Newcastle Rugby Foundation is the official charitable arm of Newcastle Falcons and Newcastle Thunder professional rugby teams. Their purpose is to make rugby the positive difference that changes lives for good.

They are looking for an enthusiastic individual who has a passion for supporting young people with their journey into playing rugby and beyond.

The role sits within the Falcons Community function and will require a dedicated individual who has both strength and conditioning expertise to support their rugby excellence programme, while also having a flair for community development work as they strive to engage with under-represented groups in our communities to experience and benefit from what rugby has to offer.

As Falcons Community S&C rugby officer you will be able to work across a wide variety of programmes within the charity to achieve our wider purpose to make rugby the positive difference that changes lives for good.

Interested candidates should email darren.greco@newcastle-falcons.co.uk for an application form.

The closing date for this role is 5pm on Friday August 26. Interviews will take place on Thursday September 8.

**JOB DESCRIPTION**

Falcons Community strength & conditioning rugby coach.

**Salary & benefits:** DOE – Competitive.

**Hours required:** Permanent contract 37.5 hours per week (includes evenings and weekends).

**Reporting to:** Funding and development manager.

**Based at:** Kingston Park Stadium, Newcastle upon Tyne (the majority of the work will be community based).

**Purpose of the role:**

* To provide an outstanding strength and conditioning programme to the Tyne Met rugby excellence programme.

* To deliver rugby activities to community users from a wide variety of backgrounds, to provide a positive experience of the sport and wider network.

* To contribute to the Newcastle Rugby Foundation’s overarching purpose and impact measurements (boost wellbeing, grow skills, raise involvement, build belonging

**Key responsibilities as part of this role include:**

* Lead and manage all physical development components of the programme in line with the Foundation directives.

* Attend S&C training sessions and AoC fixtures, providing warm-ups to all field-based sessions and matches in conjunction with other staff.

* Plan, deliver and review bespoke physical development programmes for each player in the Tyne Met rugby excellence programme tailored to their development needs, visiting off site where appropriate and providing regular feedback to players.

* Update coaches weekly on individual player progress, communicating with college staff where appropriate.

* Provide nutritional support and lifestyle guidance to college players to ensure they are maximising their physical potential as aspiring elite athletes.

* Provide advice and guidance to the college training sessions, educating players where appropriate on strength and conditioning, nutrition and lifestyle.

* Liaise with the college physio to devise and deliver injured players’ rehabilitation programmes each week to college players.

* Manage and maintain up-to-date records of all college players; including daily screening, training loads, playing times and measuring player progress over time through comparable testing protocols.

* Deliver a variety of Falcons Community coaching programmes and festivals to schools, rugby clubs and community groups across the North East.

* Develop relationships with local clubs to support their development including the transition of new players from community to clubs.

* Promote and deliver community coaching camps during school holidays.

* Deliver pre-match activation on Newcastle Falcons match days.

* Support the delivery of a CPD programme for coaches, teachers and volunteers.

* Promote & sell the Falcons School Connections programme.

* Promote the Falcons brand within the community.

* Ensure all monitoring and evaluation administrative tasks are completed promptly via Upshot.

* Work on Falcons match days to promote and deliver quality experiences for a variety of community participants.

* In addition to the duties which this job normally entails the employee may from time to time be required to undertake reasonable additional or other duties for the benefit of the Newcastle Rugby Foundation.

**Key performance indicators:**

* Effectiveness of coaching interventions provided to college players.

* Evidence of progress made by all players towards fulfilling their physical potential.

* Development of sustainable practices across the college programme.

* Adherence to all RFU/AoC regulations.

* Feedback from players and stakeholders on the quality of service provided.

* Contribution to the Newcastle Rugby Foundation’s overarching purpose and impact measurements (Boost wellbeing, Grow Skills, Raise involvement, Build Belonging.

**Essential requirements:**

* Minimum UKSCA Level 3 Qualification (or equivalent).

* England Rugby Coaching Award/RFU Level 2 or equivalent.

* First aid qualification.

* Full driving license & access to a vehicle.

* Ability to gain Enhanced DBS clearance (RFU).

* Share the Foundation’s Rugby+ values:

* POSITIVE ENERGY.

* LET’S MAKE CONNECTIONS.

* UP FOR A CHALLENGE.

* SUPPORTIVE AND CARING.

**Desirable:**

* Educated to degree level in a relevant field (or equivalent).

* A good understanding of the local club network.

* A good understanding of barriers to participation in sport.

* Experience of working with young people in Higher Education.

* Experience of coaching rugby to a wide variety of backgrounds, ages and ability levels.

* Knowledge of local and national rugby initiatives.

**People dimensions:**

* Excellent communication skills.

* Excellent organisation skills with an ability to manage your own workload.

* Ability to work as part of a team creating and maintaining strong working links and relationships.

* Ability to create relationships with stakeholders and promote the services of the NRF.

* Ability to work to a flexible schedule including evenings and weekends.

* Self-motivated, enthusiastic and honest personal attributes.

* Ability to make decisions and use own initiative.

**Safeguarding:**

* Newcastle Falcons, Thunder and Newcastle Rugby Foundation take safeguarding very seriously and is committed to ensuring that all children and adults at risk are safeguarded at all times when engaging in club activities or services. The club has numerous safeguarding policies and best practice guidelines to support this and expects all employees to adopt such policies and practices at all times.

* The organisations adhere to strict guidelines, policies and procedures when recruiting staff who work with children and/or adults at risk and is committed to ensuring staff receive appropriate safeguarding training suitable to their role/s. Successful applicants are expected to share the club’s approach to safeguarding at all times.

**Equal opportunities:**

* The post holder’s duties must be carried out in compliance with the club’s Equal Opportunities Policy, with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and subsequent Health and Safety Legislation.

* Newcastle Falcons, Thunder and Foundation are an equal opportunities employer, all applicants for employment will be given equal opportunities irrespective of sex, age, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, ethnic or national origin.

* These duties and responsibilities should be regarded as neither exclusive nor exhaustive and the post holder may be required to undertake other reasonably determined duties and responsibilities within Newcastle Falcons, commensurate with the post without changing the character of the post. This post requires an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS). This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). Information on all convictions including spent convictions must be declared, in line with the new Government Filtering System. If you wish to see our Candidate Privacy Notice click here.

* Employment is subject to: satisfactory professional references, the provision of proof of eligibility to work in the UK as well as a successfully cleared enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check and clearance of RFU safer recruitment procedure.