ABOUT THE CLUB

As the pioneers of the AFL, The Melbourne Football Club holds a special place in history. Our legacy dates back 167 years, when we wrote the rules of the game.  We became the inaugural VFA/VFL/AFL Club and still carry the distinction of being the oldest professional sporting club in the world. Our vision of the future has been shaped by the foundations of our past. A foundation which created the Demon Spirit.

At Melbourne, we’re proud. Proud of our rich history, proud of our values, with Trust, Respect, Unity, and Excellence at our core. Proud of our people, who live these values each and every day. Proud of our passion, our colours and our spiritual home. We’re proud to belong. 

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a passionate and enthusiastic Development Coach to work across both our Men’s AFL and VFL Programs. As a Development Coach, you will be a key member of our coaching staff, working closely with players to enhance their skills, fundamentals, and overall development, all while aligning with the club’s football philosophy, game plan, and performance.

This role is a maximum term contract, fulltime, commencing in November of 2025.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Reporting directly to the Head of Development, the key areas of responsibilities will include:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated Coach Development Program for the Men’s AFL and VFL teams, aligned with the Club’s football philosophy and strategy.
• Plan and deliver regular education workshops and seminars, providing individualised feedback and mentoring to players
• Lead role mastery within the team through training sessions, presentations, and skill-crafting workshops.
• Stay up-to-date with current research and best practices in coaching and athlete development, applying this knowledge to support the Men’s coaching staff and players.
• Develop and implement the VFL Coaching strategy and program in alignment with the AFL program
• Provide strong leadership to the VFL group, fostering a supportive team environment consistent with the Club’s values.
• Collaborate closely with the List Management team to recruit and retain talented VFL players.
• Develop and implement talent identification and recruitment strategies to attract high-potential coaches and players to the Melbourne Football Club
• Collaborate with other members of the Men's Football program, including the High-Performance team, Talent Identification team, to ensure integrated and cohesive support for coaches and players.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

You are passionate and have a deep understanding of player development in elite AFL environments, or similar. You possess a strong technical and tactical knowledge of the game and demonstrate the ability to design and deliver high-quality, individualised development programs. With excellent communication and interpersonal skills, you can build trusted relationships with all stakeholders.

You thrive in a collaborative, high-performance setting, and can work effectively within multidisciplinary teams, and is aligned with the club’s values, culture, and long-term football vision. Above all, you are driven by a genuine passion, with a commitment to developing players.

You will be available on match days and other events which may be outside of normal business hours.

PERKS & BENEFITS

This position presents the opportunity to work in our newly developed high-performance facility at Casey Fields, as well as AAMI Park, within the Melbourne & Olympic Park Sporting Precinct.

We provide a welcoming, safe, and flexible approach to work and provide an environment that benefits from and enables the best from everyone. Our people thrive within a club that is committed to a standard of excellence and supported by a culture of wellbeing and balance.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding Children & Young People

Melbourne Football Club is committed to and takes seriously its responsibility to provide an environment for children and young people that is caring, nurturing and safe. We expect representatives of the Club, regardless of their role or level of responsibility, to act to safeguard children and young people, and support such an environment. 

This role will be subject to relevant pre-employment checks, including a National Police Check and a Victorian Working with Children Check.