Head of Junior Development - Aquatics

UWCSEA Dover is seeking a Head of Junior Development - Aquatics to join our Activities and Sports team from October, with flexibility for the right candidate.

The Head of Junior Development – Aquatics is a key leadership position within the Sports Department, responsible for the day-to-day delivery of a dynamic and inclusive junior aquatics programme. This role sits at the heart of the school’s swimming pathway, bridging early aquatic experiences with the foundations of lifelong participation and future performance.

The successful candidate will lead the design, implementation and continuous development of a comprehensive program that caters to a wide range of abilities, from water confidence and skill acquisition through to the early stages of competitive readiness. A central focus of the role is to create a positive, engaging and developmentally appropriate environment where all students can thrive.

In addition to programme leadership, the role is responsible for coordinating swimming within the Physical Education curriculum, in collaboration with PE leads, to ensure alignment between curricular and co-curricular provision.

This is a highly collaborative role, requiring close partnership with colleagues across aquatics, physical education and the wider activities programme. The postholder will be expected to contribute actively to both participation and competitive swimming, maintaining a visible coaching presence while working closely with the Head of Aquatics to impact the general pathway through school Aquatics.

Ultimately, this role is about building a strong, sustainable foundation for aquatics within the school, one that inspires confidence in the water, fosters a love of swimming and supports every student’s individual journey.

Main Responsibilities

The role requires strong leadership of the:

• Lead the design and delivery of an inclusive and progressive Junior Development aquatics programme
• Work with PE leads to plan and coordinate Aquatics within the Physical Education curriculum
• Manage programme logistics, including scheduling, communications, and working with the HOA on budgets for the Aquatics program.
• Establish and maintain efficient systems for programme administration and parent communication
• Monitor and evaluate programme effectiveness, ensuring high standards of delivery and engagement
• Work with the HOA to implement a Learn to Swim framework across the infant/junior programs
• Responsible for Lifeguards. Support Head of Aquatics in managing the team, schedules, training and general day-to-day cleaning responsibilities of the Lifeguards
• UWC Aquatics Service Lead, liaising with the UWC Service Department to provide Service opportunities for our wider community.
• Lead and implement all Safeguarding practices for coaches within the infant & primary school squads
• Assist with any other duties, tasks or jobs with similar levels of responsibility and complexity to the assigned job grade as may be reasonably requested by the line manager and/or the College

Person Specifications

• At least five years of large aquatic program experience
• Minimum of 5 years as a swim coach/teacher
• Desirable experience as the lead of a Learn to Swim program
• Lifeguard instructor (desirable)
• AustSwim Instructor or similar (desirable)
• Up-to-date child safeguarding qualifications
• Confident in the use of Microsoft and Google Suites, and Swim Timing Systems
• Knowledge of swim systems like Sports Engine & Meet Manager is desirable
• Excellent written and spoken English proficiency
• Excellent communication skills
• An appropriate approach to age-group training (LTAD) focusing on the College Skill & qualities, technical competence, motivation, enjoyment, team-building and long-term success
• Strong organisational skills, including a working knowledge of sports tournament and programme organisation at a high performance level
• A commitment to a holistic education and to the mission of the school
• An ability to develop relationships based on mutual respect

Application

The UWC Mission is to make education a force to unite people, nations and culture for peace and a sustainable future. We are committed to creating a community in which all members feel safe and secure, and know that their authentic selves and individual differences are accepted with respect and care. At UWCSEA, we acknowledge that diversity, equity, inclusion and justice (DEIJ) is an ongoing and evolving process and strive to create and sustain a sense of belonging for all members of our community, past, present and future. All qualified applicants, including those who identify as a part of marginalized group(s) and individuals with (dis)abilities are all encouraged to apply. Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the students in our care and expects all applicants to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices and all appointments are subject to interview, satisfactory references, identity and criminal record checks.