Closing date: 30th Nocember 2014

Spencer Cricket Club, based in Earlsfield, South West London, has one of the largest junior sections in the country with over 900 members, commencing at Under 7 and including a growing girls section that currently numbers 160. The club has also recently started a Disabled section. The club is volunteer run with approximately 60 UKCC Level 2 coaches among the parental body who coach and manage teams playing in the NEC and Mid Surrey Leagues. As a  Clubmark club these are supplemented by paid coaches for weekend and mid week training sessions as required.  

The club’s ethos is Cricketing Excellence in the Community and tries to ensure as many children get the opportunity to play cricket and maximize their potential while also fielding competitive teams.

The objectives of the Junior Section are:

1. To ensure every junior member has an enjoyable cricketing experience at Spencer 

2. To ensure every junior member is given the opportunity to develop their skills and to achieve their playing potential 

3. To have a team in each age group that challenges for league and cup honours 

4. To be a Centre of Excellence for junior development in the region including broadening access to the game to all parts of the community 

5. To provide the stepping stone to senior cricket at Spencer/county level 

6. To ensure Spencer junior members demonstrate the Spirit of Cricket 

The club has a significant number of District players in each age group up to U14 and typically 3-4 players in each CAG. However it has had limited success, given the membership, in producing players selected in Surrey’s Emerging Players or Academy squads.  Developing players with this ability is important if the club is to achieve its long term ambition of “winning the Surrey Premiership with a team of home grown players”.

Given the growth of the club it has been decided to appoint a full time Director of Coaching to further the aims of the junior section and help the club reach its full potential.

Objectives and Tasks 

The key objectives and tasks for the Director of Coaching are:

• Putting in place a system to produce a continual stream of Elite players within the age groups who will be able to develop into regular players in Spencer 1st XIs capable of winning the Premiership
• Ensuring best coaching practice throughout the club, whether from paid or volunteer coaches, maintaining standards, consistency and excellence so that all players achieve their potential
• Ensuring the required paid coaching resources are available for Saturdays, Sundays and mid week sessions where more than one coach, ie the Director of Coaching, is required. 
• Helping to maintain the voluntary ethos of the club
• Agreeing an annual coaching plan with each Age Group Manager (AGM)
• Developing a comprehensive range of Spencer courses (outside of age group training) and specialist sessions including holiday courses, winter nets and specialist programmes delivering modules within these personally
• Assisting Age Group Managers with pre-season training (February/March)
• Assessing players for potential, ensuring an independent view and spotting late developers
• Responsible for kit management within the allocated budget 

This is a full time role and the Director of Coaching will be dedicated to Spencer and need to be available on Saturdays and Sundays.  

Duties may include coaching in a local school.

Average hours will be 37.5 hours per week but it is expected that summer hours will be slightly higher and winter hours slightly less.

Qualifications and Experience

• Level 3 coach
• Experience of running a significant junior section or an academy
• Well organized with good administrative skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, able to communicate with children, parents and coaches. They need to be able to give constructive feedback while also being able to tell parents when children will not make the grade
• Managerial experience including managing coaches with the  ability to maintain a professional relationship with the other paid coaches

Salary

The role will pay £25,000 - £30,000 depending on the successful candidate’s experience.

Applications

Interested applicants should write to Steve Kersley (steve.kersley@gerberamusic.com) enclosing a CV.

The closing date for applications is 30 November 2014