Strength And Conditioning Coach : High Performance Sport

Job Title : Strength and Conditioning Coach : High Performance Sport

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MS / / The High Performance Unit at Stellenbosch University (SU) is dedicated to developing the sporting talent of student-athletes through evidence-based programmes and professional services.

It operates within a sport talent development framework with essential areas of concern that guide its daily actions.

The three core areas include Integrated Medicine and Science, Recruitment and Retention, and PACER Holistic Student-Athlete Development and Support Programme. The Strength and Conditioning Coach : High Performance Sport is responsible for the optimisation of the athletic development and physical performance of Maties Sport High Performance student-athletes and teams.

These duties require the use of sport technology in the design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation of innovative training programmes within the Maties Sport High Performance (HP) IMAS programme.

The strength and conditioning duties include both gymnasium-based and field-based training programmes and will cut across all aspects of performance enhancement and student-athlete empowerment for all Maties HP sports.

Responsibilities

1. Integrated Medicine and Science: Coordinating the annual medical screenings of all student-athletes in the identified HP Sport squads. Supporting the empowerment of Maties Sport coaches, teams and student-athletes to optimise the use of evidence-based interventions that ensures the enhancement of athletic performance. Supporting the Maties Sport Injury Clinic and injury management programme through injury reporting, and attending the Maties Sport Injury programme management meetings. Coordinating the annual Drug Free Sport talk delivered by the South African Institute for Drug Free Sport (SAIDS). Contributing to the overall functioning of the Maties Sport HP Unit Integrated Medicine and Science programme and its future by accepting responsibilities for Unit sustainability, and adhering to a code of high-performance ethics.
2. Performance Enhancement: Designing, supporting and managing the annual periodisation plans for gymnasium-based and field-based strength and conditioning interventions for HP sport codes within the HP Unit's central philosophy. Designing, implementing, supporting and managing performance enhancement strategies throughout the annual performance plan and at competitions. Designing, delivering, supporting and managing HP Sport Code-specific prehabilitation programmes (team and individual). Designing, delivering, supporting and managing HP Sport Code-specific strength programmes (team and individual) across a range of fundamental movement patterns and bio-motor abilities. Designing, delivering, supporting and managing HP Sport Code-specific metabolic and bio-motor ability conditioning programmes (team and individual). Leading and coordinating the implementation of sport technology-based vision and decision training, performance analysis, performance measuring and training load monitoring services to inform decisions regarding training and competitions of HP Sport Codes - team and individual support programmes.
3. Empowerment: Understanding and being knowledgeable of the HP Sport Codes' "big picture" - provincial, national, federations, etc. Performance managing the strength and conditioning programme component of the IMAS Accelerated Personal Development Plan of identified student-athletes. Collaborating with the Centre for Sport Leadership to support student-athletes utilising all services of the HP Unit in the delivery of community impact projects or any other strategic events. Supporting the HP Unit's recruitment, training, and managing of strength and conditioning interns / assistants to support strength and conditioning services of the Maties Sport HP Programme.
4. Sport Technology: Contributing to the academic footprint of Maties Sport by supporting research projects within the HP Unit's IMAS programme and the Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine (ISEM). Maintaining all sport technology equipment in working order and reporting any technological faults / issues to the Senior Manager : High Performance : Maties Sport. Using technology to inform decisions about physical training programmes, as well as the management of player load and fatigue.
5. Management: Maties Gymnasium High Performance Centre: Pro-actively liaising with Maties Sport club managers, coaches, and student-athletes, and communicating all Maties Gymnasium-related processes and requirements with regards to bursary gymnasium memberships and HP squads. Ensuring that the HP booking schedule is completed and always up-to-date as per the SOP. Collaborating in terms of the management of the HP training area of the Maties Gymnasium student-athlete training facility to optimise the use by all Maties Sport HP teams and individual student-athletes.

Minimum Requirements

1. Minimum of recognised postgraduate Sport Science / Biokinetics degree with specialisation in strength and conditioning.
2. The ability to work effectively and collaboratively as part of an integrated Medicine and Science support team.
3. At least four years' experience of strength and conditioning in a high-performance environment in at least three of the following sporting codes: Athletics, Cricket, Basketball, Hockey, Netball, Football, Parasport accumulatively.
4. Technical proficiency and practical working experience gathering data and translating the results generated by technology to high performance teams and athletes.
5. The ability to accurately measure and monitor essential physical components with student-athletes.
6. The ability to provide accurate and informative written and verbal reports to coaches, managers and the HP Unit.
7. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
8. Effective leadership in the management of people.
9. Excellent computer skills with regard to MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive and Outlook.
10. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively.
11. The ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, as well as independently.
12. The ability to take initiative, be innovative, be resilient and to function effectively under pressure.
13. The ability to manage, implement, provide oversight, and deliver on our talent development pathway programmes.
14. The ability to prioritise effectively.
15. Being coachable with a growth mindset and a curious critical thinker.
16. Accuracy in performing administrative tasks.
17. Excellent time management skills and the ability to be adaptive to an agile environment.
18. The ability to respect and maintain confidentiality.
19. Willingness and availability to work after hours, including evenings, weekends and on public holidays.
20. Domestic travel with the team / s as required.
21. A valid driver's licence and own transport.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Experience in leading an "all year round" development programme at a national, provincial, or equivalent university high performance sport programme.
2. Applied knowledge and experience of working with athletes on a development pathway.
3. Knowledge and understanding of university sport.
4. Experience working with GPS athlete tracking hardware and software systems such as Catapult OpenField.
5. Advanced Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerBI, & PowerPoint).
6. Strong analytical and strategic planning skills.

How To Apply

Stellenbosch University is committed to employment equity (EE), and appointments will be made in line with the EE plan for the specific environment as well as the institutional EE Plan of the University.

Stellenbosch University reserves the right not to make an appointment.

Your application, comprising a comprehensive curriculum vitae (including the names and email addresses of at least three referees), must reach the University before or on the closing date of the advertised post.

APPLY ONLINE AT BY USING THE APPLY NOW LINK AT THE TOP RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THE SPECIFIC VACANCY PAGE. The University reserves the right to investigate qualifications and conduct background checks on all candidates.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires people in occupations that entail potential exposure to certain hazards (such as, but not limited to : noise, hazardous chemical substances and hazardous biological agents) to be subjected to medical screening, to determine their fitness to work in the said occupations.

Should no feedback be received from the University within four to six weeks of the closing date, kindly accept that your application did not succeed. Enquiries regarding this post : Mr Keagan van Aarde on , or at

• Enquiries regarding remuneration / benefits, as well as technical assistance with the electronic application process : Human Resources Client Services Centre on (Stellenbosch) / (Tygerberg), or at