Strength and Conditioning Coach: High Performance Sport at Stellenbosch University

Duties/Pligte        
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. 

• This position will lead the rugby union high performance programme and will be primarily responsible for the athletic performance development of the senior men, junior men, the sevens men's rugby programmes and all related competitions and leagues (Varsity Cup, Varsity Sport, USSA, and WP League).

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.

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 pre-habilitation 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.
• Empowerment:
• Knowledge and understanding of the HP Sport Codes' "big picture" - provincial, national, federations, etc;
• Performance management of the strength and conditioning programmes 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.

Sport Technology:

• Contributing to the academic footprint of Maties Sport by supporting research projects within the HP Unit IMAS programme and the Institute of Sport and Exercise Medicine (ISEM);
• Maintaining all sport technology equipment to be in working order and reporting any technological faults/issues to the Head of High Performance: Maties Sport;
• Using technology to inform decisions about physical training programmes as well as the management of player load and fatigue.

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 regard 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 usage by all Maties Sport HP teams and individual student-athletes.

Job Requirements/Pos Vereistes        

• A minimum of a recognised postgraduate degree in Sport Science/Biokinetics with specialisation in strength and conditioning;
• The ability to work effectively and collaboratively as part of an Integrated Medicine and Science support team;
• At least five year's experience of strength and conditioning in a high-performance rugby union environment;
• Technical proficiency and practical working experience gathering data and translating the results generated by technology to high- performance teams and athletes;
• The ability to accurately measure and monitor essential physical components with student-athletes;
• Providing accurate and informative written and verbal reports to coaches, managers and the HP Unit;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• Effective leadership in the management of people;
• Excellent computer skills with regard to MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, OneDrive and Outlook;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively;
• The ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, as well as independently;
• The ability to take initiative, be innovative, be resilient and to function effectively under pressure;
• The ability to manage, implement, provide oversight, and deliver on the  talent development pathway programmes;
• The ability to prioritise effectively;
• Coachable with a growth mindset and a curious critical thinker;
• Accuracy in performing administrative tasks;
• Excellent time management skills and being adaptive to an agile environment;
• The ability to respect and maintain confidentiality;
• Willingness and availability to work after hours, including evenings, weekends and public holidays;
• The ability and willingness to travel domestically with the team/s as required;
• A valid driver's licence and own transport.

Recommendation/Aanbeveling        

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