Ayto started his professional analysis career within the Canaries’ set-up, and was credited by ex-academy head, Gregg Broughton, with being a key figure in helping launch the London satellite centre that produced the likes of Jon Rowe and Abu Kamara.
The 40-year-old later moved onto Arsenal, where he worked with City’s sporting director, Ben Knapper, before stepping in as interim sporting director at the Gunners in November 2024 when Edu left.
Ayto, who speaks Portuguese and Spanish, now has the task of building on the Seagulls’ top flight success.
“This is a special club, admired across the footballing world for its culture, ambition and smart thinking, all of which has underpinned some remarkable progress in recent years,” he told his new club’s official site.
“To be joining at a time when there is such a strong desire to build on those excellent foundations, innovate further, and bring success is incredibly exciting.
“I’m looking forward to getting started and working with, and supporting both our head coaches Fabian Hurzeler and Dario Vidosic (women’s head coach), and their respective playing squads.”
Ayto’s time at Carrow Road spanned the club’s 2013 FA Youth Cup winning triumph under current technical director Neil Adams.
“In my first year there we brought in Jason to work with us on a placement,” said Broughton, speaking in a previous interview with the ‘Scouted’ football magazine. “Jason was brilliant for us. He was only with us a year, and it’s no surprise to see the success he’s gone onto at Arsenal.
“Jason helped us do a very precise piece of work on UK recruitment to decide what boroughs within the south-east of England we were going to put our resources in. We chose four of five boroughs that we threw all of our resource into, in terms of talent ID and coaching, especially within London.
“Going into London was something Norwich had never done before. It’s only recently, despite that work starting in 2012, that the club started to see the benefits. It all began with Jason’s piece of work, in terms of the ID.”