Head Coach, Women's Volleyball

About Queen's University

Queen’s University is the Canadian research intensive university with a transformative student learning experience. Here the employment experience is as diverse as it is interesting. We have opportunities in multiple areas of globally recognized research, faculty administration, engineering & construction, athletics & recreation, power generation, corporate shared services, and many more.

We are committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcome applications from individuals from equity seeking groups such as women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, persons who identify in the LGBTQ+ community and others who reflect the diversity of Canadian society.

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Job Summary

The Queen’s University Women’s Volleyball program is seeking a dynamic Head Coach with a student-athlete focused approach to lead this high-performance sport team

Established in the 1950s, Queen's Women's Volleyball has developed into one of the top programs in the OUA. The Gaels are a consistent contender in the OUA, having won the OUA Quigley Cup Championship in 2011-12, and captured the OUA silver medal in 2022-23. The program has also cultivated individual success, with 11 major awards and numerous All-Star nods at the conference level, and four U SPORTS All-Canadians, three student-athletes went on to sign professional contracts after their time at Queen's. Queen's Women's Volleyball has also produced over 130 Academic All-Canadians since 1992, showcasing the programs' commitment to developing both scholastic and athletic leaders.

Consider joining Queen’s as the next Head Coach that can propel this program toward higher future goals

The Head Coach is responsible for the overall direction, planning, budgeting, coordination, implementation and evaluation of the Women’s Volleyball program. This includes multi-year recruitment planning, design of training strategies that lead to success in competition and supervision and assessment of specialty assistant coaching requirements. The position requires extensive collaboration with all other members of the Athletics & Recreation (A&R) department to ensure the appropriate level of service and support is provided to the inter-university team. Participating as a member of the High-Performance Sport unit, the incumbent contributes to creating a departmental culture that engages and supports student-athletes, coaches, and teams in the pursuit of excellence.

In addition to sport specific coaching duties, the incumbent will assume leadership and/or supporting roles in the development and implementation of education, training, special projects and/or administrative functions. The Head Coach will support evolving sport trends, programs, and services within high performance sport that will enhance the holistic needs of student-athletes and the overall high-performance environment. Community interaction and revenue generation are key strategic priorities for the department of Athletics & Recreation. Further, the Head Coach fosters community engagement and cultivates relationships with alumni and Queen’s Women’s Volleyball supporters.

This schedule for this position requires the Head Coach to regularly work evenings and weekends, according to the program needs.

Have a question? Want to read the formal position description? Reach out to us at ARCHR@queensu.ca

Job Description

What you will do:

•Promote a culture of inclusion that embodies A&R values, with a commitment to the university’s equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion initiatives designed to foster an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming work environment for individuals with diverse backgrounds and identities.
•Perform all coaching duties consistent with the operation of a successful Varsity Volleyball program, including recruitment, team selection, personnel management, team performance planning, creating individual skill acquisition and performance plans, tactical and technical preparation, practice planning and preparation, competition preparation, management and evaluation, scouting, scheduling, budgeting, athlete performance target, evaluation framework and feedback mechanism, program evaluation, equipment and uniform purchase coordination, maintenance of regular contact with athletes, etc.
•In collaboration with the Director, High Performance Sport Programs, design and implement a comprehensive high-performance plan that is conducive to positioning Queen’s at a competitive level to achieve provincial and national prominence.
•Stay current with knowledge, trends and practices that are necessary to build and maintain a competitive program.
•In collaboration with the members of the high-performance unit, support and assist in implementing programs and services that support student athletes, including maintaining accurate athlete records and databases, recruiting processes and protocol, admission cycle protocols, awards, bursary and scholarship protocols, academic support, eligibility, doping controls and other OUA/U SPORTS competition requirements.
•Work in conjunction with other members of the A&R units to support athlete performance in each of their respective areas, such as injury prevention, management and rehabilitation, development of individual strength and conditioning programs, academic support programs, etc.
•Work with other A&R Units including, Recreation & Active Living, Finance & Administration, Facilities, Advancement and Marketing Communications & Events to generate revenue in support of specific of program operating costs. (eg. camps, performance academies, clinics, etc.)
•The Coach is an integral member of the A&R team and as such is expected to support the priorities and initiatives of the department, participate in department activities, attend events, and contribute to the work of the department.
•The Coach will enhance the profile and reputation of the Women’s Volleyball program as a premier program in Canada.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

•Minimum 3-year post-secondary education completion. University degree preferred.
•Previous volleyball coaching experience (5+ years) working in a provincial and/or national sport high performance environment. Three years in a Head Coaching role preferred.
•Comprehensive knowledge of sport coaching systems and strategies, the ability to teach/coach/prepare for practice and competitions at an elite level in volleyball.
•Experience developing (ages 18-25) high-performance athletes toward provincial, national, and international standards.
•Fully certified as a Performance Coach (i.e. Level 3 equivalent) NCCP, and actively pursuing Advanced Performance Coach or High-Performance Coach (i.e. Level 4/5) status, preferred.
•Evidence of completion of prior education on Safe Sport through the Coaching Association of Canada as well as Concussion Awareness training and injury management.
•Consideration will be given to an equivalent combination of education and experience.
•Demonstrated leadership, program development and athlete development skills at a high-performance level.
•The successful candidate must be (or become upon hiring) a Chartered Professional Coach (ChPCs) or Registered Coach with the Coaching Association of Canada, preferred.
•Satisfactory Criminal Records Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening required.
•Valid Province of Ontario Class G driver’s license required.

SPECIAL SKILLS:
•Strong customer service orientation with a demonstrated passion for the university and its people.
•Must have full technical knowledge, a demonstrated ability to analyze, and be current in all of the rules and regulation that govern the sport they are coaching.
•Demonstrated skills/abilities in planning and organizing, taking initiative, problem solving and exercising good judgment. Ability to maintain tact and composure in a highly competitive environment.
•Demonstrated strong leadership and team building skills. Must be able to deal with crisis management related issues and manage public relations interactions with media, alumni, and University officials. Teamwork and team building are essential to this role and the ability to collaborate within a collegial environment is paramount.
•Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills; instructional, coaching, and motivating skills; influencing and team building skills. Including the ability to think creatively and work in a team-based environment.

DECISION MAKING:
•Athlete identification, recruitment, awards, selection, playing time.
•Development of team tactics, strategies, practices, and competition schedules.
•Setting and monitoring team goals, expectations, conduct, and discipline.
•Selection and directing coaching and team support staff.
•Must become knowledgeable in the OUA and U SPORTS rules that govern the sport programs around recruiting, athletic scholarship, eligibility compliance rules.
•Public and media relations with respect to information/ accessibility to the program.
•Prepare budgets making decisions on what equipment, supplies and services are needed for the program.

Employment Equity and Accessibility 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.