Overview
Sean Burt is a leading figure in women’s football recruitment, recognized for his strategic leadership and talent identification expertise at Heart of Midlothian. With a UEFA A License and deep knowledge of the women’s football landscape, he has designed and implemented innovative recruitment and performance strategies that have transformed the club’s trajectory.
Burt’s reputation is built on an ability to combine football intelligence with business acumen, aligning recruitment strategy with club vision, fostering high-performance culture, and attracting top talent through a global network. His tenure at Hearts marked the most successful period in the club’s women’s history, underpinned by a data-driven, people-first philosophy.
Personal Life
Based in Scotland, Sean values inclusivity, community, and development—principles he brings into every role. Away from the pitch, he’s passionate about coaching at all levels, including children and individuals with special needs, reflecting his belief in football’s power to uplift lives. Calm, driven, and collaborative, Sean is also known for mentoring young coaches and professionals across the sport.
Heart of Midlothian FC – Head of Women’s Recruitment
Appointed in 2021, Burt was instrumental in redefining Hearts Women’s football strategy. His leadership secured increased investment, executed a first-ever dedicated recruitment plan, and delivered tangible returns through successful signings and strategic player sales.
Key achievements:
- Transformed recruitment structures aligned with UEFA/FIFA compliance
- Strengthened the squad with top-tier talent and development pathways
- Delivered club-record performance periods and commercial partnerships
- Built alignment between coaching, performance, and operational departments
Coaching Background
Sean has extensive coaching experience across men’s and women’s football, holding positions at Rangers, Hibernian, St Johnstone, and Glasgow University. His coaching philosophy emphasizes development, tactical awareness, and building environments where players thrive.
What’s Next?
With a track record of results and a reputation for forward-thinking leadership, Sean Burt is positioned to make a major impact at any club or federation aiming to elevate its women’s football operations.
Our Exclusive Interview with Sean Burt
You’ve led one of the UK’s most successful women’s recruitment strategies at Hearts—what was your approach to building a sustainable and competitive squad?
At Hearts, our recruitment strategy has focused on building a sustainable and competitive squad by blending high-potential players with experienced domestic talent. We’re committed to developing players with long-term upside—those who are technically and tactically strong, but also have the hunger and attitude to grow within our environment. Alongside that, we’ve been deliberate in recruiting players with proven experience in the Scottish game—individuals who understand the demands of the league and can provide leadership, consistency, and a benchmark for our younger players. That balance has been crucial. It allows us to compete now while also building a squad with a strong succession plan. We’ve also placed emphasis on character—players who not only fit our footballing style but contribute to a high-performance culture. Ultimately, it’s about cohesion and progression—signing the right people, not just the right profiles.
How do you balance immediate first-team needs with long-term player development and succession planning in recruitment?
Balancing the immediate with the long-term is one of the most important parts of recruitment. Every window, we start with a detailed analysis of the current squad—identifying positional gaps, contract situations, and performance trends. From there, we overlay our long-term planning—looking at where our academy players are in their development, which positions might need succession in 12–24 months, and how individual players are progressing. If we bring someone in, we ask: are they solving a short-term issue, or are they part of the bigger picture? Ideally, it’s both. We’ve found success by recruiting players who can impact the first team now but still have significant upside to grow within the club. At the same time, we’re very mindful not to block the pathway for players coming through. That means careful planning, open communication across departments, and a commitment to making recruitment decisions that serve both today’s team and the future of the squad.
Can you walk us through a recent transfer or signing that reflects your strategic thinking and scouting philosophy?
One recent signing that really reflects our recruitment strategy was a young Scottish player who had been performing well at another SWPL club but hadn’t yet reached her full potential. She ticked all the boxes technically, but what stood out was her mentality—driven, coachable, and hungry to progress. We’d tracked her over multiple windows, built a full profile through live and video scouting, and spoke with people who’d worked with her to understand her off-pitch character. What made the signing strategic was timing—we brought her in at a stage where she could contribute immediately but still had significant upside. She’s since adapted really well, and her trajectory reflects the kind of recruitment we aim for: players who align with our football identity, improve our squad right away, and still have room to grow into bigger roles within the club.
What role does data play in your recruitment decisions, and how do you integrate it with traditional scouting methods?
Data plays a key supporting role in our recruitment process—it helps us work smarter and more objectively, but it never replaces live scouting or our understanding of context. We use data at the front end of the process to identify potential targets, especially when casting the net wider—looking at physical outputs, technical contribution, consistency, and positional trends. It helps us filter and flag players who align with our playing model. From there, traditional scouting takes over—live match observations, character references, and video analysis are all essential. Data might tell you a player completes a high number of passes, but only through watching can you see how and why those passes matter. We also use data retrospectively to benchmark our decisions and track progress. The key is integration—not relying too heavily on either method, but using both to build a complete picture of the player.
How have you built and maintained your global network of agents, clubs, and talent contacts—and how has it impacted recruitment outcomes?
Having a broad and reliable network is crucial in recruitment. Agents, club contacts, and coaches all play a key role in helping us build a complete picture of a player. While data and scouting provide valuable insights into performance, it’s often the information we gather through trusted relationships that makes or breaks a decision. We rely heavily on our network for reference checking—not just to verify what a player is like on the pitch, but to understand their mentality, professionalism, adaptability, and how they respond to challenges. These are aspects that aren’t always visible during a game. Strong, long-standing relationships mean we receive honest, in-depth feedback rather than just surface-level opinions. It also allows us to move quickly and quietly when the right opportunity arises. Ultimately, our network gives us confidence in our decisions—and in a competitive market, that can be the difference.
What are the key differences you’ve observed between working in men’s and women’s football, and how have those shaped your leadership style?
One of the key differences I’ve observed between men’s and women’s football is the strong sense of collaboration and openness that’s present across all levels of the women’s game. There’s a real collective mindset—players, coaches, and staff are all very engaged in building something together. This culture of collaboration has certainly influenced my approach in recruitment. I place a great emphasis on maintaining open communication and building strong relationships, not just with players but with staff, agents, and other key stakeholders. While the men’s game also has these dynamics, the women’s game offers a unique opportunity to shape environments with a shared vision of growth and development. As a leader in recruitment, my focus is on nurturing these collaborative relationships, ensuring we’re all aligned in our objectives, and creating an atmosphere where we can be both ambitious and supportive. The professionalism and competitiveness in women’s football are growing at an incredible rate, and that excites me to constantly adapt and refine our recruitment strategies to meet those demands.