Gaelic Games Development Manager

Kilkenny GAA Na Cait Ga and Performance Lead Role

This role is responsible for operating within the county and national approach aligned to both the Gaelic Games Player and Coach Pathways.

The successful candidate will lead the delivery of the Kilkenny GAA Strategy to improve the quality, coherence, and consistency of player and coach development in the county.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Management: With the County Head of Games and County Coaching and Games Committee, lead, manage, and monitor the delivery of the county's player development strategy to improve the quality, coherence, and consistency for player and coach development and sports science supports to enhance player welfare.
• Support the County Head of Games and the County Coaching and Games Committee in determining the allocation of resources and investment in relation to county participation and retention activities.
• Develop an annual plan to support the implementation of the county talent and elite player pathways in line with Association policies.
• Contribute as required to the development of the County coaching and games strategy and associated policies related to player and coach pathways.

People Management:

Lead the identification, recruitment, training of a team of people i.e. coaches, coach developers, and sports science support team with the skills and experience necessary to ensure that the goals of the county talent development strategy are achieved.

Oversee and work with relevant key stakeholders in the provision and monitoring of performance support for elite talent and high-performance teams in the county as per national guidelines.

Coordinate, supervise, and manage where necessary other county personnel as required to include the formulation of weekly/monthly work programmes with the County Head of Games.

Liaise regularly with team coaches and mentors at talent academy level to ensure they receive the required support and guidance.

Lead and support a team of Coach Developers in the County as required to deliver coach development.

Leadership and Governance:

Advise and assist the County Head of Games, the County Coaching and Games Committee, and County Officers with the development and implementation of a multi-annual games development plan.

Implement, ensure adherence, and contribute to the continued development of existing and future national policies, standards, and practices to include; the Gaelic Games Player Pathway, the Sports Science Framework for Gaelic Games.

Evaluate the outcomes, effectiveness, and efficiency of the Talent and Performance strands of County Games Development Plan through the use of the Activity Management System, Learning Management System, Player Monitoring System, and qualitative reviews, and propose change as necessary.

Financial Management:

With the County Head of Games, Chair of Coaching and Games Committee, and County Treasurer support the preparation and management of the annual financial budget for the talent development pathway.

Contribute to the allocation of resources in line with national funding framework.

Player Development:

Oversee the healthy and holistic player development by supporting parents/guardians, coaches, and players to consistently and appropriately apply best practice coaching principles in an integrated manner consistent with the values of Gaelic games to help players transition through the pathway.

Monitor players' game and training load and player injury data.

Support County Officers and other personnel in developing, communicating, and ensuring the effective implementation of an appropriate talent identification and development programme.

Lead county (club, school) in the management, coordination, and implementation of profiling of their players, including (but not limited to) technical and athletic qualities ensuring long-term development is consistently advocated and players of potential are provided with opportunities to participate.

Maintain a player monitoring system to ensure that players have appropriate development and participation opportunities to support a lifetime participation in Gaelic Games.

Coaching and Coach Development:

Recruit and support a team of Coaches and Coach Developers to execute the delivery of the coach pathway within the county for the Talent and Elite Pathways and support their transition through the pathway.

Support, assist, and advise on the education and mentoring of the Club Coaching Officers as they lead the support of coaches in their clubs.

Lead the provision of appropriate Coach Development and CPD programmes for the Talent and Performance stages of the player pathway in addition to providing club coaches with sports science learning opportunities to club coaches.

Stakeholder Management:

Work closely with the County Coaching and Games Committee; be a member of that Committee and provide regular reports and inputs to such meetings as necessary.

Work effectively with all key stakeholders (National GAA, Province, County, Clubs, Schools, Third Level, etc).

Develop, build, and maintain effective partnerships with key local internal and external stakeholders, partners.

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