Vacancy: Bristol Bears Women Head Coach

Overview:

• 40 hours a week
• Based at Shaftesbury Park, Bristol, BS16 1LG
• Salary upon application/Salary negotiable

Reporting relationships:

• This job reports to the Bristol Bears Women’s Rugby Advisory Group (RAG) - which will be headed up by the Bristol Bears Director of Rugby - and the General Manager.

Purpose:

• Coach the squad, on and off the field, to a standard of excellence, demonstrating a significant improvement over the previous playing season, whilst enhancing the reputation of Bears Women nationwide.
• Lead the playing squad to meet Club goals as set out by the Bears Women Board.
• Select and recruit the best and most appropriate Bears Women squad to reach the afore mentioned goals.
• Oversee the Centre of Excellence program, ensuring its place within the player pathway for talent ID.

Accountability statements: 

Leadership

• Establish team goals, values, standards, and protocols that fit within the overall goals and Vision of Bears Women.
• Ensure that there is a shared understanding and adoption of the Bears Women Vision and overall goals, values, standards and protocols by all squad members and team management/support staff.
• Personally model the Bears Women vision, values, standards and protocols.
• Provide leadership to the team members and team management/support staff through effective interpersonal communication with the ability to address difficult problems and make decisions decisively.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with the team management/support staff, both individually and as a group, using a range of communication styles and media tailored to the individual and the message.
• Demonstrate personal credibility, honesty, high integrity and show an ability to handle conflict and pressure appropriately.
• Work with squad management/support staff to ensure the squad has a working understanding of engagement with each other and with various internal and external stakeholders, supporting any relevant off-field developments as agreed by the GM and Board.

Squad Selection, Team Selection and Preparation

• Monitor and assess the performance of all players in contention for selection.
• Maintain discretion and confidentiality regarding squad selection consideration, including discussions with players about their performance and not making guarantees of selection to any player.
• Select the most appropriate squad to meet Club goals.

Player/Squad Development and Appraisal

• Ensure that PDPs are undertaken and recorded with each player regards performance expectations before the season commences.
• Monitor and assess individual player performance and development, providing an accurate assessment of players’ ability, performance, and potential areas for development.
• Provide regular performance and development feedback to the RAG and GM on both individual players and the squad during the season.
• Provide a match-by-match report to the RAG and GM.
• Complete and record player performance reviews with each player at mid-season and at the end of the season and provide the RAG and GM with a copy of each completed performance review document within 4 weeks of the end of the season.
• Encourage the development of player’s leadership and self-reliance (mental resilience) qualities.
• Ensure that players have a clear pathway to reach their playing aspirations.
• Ensure that the ‘whole’ athlete is key to all development plans, this includes mental health and nutrition.

Community

• Engage and manage the clubs Partnership Program and Player Pathway Program as outlined by the GM.
• Ensure the Partnership and Player Pathway Program is running within the parameters of the club’s vision and mission statement, ensuring the program is completed to a high standard.

Recruitment/player ID

• Regularly communicate with all partners (Partnership program, Player Pathway Program, Sister Club Program and COE) to talent ID players.
• Ensure that partner training and games are regularly attended by a member of Bears Women for the purpose of talent ID.

Qualifications and experience: 

• Experienced with respect and credibility as a high-performance coach and the ability to lead the coaching of club players.
• Minimum of RFU Level 3 qualification with the desire and the ability to progress beyond.
• Experience of delivering in a full-time program.
• Ability to develop individual, inter-positional and unit skills.
• Technical and tactical knowledge of back play and specific positional skills of backs or forward play and specific positional skills of forwards.
• Ability to analyse technical and tactical aspects of games, identify problems and provide solutions.
• A knowledge and experience of the varied factors required to develop elite sporting performance.
• Creative and innovative thinker.
• Experience of having worked with women’s teams is desirable but not essential.
• Lead or Head Coach experience is essential.
• Management experience is essential.
• Full DBS is essential.
• Must be able to work evenings and weekends as required.
• Proficient in Office programmes.

CLICK HERE FOR FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

To apply: 

To apply for the role please send a copy of your CV and a covering letter to Bristol Bears Director of Rugby, Pat Lam at team@bristolbearsrugby.com outlining why you are the best candidate for the role and are able to take up the challenge of working for Bears Women.

Key dates:

• Application deadline: 12^th March
• Short Listed Informed: 26^th March
• Interviews: Dates to be confirmed

Please note that due to the high volume of applications we receive; only those successfully shortlisted for the role will be personally contacted.

Equality Statement:

The successful candidate must ensure a positive commitment towards equality and diversity by treating others fairly and not committing any form of direct or indirect discrimination, victimisation or harassment of any description and to promote positive working relationships between all internal and external stakeholders.

Safeguarding Statement:

Bristol Bears are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees and workers to endorse this commitment.