Job Posting: Assistant Coach, Football- Recruiting

Job Summary

Reporting to the Head Coach, the Assistant Coach, Football – Recruiting assists in the development and execution of a comprehensive recruiting program to attract elite football student-athletes to the Queen’s varsity football program.

This position also reports to the Director, High Performance Sport Operations, and works closely with the Coordinator, Athlete Services – Recruitment, to ensure athletic and academic compliance; familiarity with University admission and enrolment standards, processes and procedures; knowledge of OUA and U SPORTS recruiting and eligibility regulations; awareness of academic standards, transcript evaluation and course selection and other information, protocols and requirements related to the student-athlete recruitment process.

The incumbent will collaborate with other members of the Athletics & Recreation department to ensure that the appropriate level of service and support is provided, support the day-to-day operation of the program, assist in creating a departmental culture that embraces and supports athletes, coaches and teams in the pursuit of excellence, and contribute to the formulation of programs and services that support general program development and the holistic needs of inter-university athletes.

Note: This position requires flexible work hours, including frequent evenings, weekends, and extensive travel, according to program needs. The location of the position may be flexible, however frequent and extended stays in Kingston will be required.

Job Description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under the direction of the Head Coach:
• Oversee the identification, evaluation, and ranking of approximately 300 prospective student athletes each year for the football program through the development of a comprehensive recruitment strategy.
• Implement and continually refine the player identification and evaluation system for use by all coaches/scouts and interface with the department’s high performance planning system.
• Serve as the first point of contact for recruitment; coordinate mailings and distribution of information regarding Queen’s University, relevant academic programs and services, application procedures and timelines and the varsity football program; respond to questions and inquiries from recruits and coaches. Monitor and stay in contact with identified Canadians who play high school and college football in the US.
• Establish annual targets and priorities of the recruiting class; maintain a five-year depth chart and roster of recruits and evaluating their progress (athletic and academic) and ranking.
• Identify prospective student-athletes in high school, community, provincial and/or national programs through on-site scouting (games, practices, camps and combines).
• Collect and maintain a database of contact, biographical and academic information on athletes (and their coaches) keeping up to date contact reports and tracking progress through the application and admission cycle. Management of recruitment database system information (e.g. Front Rush).
• Organize, coordinate and implement a cost-effective annual recruiting calendar in accordance with U SPORTS regulations:
o Within available resources, plan a cost-effective Canada-wide recruiting trips each year (including school and home visits, attending regional high school games, regional combines and provincial championship games).Schedule and conduct official and unofficial visits to the Queen’s campus
o Host and conduct campus visits (day and overnight); practice and/or game day visits, recruiting days, secure assistance where required (i.e. campus tours, visits with professors, game day promotion).
o Schedule and conduct away visits at Recruit’s school, home or club.
o Establish and implement a regular meeting schedule (weekly, monthly, quarterly) to update and review with the Head Coach and assistant coaches prospect management and progression through the evaluation pipeline.
o Coordinate the efforts of other members of the coaching staff, including scheduled visits (home and away), attendance at combines and/or tournaments, phone contacts and personal contacts with recruits (and their coaches); schedule meetings for the Head Coach and provide detailed reports for prospect interaction.
o Coordinate “signing days” with the relevant department personnel.
• Develop expertise in recruitment rules and requirements (OUA, U SPORTS); ensure recruiting efforts are in compliance with OUA and U SPORTS regulations. Complete and submit documentation with regard to prospect visits and records required for U SPORTS Central portal.
• Work closely with the Coordinator, Athlete Services – Recruitment, on admission standards, timelines, processes and procedures; review annually the academic standards, obtain prospect transcript and submit for evaluation and provide recommendation on course selection and admissibility for prospective student athletes identified on the official rank list.
• Provide recruits with accurate information and prepare information for submission to Admission Services. Liaise with other department members to obtain information, protocols and requirements related to the student-athlete recruitment process.
• In collaboration with the Marketing, Communication and Events team, coordinate the design and production of all football recruitment branded communication and marketing material and activate a strong targeted print, web, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) campaign for recruits and their families.
•Develop a national network of scouts/coaches to evaluate/refer prospective student-athletes:
o Build effective relationships and build/maintain a database with key high school/community/club coaches and alumni for player identification and evaluation; maintain routine contact (calls and visits) and work to continually enhance the network.
o Oversee the activities of recruiters, conduct annual training on required football, University and OUA/U SPORTS requirements, schedule calls/meetings to review identified players and talent progression in the depth chart.
• Foster relationship with the local Kingston (and Regional) area high school football programs and the Grenadiers Football Club to identify elite recruits and enhance the affinity for the Queen’s football program.
• Develop and implement recruiting innovations for Football by evaluating best practices in college recruiting and related arenas of branding and communication; exploring ways in which Information Technology can be used to enhance recruitment efforts as well as make it more efficient and cost/time effective.
• In collaboration with the Head Coach, oversee the football recruitment budget and personnel (scouts), coordinate the completion of required paperwork and expense reports.
• Produce and submit a year-end report on recruiting activities to the Head Coach, Director, High Performance Sport and Executive Director, Athletics & Recreation; provide interim reports as reasonably requested; evaluate annual performance against targets and priorities.
• The priority of this position is recruiting, however where feasible, and when not in conflict with recruiting timelines and activities; attend team practices, promote and attend the annual youth football camp hosted by Queen’s and assist the Head Coach as directed.
• Maintain a high profile, representing the team, department and university to a broad constituency acting as an ambassador to enhance the visibility and image of the university and program; MUST perform all duties with the highest of standard of professionalism and ethical behaviour and in accordance with team, department, University and OUA/U SPORTS regulations, policies and procedures.
• Attend football activities that enhance recruiting objectives (i.e. meetings, events, camps, clinics, and media) and department activities as required.
• Subscribe to and monitor recruiting websites and services (e.g. Canadian Football Chat), as well as subscribe to online major city newspapers to monitor high school football results across Canada.
• Interact with and support other varsity team programs, participate in department initiatives, attend department events/activities.
• Serve on departmental or campus committees working groups and/or task forces as may be requested.
• Respect diversity, promote equity and inclusion in the workplace.
• Other duties as assigned by the Head Coach and/or Executive Director, Athletics & Recreation or designate.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Minimum 3-year post-secondary education, preferably in Physical Education, Kinesiology, Business, Sport Administration or Sport Management. University degree preferred.
• Fully certified at Level 2 NCCP (or equivalent), and actively pursuing Level 3 and 4.
• Experience coaching and/or recruiting elite and/or post-secondary student-athletes is required.
• Demonstrated leadership, program development and athlete development skills at a high performance level.
• Previous work experience working in sport administration, preferably within a university context is an asset.
• Satisfactory Criminal Records Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening required.
• Province of Ontario Class G drivers’ license or equivalent required.
• Consideration may be given for the equivalent combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL SKILLS:
• Ability to teach/coach/prepare for practice and games at a national level.
• Excellent communication skills, oral, written and presentation. Ability to interact professionally and effectively with people at all levels.
• Strong interpersonal skills, creative-thinking and the ability to work in a team environment.
• Must be service-oriented and be capable of dealing with a wide variety of constituents.
• A high degree of independence, allowing for initiatives to develop flexibly, quickly and appropriately.
• Proven ability to elicit and foster trust, develop positive working relationships and work effectively with other coaches and athletes.
• Ability to facilitate groups of people to work towards, and succeed with, shared goals.
• Ability to exercise discretion, good judgement, and solid decision-making.
• Organizational skills and time management abilities are essential. The incumbent must be result oriented, assuming responsibility for the development, implementation and completion of projects/initiatives.
• Knowledge of the university environment, rules, regulations, process and administration is desirable.
• Proficiency in computer software applications, including all Microsoft programs.

DECISION MAKING:
• Ability to teach/coach/prepare for practice and games at a national level.
• Excellent communication skills, oral, written and presentation. Ability to interact professionally and effectively with people at all levels.
• Strong interpersonal skills, creative-thinking and the ability to work in a team environment.
• Must be service-oriented and be capable of dealing with a wide variety of constituents.
• A high degree of independence, allowing for initiatives to develop flexibly, quickly and appropriately.
• A proven ability to elicit and foster trust, develop positive working relationships and work effectively with other coaches and athletes.
• Ability to facilitate groups of people to work towards, and succeed with, shared goals.
• Ability to exercise discretion, good judgement, and solid decision-making.
• Organizational skills and time management abilities are essential. The incumbent must be result oriented, assuming responsibility for the development, implementation and completion of projects/initiatives.

Closing Statement

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen’s is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

The University provides support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. Candidates requiring accommodation during the recruitment process are asked to contact Human Resources at [email protected].