British Rowing – Performance Development Coach – East London

The GB Rowing Team’s aim is to create an Olympic Pathway that is open, accessible, and clear, so that any individual who has the potential to row for Great Britain can achieve their ambitions. The post-holder will play a key role within that Pathway, identifying, recruiting, and developing new athletes with future Olympic potential who might not otherwise enter the sport of rowing or excel within a traditional ‘mainstream’ rowing pathway.

This specific role is based in East London, working with partners including local clubs, London Youth Rowing and the London Regatta Centre. East London is a hugely diverse region with a rich rowing history. This is an exciting opportunity to identify a new generation of talent from the area and drive forwards the performance of athletes from East London towards future GB representation and ultimately Olympic success.

A bit about you

We are looking for an ambitious coach who can work as part of a team, to successfully develop rowers progressively, following a long-term development model. You should have the experience and personal qualities to enable you to develop a high-performance rowing environment, and aspire to identify and work with individuals who may not otherwise have the opportunity to reach the very top of the sport.

Key Responsibilities

• Identifying new rowers with clear potential to perform on the Olympic pathway via local and/or national Talent Identification testing. Establishing and maintaining contact with relevant local partner organisations that can assist in finding talent.
• With the agreement of the Senior Performance Development Coach, recruiting those rowers identified through testing to join the GB Performance Development Academy, ensuring parents/guardians/other family members are involved in the process as appropriate.
• Coaching and developing rowers by planning, organising, coaching and monitoring their technical, physical and mental development on an individual basis.
• Reviewing regularly the progress of the rowers with the Senior Performance Development Coach.
• Liaising with the host club, other clubs within the region and other relevant organisations over the use of facilities and equipment. Liaising with club officers and coaches to ensure the maximum opportunities for the progress of the rowers.
• Support athletes and coaches at clubs in the local area to widen and enhance the overall performance of athletes across the region.
• Support the wider work of the British Rowing Regional Hub, including supporting regional coach development, engagement with Youth Rowing organisations and supporting associated British Rowing Pathway programmes, as appropriate.
• Being responsible for the good care and maintenance of GB Rowing Team boats and other equipment assigned to the programme.
• Being available to attend GB national trials, assessments and training camps if required.
• Being part of a network of Performance Development Coaches covering the UK. Working with these coaches, assisting with and the running of testing days and delivery and running of associated camps.
• Representing British Rowing publicly as necessary, including at Coaching Conferences.
• Contributing, where appropriate, to coach education within British Rowing.

This job description is not to be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. It is intended as an outline indication of the areas of activity and will be amended in the light of the changing needs of the organisation.

Person Specification

Essential Skills, Experience and Qualifications

• Experience of working with young people from a variety of backgrounds.
• Ability to enthuse young rowers from backgrounds who wouldn’t ordinarily engage with a sport like rowing to enjoy the sport and aspire to achieve their best.
• Ability to build rapport and maintain relationships with a wide range of clubs, coaches and other partners.
• UKCC Level 2 Certificate in coaching rowing or equivalent.
• Driving licence.
• Possessing the desirable skills/experience outlined below, or the ability to obtain those skills/experience with support,

Desirable Skills, Experience and Qualifications

• UKCC Level 3 Certificate in coaching rowing/equivalent.
• Towing entitlement on driving licence.
• RYA Level 2 Powerboat.
• UKAD Cleansport Advisor.
• Experience of working within a successful programme which has produced international representation.
• Experience of working within a successful programme which has produced success at domestic events (e.g. HRR, NSR, HWR, etc).
• Experience of coaching internationally at U19, U23 and/or senior World Championship level.
• Experience of developing rowers progressively following a long-term development model/programme.

General Requirements

• Demonstrate sound organisational qualities with the ability to plan effectively and implement coaching practices and procedures.
• Have the ability to prioritise tasks, set realistic targets, goals and objectives within definable constraints.
• Manage own time and that of others in an effective way.
• Harness and develop the passion to succeed and motivation to train hard in all rowers.
• Possess a good theoretical and practical knowledge of performance coaching and sports science.
• Have the ability to motivate rowers and coaches to achieve progressively higher standards of performance with the specific goal of international success.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate critically and appraise performance data and communicate this effectively to rowers in their charge.
• Be able to make good use of specialist support services.
• Form strong and constructive relationships with clubs supporting British Rowing performance programmes and other key stakeholders across the region.
• Form strong and constructive relationships with other British Rowing coaches and staff.
• Talk with clarity and credibility in individual and group situations, and in good English.
• Develop and foster long-term working relationships.
• Interact well at all levels with rowers, coaches, and team support as well as with sporting bodies to gain information and communicate diplomatically.
• Be innovative while working successfully within a team framework to achieve the team goals.

Anti-Doping

The post-holder is expected to be fully conversant with the core requirements of the WADA Anti-Doping Code and its requirement on coaches and Team Support personnel to set a good personal example in this field. When directly working with athletes the post-holder has a responsibility to inform them appropriately of the Code’s application to them and to influence them in following a ‘drug-free’ culture.

Hours

The post-holder’s hours will be flexible to reflect the needs of the role and, while maintaining an appropriate work/life balance, will include time in evenings, at weekends and over public holidays. Standard working hours are 40 hours a week although flexibility is required in order to ensure core objectives are achieved. National and International travel will be required.

Get more Details and apply

Salary: £32,000-£35,000 per annum

Type: Full time, permanent

Application Dates: From Friday 1st March 2024 to Friday 22nd March 2024