Holcombe HC: Professional Field Hockey Player

Professional Field Hockey Player and Club Helper

Employer: Holcombe Hockey Club

Location: Holcombe Hockey Club, Holcombe Park, Curtis Way, Rochester, Kent, ME1 2TQ

Reports to: Director of Hockey, relevant Head Coach, Team Manager and Hockey Club Committee

Contract: Fixed-term seasonal role

Contract period: 2026/27 season, with dates to be confirmed in the final contract

Working hours: Expected minimum of 7 hours per week during the playing season, with any additional approved hours to be recorded and paid

Role type: Senior performance playing role, with limited permitted Club helper activity where compliant with England Hockey, Home Office and safeguarding requirements

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Holcombe Hockey Club is seeking applications from suitably qualified field hockey players to join its senior performance programme for the 2026/27 season.

The successful candidate will represent Holcombe Hockey Club as a senior field hockey player in England Hockey competition and contribute positively to the Club’s senior performance environment. The role is intended to support the Club’s playing strength, squad depth and competitiveness at senior first-team level.

Where permitted by England Hockey, Home Office requirements and safeguarding rules, the successful candidate may also assist the Club as a supervised “helper” in connection with junior, community or Club activity. The role is not a standalone coaching role, and the successful candidate will not independently plan, lead or deliver coaching sessions unless this is expressly permitted by England Hockey and all applicable requirements have been satisfied.

Main responsibilities

Playing responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to:

1. Represent Holcombe Hockey Club in league, cup, friendly and other approved fixtures when selected.
2. Attend and participate in scheduled senior training sessions.
3. Attend reasonable match preparation, tactical meetings, video review and performance review sessions.
4. Maintain appropriate standards of fitness, preparation, conduct and availability.
5. Follow the reasonable instructions of the Director of Hockey, Head Coach, Team Manager and Club officials.
6. Contribute positively to the senior performance environment and wider Club culture.
7. Support teammates through professional conduct, communication and commitment.
8. Comply with England Hockey regulations, Club policies and the Club’s code of conduct.
9. Notify the Club promptly of any injury, illness, unavailability, eligibility issue or change in right-to-work status.

Club helper / support activity

Where permitted, the successful candidate may be asked to assist the Club as a supervised “helper” in connection with junior, community or wider Club activity. This may include:

• Assisting qualified coaches or Club officials during Club sessions or events.
• Supporting safe and enjoyable hockey activity under the direction of a qualified coach or nominated Club representative.
• Demonstrating hockey skills as part of coach-led activity.
• Helping with equipment, attendance records, session organisation or matchday support.
• Promoting professionalism, inclusion, respect and good sporting conduct.

For the avoidance of doubt, the successful candidate will not independently plan, lead or deliver coaching sessions unless England Hockey confirms that this is permitted and all relevant requirements have been met.

Before undertaking any helper activity involving children or young people, the successful candidate must satisfy the Club that the applicable England Hockey / Hockey Wales and safeguarding requirements have been met. These may include, where applicable:

• Attendance at an appropriate EH/HW coaching workshop, such as
• Coaching Junior Hockey, Introduction to Hockey Coaching or
• Coaching Club Teams.
• Completion of the EH/HW Planning Safe Hockey e-learning module.
• Completion of the EH/HW Safeguarding Awareness module.
• Appropriate insurance cover.
• An enhanced DBS check.

The EH GBE Criteria for 2026 Updated 28.05.26 for UKVI preliminary view states that a player may not coach hockey with this visa, but may assist at their club as a “helper” in line with the Home Office supplementary employment regulations, subject to the listed England Hockey and safeguarding requirements being satisfied and evidenced before such work.

General responsibilities

The successful candidate will also be expected to:

• Represent Holcombe Hockey Club professionally.
• Attend required meetings and Club activities connected with the role.
• Take reasonable care of Club facilities, equipment and kit.
• Follow Club policies, including those relating to safeguarding, equality, health and safety, data protection, conduct and discipline.
• Record working hours accurately.
• Report any change to immigration status, right-to-work status, playing eligibility or availability.
• Cooperate with reasonable administrative requirements connected with registration, right-to-work checks, England Hockey eligibility and any applicable sponsorship requirements.

Working pattern

The expected standard working pattern during the playing season will be approximately 7 hours per week, normally comprising:

• Tuesday senior training: 2 hours
• Thursday senior training: 2 hours
• Matchday involvement: 3 hours on Saturday or Sunday, depending on fixture scheduling 

Matchday involvement may include reasonable pre-match preparation, match participation where selected, half-time and immediate post-match team requirements.

The exact timing of training, matches and other Club commitments may vary depending on fixture schedules, venue availability, selection, weather, travel and reasonable operational requirements.

All required working time must be recorded and paid. Any additional hours must be approved by the Club in advance.

Remuneration

The successful candidate will be paid at least £12.71 per hour for all working hours, subject to statutory deductions. The April 2026 National Living Wage rate for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 per hour.

Pay will be processed through payroll and will be subject to tax, National Insurance and any other lawful deductions.

The hourly rate will be reviewed if the applicable statutory minimum wage changes during the contract period. The Club will ensure that pay arrangements comply with applicable UK employment, tax, immigration, National Minimum Wage / National Living Wage and England Hockey requirements.

Accommodation and benefits

The Club may provide accommodation and/or other benefits as part of the overall package, depending on the final contractual arrangements agreed with the successful candidate.

Any accommodation or other benefit will be documented separately and administered in accordance with applicable employment, tax, immigration, minimum wage and England Hockey requirements.

Benefits may include, where agreed in writing:

1. accommodation support;
2. travel support;
3. kit;
4. insurance;
5. medical or physiotherapy support;
6. visa or registration assistance; and/or
7. other agreed support connected with the role.

Any cash payment or benefit in kind will be documented and disclosed to England Hockey where required.

England Hockey and immigration disclosure

Where an England Hockey endorsement or Home Office sponsorship is required, the Club will disclose the complete package offered to the player, including:

1. salary;
2. working hours;
3. accommodation and any employee contribution;
4. travel support;
5. meals or food support, if any;
6. flights, if any;
7. match fees, bonuses or allowances, if any;
8. kit, insurance, medical support and visa costs, if any; and
9. any other cash payment or benefit in kind.

The Club will retain supporting contracts, agreements, payroll records, invoices and other relevant documents where required.

Person specification

Essential criteria

Applicants must be able to demonstrate:

• Competitive senior-level hockey experience.
• The technical, tactical, physical and professional capability to contribute to a senior first-team environment.
• Availability for evening training and weekend fixtures.
• Ability to comply with England Hockey competition requirements and any applicable player registration rules.
• Commitment to professional conduct, team standards and Club values.
• Ability to communicate effectively with coaches, teammates, support staff and Club representatives.
• Commitment to safeguarding, welfare and inclusive participation.
  Willingness to comply with Club policies, England Hockey rules and reasonable administrative requirements.
• The legal right to work in the UK or eligibility to obtain any required visa, endorsement and Certificate of Sponsorship before commencing the role.

Desirable criteria

The following are desirable but not essential unless required by England Hockey or Home Office rules in a particular case:

• Senior international, national, regional, state, provincial, university, professional, semi-professional or equivalent high-performance playing experience.
• Experience playing in a national premier league, elite domestic league or comparable senior performance environment.
• Experience supporting junior, community or Club activities in a supervised helper capacity.
• Safeguarding, first-aid or relevant hockey-related training.
• Ability to contribute positively to a senior performance culture.

Conditions of appointment

Any offer will be conditional upon, where applicable:

• Proof of right to work in the UK.
• England Hockey playing eligibility.
• Any required England Hockey endorsement.
• Any required visa and Certificate of Sponsorship.
• A satisfactory enhanced DBS check where required.
• Completion of required safeguarding, training, registration and insurance requirements.
• Any required No Objection Certificate.
• Acceptance of the Club’s contract, policies and any separate accommodation or benefit agreement.
• Confirmation that any proposed Club helper activity is permitted under England Hockey and Home Office requirements.

Where sponsorship is required, the Club will not confirm appointment unless the candidate satisfies the applicable England Hockey and Home Office requirements.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Holcombe Hockey Club is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. Applications are welcomed from suitably qualified candidates from all backgrounds.

Recruitment decisions will be made by reference to the requirements of the role, the candidate’s suitability and ability to perform the role, eligibility, availability and compliance with applicable England Hockey and Home Office requirements.

Reasonable adjustments will be considered for candidates who require them during the recruitment process.