recruitment of players from outside of the Academy. Conduct parent meeting at the start of each season for the parents within the program. Liaise with US Soccer on all matters related to Academy. Liaise with USNT staff about potential YNT players we have in our program. Liaise with college coaches throughout the country. Liaise with internal staff on player ID process. Coordinate with Academy team managers the involvement of Academy teams and players completing community service work throughout the the Academy season. Oversee the college recruiting process for the players within the Academy. Facilitate college recruiting meeting to educate the families and players on the recruiting process. Assist with the running of college recognition evening for those players heading off to play college soccer. Assist staff in dealing with issues related to the Academy program its players or parents. Oversee social media account for the Academy to ensure there is a presence on social media. Coach teams as assigned by Director of Soccer. Performs other incidental and related duties as required and assigned.

Work Environment/Travel/Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. This person’s job is conducted in the office as well as outdoors. It will require this employee to attend outdoor youth sporting events during all seasons, including extreme temperatures and inclement weather, to fulfill job responsibilities and event support. Physical demands: bending, sitting, lifting, and event set-up.

Background Requirements

Requires a background check upon offer, along with continued annual background checks.

Affirmative Action Plan/Equal Employer Opportunity:

NCFC Youth provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications/Competencies:

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher Preferred USSF A License or Equivalent Preferred 3+ Years of Youth Coaching Experience Preferred

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Driven, hard-working and takes initiative, Ability to communicate professionally both verbally and written, Excels in conflict management, Ability to maintain professionalism in all manners while remaining flexible, yet dependable.

Job Type Requirements:

Full-time, salaried position Typical office hours are 10am-2pm 3 days a week in office (4 days during tryout periods), although this individual is expected to be attentive to emails and phone calls from home. Typical on field hours include 2-3 hours per weeknight as well as 3+ hours per weekend day. On field hours will vary throughout season and this individual is expected to be flexible and available to be on field as needed

Create a Job Match for Similar Jobs About North Carolina FC Youth North Carolina FC Youth is home to more than 16,000 players and their families. NCFC Youth coaches, and supporters extend this network to hundreds of more individuals and corporate entities. Established in 1974, our non-profit organization, in collaboration with the professional North Carolina Football Club, is the largest youth-to-professional club in country. Frequently recognized as an innovative leader in full service soccer programming, our mission is to provide positive, high quality soccer opportunities at all levels of play for youth and their families and to serve as a valuable community partner. Connections working at North Carolina FC Youth https://ncaamarket.ncaa.org/jobs/22019400/full-time-nc-courage-academy-director Return to Search Results