Coach and Coaching Developer

Our standard Full Time Equivalent hours are 35 hours per week, unless otherwise specified in the job advert.

Swim England is the national governing body for swimming in England.

We help people learn how to swim, enjoy the water safely, and compete in all our sports.

Our vision is of a nation swimming and we strive to inspire everyone to enjoy the water in the way that suits them. We work with our partners to create engaging programmes that enable everyone to be active, have fun and stay healthy through swimming.

Your application is generated using the information you have provided in your Profile. Your CV and any additional supporting evidence will also be attached and made available to the hiring manager.

• Field Based with regular travel through the Midlands
• 35 Hours a Week (Mon-Fri)

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Coach and Coaching Developer to support the implementation of Swim England’s Flourishing in Coaching strategic plan.

This role will help shape the future of coaching across swimming, diving, artistic swimming, water polo and open‑water swimming. You will work directly with coaches and groups of coaches, while also helping to develop the wider coaching system and create sustainable learning environments within clubs and regions.

You will lead and contribute to strategic projects, design meaningful learning experiences and build strong relationships across the aquatic community. Your work will support coaches to pursue excellence in their practice while also flourishing as individuals.

This is an opportunity to contribute to genuine cultural and system‑level change. You will help Swim England move towards a more decentralised model of coach development, enabling clubs to play a greater role in supporting the continued learning and development of their coaches.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the implementation of Swim England’s Flourishing in Coaching strategic plan.
• Lead specific projects aligned with the coaching strategy, taking them from initial concept through to successful delivery and evaluation.
• Work with coaches, clubs, regions and aquatic disciplines to develop the coaching workforce and improve its quality, diversity, representation and growth.
• Design and facilitate meaningful learning experiences that support more effective, ethical and inclusive coaching.
• Support the creation, delivery and review of coach‑development programmes across different coaching environments and aquatic disciplines.
• Work directly with individual coaches and groups of coaches to support their professional learning and development.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, using these relationships to influence positive change.
• Collaborate with the Coaching Team and colleagues across Swim England to ensure activity supports wider strategic objectives.
• Use digital technology to create and develop engaging learning resources and content.
• Monitor and evaluate the impact of learning initiatives and projects, capturing evidence that demonstrates what is working, for whom, in which circumstances and why.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement and transformation of Swim England’s coaching support and development pathways.
• Promote Swim England’s values and help embed a flourishing coaching culture throughout the organisation and the aquatic community.

Skills and Experience

Essential

• Degree‑level education or equivalent knowledge and understanding of sport coaching.
• Significant personal experience of coaching within sport.
• Experience supporting the learning and development of individual coaches and groups of coaches.
• A contemporary understanding of coach learning and development.
• Demonstrable experience of successfully leading projects from planning through to delivery.
• Experience of using digital technology to create or develop e‑learning resources and content.
• Strong relationship‑building skills, with experience of creating and sustaining effective working relationships.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to adapt your approach for different audiences.
• The ability to engage, influence and constructively challenge a broad range of stakeholders.
• Knowledge of inclusive coaching practices and a genuine commitment to addressing inequalities within coaching.
• Experience of collecting, analysing and interpreting evidence to establish what is working and inform future activity.
• A curious and reflective approach, with the confidence to question established practices and explore different ways of working.
• Resilience, adaptability and the ability to work effectively within a changing and sometimes ambiguous environment.
• The ability and willingness to travel regularly throughout England.

Desirable

• Knowledge or experience of aquatic sports.
• Contemporary knowledge of adult learning and professional development.
• Experience of contributing to cultural, organisational or system‑level change.
• Experience of working within a national governing body, sporting organisation or similarly complex stakeholder environment.
• Knowledge of the wider coach‑development landscape, including informal and practice‑based approaches to developing coaches.

Early applications are encouraged as this vacancy may close once sufficient applications have been received.

Please be advised that we cannot offer visa sponsorship and that you must have right to work in the UK to apply or be considered for this role. If you are a non‑UK/EU National, you must have an appropriate working Visa to undertake employment. You must also be working within the UK to apply or be considered for this role, due to the public liability insurance Swim England holds.

Swim England is committed to inclusion and embraces the spirit of equality legislation. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role are guaranteed an interview. We are also piloting a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for applicants from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Candidates who opt in to the scheme and demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview. Applicants can indicate if they wish to opt in by answering the relevant question within the application form.

Where possible, Swim England will always make reasonable adjustments for accessibility to anyone who requires it.

If you would like any of the documentation in a different format or would like to apply in a different way please get in touch. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process, in line with the Equality Act 2010. However, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

Swim England is also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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