SENIOR WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH 

HOCKEY FRENCH BACKGROUND

The French Hockey Federation (FFH) is opening a new chapter for French women’s hockey, a development that builds on positive momentum and continues the work initiated since the Paris 2024 Olympic Games :

• 2025 : Victory for the French women’s senior national team in Nations Cup II, resulting in
promotion to Nations Cup I.
• March 2026 : 5th place at the World Cup Qualification Tournament (TQWC) in Chile.
• June 2026 : 7th place in Nations Cup I and and up to 16th in the FIH world rankings.
• July 2026 : The French U21 women’s team wins the U21 European Championship II-A title, securing qualification for the 2027 U21 World Cup.

These results illustrate the progress made by this new generation and provide a solid foundation upon which the FFH now intends to build in order to reach the next level.

The French senior women’s team is currently ranked 17th internationally, having climbed 16 places over the last 8 years.

A stronger ambition

To give this ambition the best possible chance of success, the FFH has decided to intensify its women’s
high-performance program. The goal is to ensure continuity between the senior (A) and U21 (juniors) squads and to build a shared, long-term sporting project. This new phase will rely, in particular, on close collaboration between the two teams and their respective coaching staffs, with the aim of fostering the emergence of new talent, supporting the players' development, and strengthening the competitiveness of the French senior women’s team at the highest international level.

With this in mind, the FFH has initiated the recruitment of two new head coaches : one for the French senior women’s team and one for the French U21 women’s team. Together, they will be tasked with driving this ambitious sporting project forward and guiding the squads toward upcoming international competitions, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games as the ultimate target.

THE PERFORMANCE AMBITIONS

The French Hockey Federation is seeking a Head Coach / Project Manager to lead the "LA 2028 Qualification" project, with the objective of preparing the team and achieving strong performances at the upcoming key events: the 2027 Nations Cup I, the 2027 EuroHockey Championship (Division A), and the 2028 Olympic Games Qualification Tournament

THE ROLE & THE KEY RESPONSABILITIES

• Defines and proposes a preparation and performance optimization strategy for the French women’s national team (France A), in coordination with the performance manager, the National Technical Director (DTN), and elected federation officials.

• Develops an effective and coherent training plan to achieve established objectives and prepare for competitions, while working within the limits of available resources.

• Utilizes all available and collected data to design a high-performance training plan.

• Directs, organizes, and manages the staff assigned to the French national hockey team ; coordinates a multidisciplinary group of experts to optimize team performance.

• In collaboration with the performance manager, identifies, develops, and leads the group of players who make up the athlete roster for the French women’s national program (France A).

• Coaches and leads all training sessions for the French senior women’s national team, with the goal of enhancing both individual and team performance :
> Develops the team’s technical and tactical skills, with a particular focus on attacking
play.
> Develops the specific individual skills required for each player’s position.
> Develops identified players to perform at the senior international level.
> Fosters understanding, confidence, cohesion, and a positive team spirit.
> Creates an environment that encourages players and staff to excel and meet the
highest international standards of execution.
> Employs a human-centered management approach, incorporating the preparation
and mental well-being of the athletes.

• Aligns with the overall development pathway, taking into account the conditions necessary for the success of various squads in key competitions—with a particular focus on the U21/junior age group.

• Safeguards the physical and mental well-being of the athletes, while ensuring adherence to the values and ethical standards of the French Hockey Federation.

• Proposes the selection of athletes to participate in official competitions.

• in collaboration with staff, coach the French national team during official competitions.

• Establishes a team identity rooted in specific principles of play, ensuring each player
understands her role and expectations, while simultaneously fostering the creative capacity to adapt to opposing teams.

• Compiles and submits a comprehensive report following each key competition or preparation cycle, and participates in the subsequent debriefing.

• Maintains ongoing communication with the club coaches of the athletes included in the French national squad (France A).

• Communicates effectively with the staff, the federation, the players, and relevant stakeholders, and places importance on interpersonal relationships within the French national team setup :
> Provides written reports on the technical and physical development of the players
> Regularly provides feedback to the players in the French women’s ‘A’ program
> Works in close collaboration with the team manager to ensure continuity in planning
and communication
> Acts as a liaison with the coach of the Junior/U21 national team and the women’s
development pathway.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES

• Observing players at their clubs,

• May be called upon to contribute to coaching certification programs, development pathway meetings, or other federation-organized gatherings,

• Representing the organization at major federation events, such as the General Assembly, the "Stars" awards evening, partner club events, … .

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Significant experience as a team coach at the international level.

• Proven track record of success in international and/or national-level hockey, or high potential; must possess a growth mindset, the ability to motivate and inspire, and the capacity to develop and implement sporting strategies, systems, and processes to achieve results.

• Professional high-level coaching qualification (or equivalent, such as an FIH-recognized qualification). Must be eligible to work in France.

• Strong leadership qualities.

• In-depth knowledge of hockey strategy and training methodology at the international level.

• Ability to apply principles of coaching, sports science, medicine, and technology within a highperformance program.

• Experience in developing performance plans within constrained budgetary frameworks.

• Expertise in the latest coaching and video analysis systems/software (Hudl, Sportcode, Keynote, ...).

• Proficiency in training planning and programming, general and hockey-specific physical conditioning, and the use of data tools.

• Ability to work effectively within a team and unite a group.

• Strong adaptability.

• High level of availability, rigor, and loyalty.

• Strong interpersonal skills, with proven ability to manage players and staff.

• Ability to travel within France and internationally for extended periods.

• Speak French and English (minimum C2 level).

THE FRENCH HOCKEY FEDERATION

• 17 000 registered members.

• 140 affiliated clubs.

• A budget of approximately 350 000 € for the French senior women’s national team.

• The federation’s governance is structured around an executive board (8 members) drawn from the steering committee (approximately 20 members). The performance strategy is steered by the Vice-President for Sport, the Performance Manager, and the National Technical Director, who are supported by various committees dedicated to performance optimization.

• The French national team staff consists of 8 to 9 individuals with multidisciplinary expertise, including an assistant coach, a goalkeeping coach, a team manager, a strength and conditioning coach, a video analyst, one or two physiotherapists, and a doctor

• The French national hockey team utilizes two national training centers : CREPS Wattignies (near to Lille) and CREPS Chatenay-Malabry (near to Paris), which allow the squad to gather for 6 to 8 days each month, providing services dedicated to high-performance training and optimization.

CONTRACT

• Fixed-term service contract

• Remuneration based on professional experience and sporting achievements

• The contract may, under certain conditions, be compatible with a coaching role at a club

APPLICATION PROCESS

• A detailed cover letter and a comprehensive CV must be sent via email to
recrutementEDF@ffhockey.org, with the reference : “Coaching EDF senior féminine”

• Application deadline: 27 november 2026.

• Candidates will be shortlisted for an interview based on the information provided. Your
application will be kept confidential.

START DATE
January 2027

CONFIDENTIALITY

The FFH recognizes the importance of confidentiality throughout the recruitment and selection process. All applications and expressions of interest will be treated confidentially ; personal data will be managed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. Information regarding candidates will only be shared with individuals directly involved in the recruitment and selection process, or as required by law.
Furthermore, candidates are expected to exercise the highest degree of confidentiality and professional discretion regarding athletes, staff, and performance-related information