Head Coach, Esports

Keene State College; Keene (NH); On-site; USD 50,000 - 325,000; Full time

Job summary

Keene State College is seeking a dynamic leader to direct a varsity Esports program. This 10-month role involves promotion, recruiting, strategic coaching, practice planning, game prep, facility oversight, budgeting, scheduling, travel, equipment, and staff supervision as needed.

You will ensure academic monitoring and student-athlete success while managing consultant relationships and campus partnerships. The position requires coordinating with ECAC, NACE, and Admissions to meet recruitment

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• One year of Esports coaching or athlete experience with demonstrated expertise in one of the listed titles.
• Coaching experience.
• Knowledge of esports rules and regulations.
• A valid driver’s license and ability to travel.
• Experience working in Higher Education.
• An established high ELO ranking in at least one title.
• Experience in recruiting college athletes.
• Experience coaching Esports at the collegiate level.

Responsibilities

• Organize, develop, and administer all aspects of an Esports team.
• Provide leadership for the implementation and growth of a new Esports varsity program at Keene State College.
• Establish affiliation with ECAC and the National Association of Collegiate Esports.
• Provide leadership for the team; establish coaching strategies and teaching methods to develop student-athletes' skills and teamwork; analyze team performance and adjust strategies as needed.
• Recruit players for the varsity Esports program.
• Ensure ongoing membership for relevant organizations including the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) and other regional Esports conferences.
• Supervise additional supplemental coaches as needed to provide expertise in one of the following games.
• Recruit qualified prospective students and coordinate progress toward annual recruitment goals and scholarship opportunities with the Admissions team and Vice President for Enrollment and Student Engagement.
• Ensure program recruitment and activities adhere to College and conference policies and procedures.
• Oversee social media accounts for promoting Esports and streaming accounts such as Discord, Twitch, and other gaming applications to support live streams of Keene State Esports competitions.
• Develop and organize informational sessions to educate faculty, staff, students, and the community about Esports to cultivate awareness and growth of the program.
• Seek opportunities to build connections between Esports and academic programs to showcase student talent in areas aligned with student academic interests.
• Determine student eligibility for participation and maintain high levels of student-athlete retention and graduation rates to support academic progress toward degrees.
• Provide health and wellness education/programming for Esport student-athletes.
• Provide mentorship to students as needed.
• Develop rules and regulations for team membership and establish policies and procedures for the new Keene State Esports facility.
• Establish a practice schedule and coordinate with NACE to establish a competition schedule.
• Coordinate technical assistance with 24/7 vendor support for the Esport gaming facility.
• Collaborate with the Director for Transitions and Community Living and other campus colleagues to support the Esports program.
• Budget preparation, requisitioning equipment, fundraising, community service/promoting the program on and off campus, and complying with all NACE rules and regulations.
• Scheduling and travel arrangements as needed.

Skills

Coaching

Esports knowledge

Recruiting

Travel

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Overview

Direct responsibility for leading a varsity level Esports program. This 10‑month position includes responsibilities such as promoting the Esports varsity program, recruiting Esports athletes, strategic coaching, practice planning, game preparation, oversight of the new Esports facility, budget management, scheduling, team travel as needed, equipment and apparel purchasing, staff supervision (if applicable), academic monitoring, and general supervision of student‑athletes. Manage consultant relationships for game offerings. All staff on campus support students and will be involved in student‑focused activities.

Responsibilities

• Organize, develop, and administer all aspects of an Esports team.
• Provide leadership and vision for the implementation and growth of a new Esports varsity program at Keene State College.
• Establish affiliation with ECAC and the National Association of Collegiate Esports.
• Provide leadership for the team; establish coaching strategies and teaching methods to develop student‑athletes\' skills and teamwork; analyze team performance and adjust strategies as needed.
• Recruit players for the varsity Esports program.
• Ensure ongoing membership for relevant organizations including the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) and other regional Esports conferences.
• Supervise additional supplemental coaches as needed to provide expertise in one of the following games.

Recruitment and Promotion of Esports

• Recruit qualified prospective students and coordinate progress toward annual recruitment goals and scholarship opportunities with the Admissions team and Vice President for Enrollment and Student Engagement.
• Ensure program recruitment and activities adhere to College and conference policies and procedures.
• Oversee social media accounts for promoting Esports and streaming accounts such as Discord, Twitch, and other gaming applications to support live streams of Keene State Esports competitions.
• Develop and organize informational sessions to educate faculty, staff, students, and the community about Esports to cultivate awareness and growth of the program.
• Seek opportunities to build connections between Esports and academic programs to showcase student talent in areas aligned with student academic interests (e.g., related project work, internships, and other collaboration opportunities).

Student Success

• Determine student eligibility for participation and maintain high levels of student‑athlete retention and graduation rates to support academic progress toward degrees.
• Provide health and wellness education/programming for Esport student‑athletes.
• Provide mentorship to students as needed.

Administrative Functions and Operations

• Develop rules and regulations for team membership and establish policies and procedures for the new Keene State Esports facility.
• Establish a practice schedule and coordinate with NACE to establish a competition schedule.
• Coordinate technical assistance with 24/7 vendor support for the Esport gaming facility.
• Collaborate with the Director for Transitions and Community Living and other campus colleagues to support the Esports program.
• Budget preparation, requisitioning equipment, fundraising, community service/promoting the program on and off campus, and complying with all NACE rules and regulations.
• Scheduling and travel arrangements as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor\'s degree
• One year of experience as a sports coach for an Esports team or Esports athlete with demonstrated expertise in one of the following five Esports game titles: League of Legends, Super Smash Bros, Valorant, Rocket League, and/or Overwatch
• Coaching experience
• Demonstrated knowledge of esports rules and regulations
• A valid driver’s license and ability to travel
• Experience working in Higher Education
• An established high ELO ranking in at least one of the following five Esports titles: League of Legends, Super Smash Bros, Valorant, Rocket League, and Overwatch
• Experience in recruiting college athletes
• Working knowledge of intercollegiate esports rules and regulations
• Experience coaching and supporting the development of student‑athletes
• Experience coaching Esports at the collegiate level

Applicant Instructions

Applicants should be prepared to upload the following documents when applying online within the My Experience: Resume/CV section of the application (Maximum of 5 documents):

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter
• Contact information for 3 professional references

Applications that are missing any of the required items may not move forward for consideration. Additional uploaded documents not requested in the position announcement will not be reviewed.

This position falls within the collective bargaining unit for the Keene State College Staff Association (KSCSA), an affiliate of the National Education Association of New Hampshire (NEA‑NH).

Keene State College is located in the scenic Monadnock region of Southwest New Hampshire and is an affiliate of the University System of New Hampshire. Located approximately 2 hours from Boston or Hartford, CT, and 4 hours from New York City, the region contains many opportunities to enjoy outdoor recreation, cultural events, and a strong sense of community. To learn more about Keene State College, the University System of New Hampshire, and the Keene community, please visit: https://www.keene.edu, https://www.usnh.edu/ or https://www.ci.keene.nh.us.

EEO Statement

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or marital status.

Compensation

Pay Range: $50,000.00 - $325,000.00. The pay range for this position is listed above. Actual offer will be based on skills, qualifications, experience, and internal equity, in addition to relevant business considerations. More information on benefits can be found here: USNH Employee Benefits | Human Resources.

Location: Keene