Davis, 57, has managed the club’s under-18s for the last three years and recently took interim head coach charge of the first-team, providing stability across an eight-game period in the Molineux hotseat.
In his new role, Davis will work closely with the senior coaching team within the academy as well as sporting director Matt Hobbs, strategic player marketing manager Matt Jackson and the first-team staff to ensure the transition into senior football is right for the players and their needs.
Jon Hunter-Barrett, academy manager for football, said: “This is something that the chairman was keen on, in terms of looking at ways to strengthen the links across the club and particularly the younger players from our successful academy transitioning into senior football.
“Steve fits the bill with his expertise as a player, coach and manager. On a daily basis, Steve will work alongside Darren Ryan (head of player development) to monitor and develop our high-potential players between 16 and 21 and ensure we deliver on what we need to work on with those players, while ensuring there’s a long-term plan for them in senior football.
“We have quite a lot of academy players who train with the first-team on a daily basis, so we have to monitor and communicate what they have to work on. So when they do move up, the plan is specific to their needs as well as developing what the first-team require. Steve will be a key person with regards to making sure the plans are communicated to the first-team and we get feedback on how the players are doing.”
Davis will also work together with Jackson and strengthen a successful loans department, ensuring that players are fully prepared to go out on loan while helping to monitor their progress along the way. In addition, Davis’ experience will help offer support to Hunter-Barrett with some of the key decisions around the football within the academy and Mike Scott (head of coach development) in developing the academy coaches.
“It’s all geared towards helping our high-potential players transition into senior football – whether that’s straight into our first team, out on loan or for player sales,” Hunter-Barrett continued.
“Steve’s an outstanding person to have around the building, staff and players. It was really important for me to know that we were able to keep him around.
“This movement also gives James McPike an opportunity as under-18s interim head coach until the end of the season. He’s now got the chance to go and lead so that he can progress into the position he aspires to get into.”
