Sports Education and Training Lead

Special Olympics Ireland; Dublin; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Special Olympics Ireland is seeking a Sports Education and Training Lead to drive the development, delivery and continuous improvement of coach and volunteer education across the organisation. You will lead on coach education pathways and create engaging online and blended learning content, ensuring high-quality training opportunities across the all-island programme.

The role requires collaboration with regional officers, the Training Manager and national bodies, and involves occasional evening

Qualifications

• Relevant third-level qualification in Sport, Coach Training Learning & Development, or Sports Management.
• Minimum 4 years' experience in the sports sector.
• Experience with coach education frameworks and online content.
• Experience monitoring, reporting and evaluating training outcomes.
• Excellent project coordination and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, coordination and implementation of SOI's education programmes in sport.
• Develop and deliver annual sports education plans aligned with objectives.
• Design and maintain engaging online, blended and face-to-face learning.
• Create, review and update education resources and training materials.
• Coordinate mandatory sports training programmes for coaches and volunteers.
• Monitor participation, completion rates and learning outcomes across programmes.
• Maintain records and reporting through the Just Go system.
• Collaborate with Sport Ireland Coaching and other partners.
• Develop Coach Developers and Tutors to ensure quality delivery.
• Drive coaching course materials aligned with national frameworks.

Skills

Educational leadership

Project coordination

Stakeholder management

Online learning design

LMS administration

Education

Relevant degree in Sport or Learning & Development

Tools

Moodle

Just Go LMS

Microsoft 365

Job description

Special Olympics transforms lives through sport. We are a year-round sports organisation for people with an intellectual disability, starting from age 4 with no upper limit. Today, we support over 7,000 athletes across Ireland to participate in 15 sports through inclusive sports training programmes. Through our sports, health and leadership programmes, our athletes learn to be physically, mentally, and emotionally fit. They gain new skills, increase their confidence and, most importantly, experience the joy of sport and make lifelong friendships. None of this would be possible without the incredible dedication of our volunteers, clubs, and partners who power everything we do.

Role Purpose

Special Olympics Ireland (SOI) is seeking a Sports Education and Training Lead to drive the development, delivery and continuous improvement of coach and volunteer sports education programmes across the organisation. The successful candidate will be responsible for taking a lead in developing coach education pathways, developing engaging online and blended learning content for courses and training modules to ensure high-quality training opportunities are available across the organisation. The person will be responsible for administering and uploading content to SOI’s Learning Management Systems (LMS). The role will work closely with SOI Regional Development Officers, SOI Training Manager, National Governing Bodies of Sport, Sport Ireland Coaching, Sport Northern Ireland and other key stakeholders to strengthen sports education and training provision across the all-island programme.

The role will involve occasional evening and weekend work.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, coordination and implementation of Special Olympics Ireland's education programmes in sport
• Develop and deliver annual sports education plans aligned with organisational and strategic objectives
• Design, develop and maintain engaging online, blended and face-to-face learning programmes.
• Create, review and update sports education resources, training materials and learning content to ensure relevance.
• Lead on the coordination of mandatory sports training programmes for coaches and volunteers.
• Monitor participation, completion rates and learning outcomes across Sports training programmes.
• Maintain accurate records and reporting on all sports training and education activities through our registration system (Just Go)
• Manage the relationship with Sport Ireland Coaching and other coach education partners.
• Support and develop the network of Coach Developers and Coaching Children Tutors to ensure consistent delivery of quality coach education.
• Increase the number of qualified and accredited coaches within the Special Olympics Ireland programme through developing and rolling out an annual coach education calendar.
• Drive, review and develop coaching course materials in line with national coach development frameworks and Special Olympics Ireland standards.
• Drive, review, develop and maintain coaching and officials policies for the organisation.
• Coordinate coach Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities across all sports.
• Oversee, monitor and report on coach education standards throughout the organisation.
• Work with National Governing Bodies to develop and enhance coach education pathways relevant to Special Olympics athletes.
• Produce reports and analytics relating to learner engagement course completion and training effectiveness.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with Regional Programmes, National Governing Bodies, Sport Ireland Coaching, Sport Northern Ireland and other relevant partners.
• Collaborate with the Sports department to identify learning and development needs and deliver appropriate training solutions.
• Support onboarding, mentoring and operational support for newly appointed Regional Development Officers.
• Promote a culture of learning, development and continuous improvement amongst Special Olympics Ireland coaches.
• Coordinate key reports and evaluation metrics relating to training and education initiatives.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to the role as required by the Director of Sport.

Essential Knowledge and Experience

• Relevant third-level qualification in Sport, Coach Training Learning & Development, Sports Management.
• Minimum 4years' experience in the sports sector, coach training, learning & development.
• Experience working within the sport sector.
• Experience of coach education and coach development frameworks.
• Experience creating online learning content and digital training materials.
• Experience developing and delivering training programmes, workshops and educational resources.
• Experience monitoring, reporting and evaluating training outcomes.
• Excellent project coordination and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable Knowledge and Experience

• Experience administering and managing Learning Management Systems (LMS).
• Experience using Moodle or similar learning platforms.
• Understanding of accessibility and inclusive learning design principles.
• Experience in the disability, community or voluntary sector.
• Knowledge of the Irish sporting landscape.
• Strong commitment to education, learning and coach development.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills.
• Strong communication, facilitation and presentation skills.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Strong attention to detail and quality assurance.
• Ability to engage and support a diverse range of learners and stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical, reporting and problem-solving skills.
• Innovative and proactive approach to digital learning and training solutions.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 and digital learning technologies.