Director of Hockey & Club Development

Old Merchant Taylors’ Hockey Club (OMTHC) seeks a visionary Director of Hockey & Club Development to lead the club’s strategic and operational growth. This role combines hockey leadership with broader club development, outreach, and long-term planning. OMTHC is based at Merchant Taylors’ School, Northwood, and serves 200+ members across Men’s, Women’s, and Junior sections. With ambitions to become the premier hockey hub in North-West London, we are expanding both our Juniors’ and our Women’s/Girls’ sections and launching an Outreach Programme.

Merchant Taylors is home to three astroturf pitches, a short corner practice area and a state-of-the-art clubhouse, making it a world class facility for any hockey club.

Three state of the art astroturf pitches, with warm-up / practice area

A viewing gallery in the Julian Hill Cricket Centre adjacent to the main pitch

A modern clubhouse with in-house catering

Job Title:                         Director of Hockey & Club Development

Responsible for:          Hockey Coaching, Talent Pathway, Club Growth, Community Engagement

Responsible to:            OMTHC Management Committee (HCMC)

Hours of Pay:                15hrs week/Season (35 weeks)

                                        9hrs a week/Off-season (17 weeks)

MAIN DUTIES:

-          To develop and deliver the OMTHC Hockey Development Programme on behalf of the OMT HC, the key objectives of which are to:

a.      Make OMT HC the most attractive club to play hockey at in North-West London

b.      Build a thriving Junior section, increasing to 250+ members in the next 2-3 years, with teams at all age groups across both boys and girls sections. 

c.      Develop close relationship with MTS, a vital source of members and support for the hockey club. The relationship with MTS is pivotal to the success of the hockey club, as such strong relations with the MTS Director of Hockey is key to this role.

d.      Foster new relationships with other local state and independent schools

e.      Expand the primary school outreach programme.

f.        Develop close relationships to the Parents of junior club members.

g.       Secure growth in numbers and teams for both Men’s and Ladies sections, with promotion for both Men’s Ladies and Men’s 1’s teams in the next two years

h.      Develop a professional coaching and training regime, which develops our players, in particular, integrating the sections of the club and providing a strong pathway for junior players into the Men’s and Ladies teams.

i.         Build a robust recruitment approach and pipeline for all sections.

In terms of roles this will include the following: 

1. Strategic Leadership

·       Deliver the 3-Year Development Programme to elevate OMTHC’s profile, performance, and participation.

·       Lead Long-Term Athlete Development (LTADP) and Talent Pathway initiatives, including applications for Talent Centre/Academy status.

·       Drive women’s/girls’ hockey growth, launching a Girls’ Junior section and supporting Back-to-Hockey programmes.

2. Hockey Operations

·       Implement and run a professional coaching/training regime with a unified "OMT Mantra" for all sections.

·       Ensure a strong development pathway for our junior players, through training and playing with adult teams, to help them grow and develop to maximise their potential. 

·       Oversee Coach/Umpire Development Programmes, including monthly meetings and mentoring.

3. Community & Outreach

·       Build partnerships with local schools, MTS parents, and universities to strengthen recruitment pipelines.

·       Lead the OMTHC Outreach Programme, including school clinics and beginner-friendly initiatives.

·       Collaborate with the Outreach Director to expand junior participation to 250+ members.

4. Club Development

·       Develop sponsorship opportunities, marketing strategies, and university links to support sustainable growth.

·       Plan off-season events (camps, masterclasses) to engage the community and raise the club’s profile.

·       Support the hosting of regional and national tournaments (e.g., National Finals) to showcase OMTHC/MTS facilities.

Qualifications & Skills

Essential:
Level 2 Hockey Coaching Qualification (or higher).
Level 1 EH Umpiring Qualification (or higher) 
Safeguarding, First Aid, Enhanced DBS.
Desirable: 
Proven experience in:
Growing participation (especially women’s and junior hockey).
Strategic planning for grassroots/performance pathways.
Elite hockey (international/national league) experience desirable.
Strong leadership, communication, and project management skills.
Excellent coaching and people skills
Full Uk Driving license.

Activities and Hours

The role of the Director of Hockey is expected to expand to a full-time position, upon implementation of the current programme and strategic plan. The following table is an illustrative breakdown of the weekly time and activities.

DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY – Dedicated Hours (Indicative)
Sept – April (In season)
May- Aug (Close Season)
Weekly Coaching

-          Junior Training – 2.5hrs

-          Adult Training – 2.5hrs
Weekly Coaching

-          Junior Training 2hrs

-          Summer Hockey 2hrs
Weekly Meetings

-          Coaching – 1hr

-          Selection – 0.5hrs

-          Committee 0.5hrs
Sunday Coaching

-          Junior Training 2hrs
Weekly Matchdays

-          Saturday – 3hrs

-          Sunday – 3hrs
Summer Camps and Events 

-          Day events (4-6 days per off season)
 

Aspirational Vision

This role is a unique opportunity to shape OMTHC’s future, with potential to expand into a full-time position as the club grows. We seek a dynamic leader to drive our ambition: making OMTHC a centre of excellence and the destination for hockey in North-West London.