TDS High Performance Specialist - Africa

As the organiser of some of the biggest and most iconic sport events in the world, we lead the way in the sport and event industry.

Join the team as a freelancer and support us on our mission.

In 2021, FIFA launched the global Talent Development Scheme (TDS) to collaborate with its Member Associations (MAs) aiming to increase the competitiveness of their national teams following a 2-year landscape analysis. The underlying vision is that long-term, sustainable improvement of national team performance can only be achieved by creating the best possible talent development systems. As part of the TDS, FIFA high performance specialists provide advice, support and guidance to MAs in developing a strategic plan and a series of individual programs that will target improvements in their holistic talent development journeys. 

We are now seeking to add to our team of top class thought leaders for the further development, implementation and monitoring of the TDS. FIFA is looking to recruit technical leaders - on a freelance basis - with a proven track record in the development and implementation of technical programs in the field of high performance and talent development.

THE POSITION

These are your key tasks:

• Use the TDS framework to provide consultancy services to FIFA affiliated member associations (MAs) on developing and optimising their talent development strategy in line with the findings of the global ecosystem analysis
• Support MAs in the concrete development and implementation of high priority technical projects that are aligned to their strategic direction and focused on ‘finding, training & playing’ top talents
• Conduct virtual & onsite visits and workshops with MAs to advise and align stakeholders on the most appropriate practices for talent development and associated fields as the face of the TDS for MAs
• Monitor and provide MAs with support and guidance as they embark on individual programs that enact the TDS 
• Further develop and iterate on the FIFA TDS framework that is being rolled out globally, including to develop supporting materials & tools for MAs based on technical specialisms
• Create and iterate supporting material for the training and education of the relevant target groups within member associations (coaches, academy directors, technical directors, high performance experts, etc.)
• Facilitate the provision of all TDS benefits to MAs including the FIFA Academies programme, the Knowledge Exchange pillar & Training and Education courses to MAs
• Participate in training and education and expertise development activities organized by FIFA

YOUR PROFILE

We work hard at FIFA.
We are dedicated, ambitious and innovative.

And we respect our values. Always.

For all roles, we seek talented people with an entrepreneurial spirit and a global mindset.

The specific competencies we require for this position are:

• Minimum 10 years of experience as a technical leader in football, such as technical director, high performance director or other technical management function at federation, league, club and/or academy level
• Proven experience in developing, implementing and monitoring of football technical development programmes and strategies
• Experience in working with senior leaders in sports, including federations Presidents, General Secretaries and technical staff 
• Strong technical background in football (A-Licence or Pro Licence - required) & a bachelor in Sports related fields (desirable)
• Specialism working in the any of the following fields: talent identification, talent development, coach education, youth national teams and academy environments
• Strategic thinker, factoring multiple perspectives into their conversations, ideas and solutions to keep the MA and a sustainable legacy at the centre
• Driven to empower people through coaching (listening and asking questions) in order to understand context and determine where to share knowledge and where to lead with creating ideas through others
• A professional and highly knowledgeable individual (in their chosen field) that inhibits high performance personal and working standards, with high respect for the game and for all those that work to support the development and growth of Football globally
• Authentic and personable, with high emotional intelligence showing genuine care and a desire to seek to understand others, and build long term relationships
• Long-term and low self-ego mindset, with a desire to see others succeed and manifest sustainable success
• Resilient character who is adaptable and agile with constant change; a proven track record to manage self in complexity and uncertainty, remain optimistic and that has a drive to find solutions 
• Curious to collaborate, actively seeking and receiving support with an open mind, operating from the belief that the team is greater than the individual
• Self-aware and respectful individual with global dexterity; able to work effectively in multicultural environments
• Fluency in oral and written English. Any other widely used language (Spanish, French, Arabic, Russian, Portuguese, Chinese) would be an asset
• Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio & Project)
• Willingness to travel

About FIFA

We are FIFA, the global governing body for football.

Our vision is to make football truly global, diverse and inclusive, for the benefit of the entire world. The last FIFA World Cup in Qatar in 2022 attracted more than 5 billion viewers and the last FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in 2023 was the greatest-ever FIFA Women's World Cup that inspired millions of girls and women around the globe. The opportunities for growth are exciting.

We are a modern organisation with over 800 passionate employees who are Living Football every day. Our headquarters are based in Zurich, Switzerland, and we have offices in Miami and Paris, plus eleven regional offices from New Zealand to India, South Africa, Panama and Paraguay.