James Honeyman

Global Director of Recruitment

James Honeyman serves as Global Director of Recruitment at Bay Collective. Born into a sport-loving family in England, James’ connection to high performance began at a young age. He competed at a high semi-professional level in football and represented Great Britain in kickboxing. Sport has remained a constant throughout his life, both professionally and personally.

He began his coaching career at the grassroots level at 18, and later spent a year in the United States coaching across the West Coast, gaining early exposure to varied development models and sporting cultures. Upon returning to England, James held coaching roles across multiple academies. In 2012, he joined MK Dons, where he spent six years as Head of Football Development and later as First Team Manager of the women’s team. During this period, the women’s side achieved promotion to Tier 3 and secured two major cup victories, marking a sustained phase of competitive and organizational progress.

His success at the club level led to a role within the England setup in 2018, serving as a Technical Talent Coach and Assistant Coach for the England Under-15s. In 2020, he joined Arsenal as Academy Manager and transitioned to Head of Player Development in 2023. During this time, he oversaw the expansion and strengthening of the club’s pathway, supporting the progression of more than 20 players, including six who earned their first call-ups to the England Senior Lionesses squad.

Across clubs, federations, and international football, James is recognized for building scalable, people-centered environments that unlock potential and align performance with long-term purpose.