Director of Football

About the Club

We are Wānaka FC, a club competing in the Southern League, with over 500 junior members, a year-round Academy programme, and men's teams. Since our founding in 2010, we have grown into one of the most ambitious football clubs in regional New Zealand, making history as the smallest town to field a team in the NZ National League.

At the heart of everything we do is player development. We believe that developing players the right way — technically, tactically, and as people — is the foundation of a great football club. We play a possession-based game, invest in educating our players at every level, and take pride in creating clear pathways from our junior programme through to the first team and beyond. Wānaka FC is a stepping stone to higher levels of football for local youth and visiting men's players.

The Role

As Director of Football, you will have oversight of all on-field activity at the club — the driving force behind our football identity, from the men's first team to our youngest players.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Head Coach of the Wānaka FC men's first team in the Southern League
• Running and coaching within the year-round Academy programme, developing the next generation of players
• Creating and implementing clear player development pathways from junior football through to the senior men's team
• Directing, mentoring and educating coaches within the club
• Overseeing and leading the club's year-round football programmes across junior, youth and senior football
• Contributing to the strategic development of football at Wānaka FC

Ideally, you will start the role in October 2026.

What We Offer

• Competitive remuneration
• Full club infrastructure — Academy programme, 500+ junior members, men's Southern League team, established community presence
• Autonomy — a real opportunity to shape the football identity of a pioneering club
• The lifestyle — Wānaka means skiing, lake sports, hiking, and mountain scenery. This is not a compromise; it is a feature.

About You

You will have:

• An A-Licence or B-Licence coaching qualification
• Experience as a head coach at senior or representative level
• A genuine passion for player development and a proven ability to improve players individually and collectively
• The ability to lead, inspire and organise a coaching team across multiple age groups and programmes
• The right to work in New Zealand and a current NZ driver's licence
• A willingness to relocate to Wānaka and become part of the community