Women’s Performance Pathway Lead & Coach

Welsh Rugby Union Group; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension with 5% employee contribution

Life assurance

Ticket allocation

Birthday leave

Employee assistance programme

Hybrid working

Stadium parking & gym

Store & tour discounts

Partnership offers

Eye care voucher

Cycle to work

Job summary

The Welsh Rugby Union Group is seeking a passionate Women’s & Girls Performance Pathway Manager & Coach to lead the 14–18 phase of the pathway, shaping a high-quality player journey. You will work across development centres, programmes and U18 rugby to drive excellence.

You will coach, develop and align coaching practices with the WRU DNA, while supporting coaches and staff across multiple environments to deliver continuous improvement and strong player outcomes.

Qualifications

• Degree-level education in sports coaching, sport science, sport management or a related discipline, with a WRU Level 3 Coaching award or equivalent.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in performance sport and/or talent development, including work with pre-elite, regional, age-grade or junior international athletes and coaches.
• Significant experience of coaching, developing and supporting players within elite, pre-elite or high-performance environments.
• Strong understanding of talent identification, player development systems, long-term player development and the developmental needs of high-potential female athletes aged 14-18.
• Proven ability to design, deliver, evaluate and improve development programmes across multiple teams, coaches or environments.
• Experience of leading coaches, staff and multidisciplinary contributors in performance or development settings.
• Strong knowledge of contemporary coaching practice, rugby’s technical, tactical and performance demands, and how to create high-quality learning environments.
• Experience of implementing coaching frameworks, philosophies or development principles across multiple teams or programmes.
• Experience of leading or significantly contributing to representative, age-grade or high-performance rugby programmes.
• Excellent leadership, planning, organisation, communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, programmes and stakeholders.
• Ability to analyse information, make evidence-informed decisions and support continuous improvement.
• Growth mindset and commitment to continuous professional and personal development.
• Knowledge and understanding of the structures and operations of Welsh Rugby from club to national level and a proven working knowledge of the educational systems both inside and outside of Wales.

Responsibilities

• The Women’s & Girls Performance Pathway Manager & Coach will lead the implementation and delivery of an aligned, progressive and high-quality player development system across the 14-18 phase of the women’s performance pathway.
• Working within the wider Women’s Performance Pathway, the role will be responsible for ensuring that programmes, environments and coaching practice across the 14-18 phase consistently reflect the Welsh Rugby DNA and provide a clear, progressive player journey.
• The role will lead and support coaches and staff operating across the phase, ensuring high-quality coaching, alignment of approach and continuous improvement across Player Development Centres, Emerging Player Programmes, Talent Development Groups and the Wales Women’s U18 programme.
• Working closely with the Head of Women’s Coaching & Development, this role will translate the principles of “How We Coach”, “How We Play” and “The Future Welsh Player” into effective day-to-day coaching practice and player development experiences.
• The role will combine strategic leadership of the 14-18 phase with practical coaching delivery, including leading the Wales Women’s U18 programme and supporting the long-term development and transition of high-potential players through the wider performance pathway.

Skills

Leadership

Planning

Organisation

Communication

Relationship-building

Welsh language

Driver's license

DBS check

Microsoft Office

Education

Degree-level education in sports coaching/sport science/sport management or related discipline

WRU Level 3 Coaching award or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Welsh Rugby Union Group is seeking a passionate Women’s & Girls Performance Pathway Manager & Coach to lead the 14–18 phase of the pathway, shaping a high-quality player journey. You will work across development centres, programmes and U18 rugby to drive excellence.

You will coach, develop and align coaching practices with the WRU DNA, while supporting coaches and staff across multiple environments to deliver continuous improvement and strong player outcomes.