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Assistant Rowing Coaches – Christ Church College Boat Club, Oxford

Christ Church Boat Club is looking to recruit professional and enthusiastic Assistant Rowing Coaches. Working alongside our highly experienced Head Coach, you will deliver a high standard of coaching across all crews and abilities within the club. This is an exciting opportunity to engage and develop talent, help fashion the club culture, and play a key role in achieving success for our athletes and crews, across the Oxford collegiate rowing scene and beyond.

Christ Church, Oxford – Assistant Rowing Coaches

Location: Sandford Lock compound, Christ Church Boathouse on the Isis, and the pavilion at the Christ Church sports ground off Iffley Road. You may also be asked to work at external regattas and abroad on training camps.
Department: Stewards
Salary: £16 per hour plus 12.07% holiday pay per hour worked
Contract type: Casual, part-time
Hours: Flexible, as arranged with the Head Coach
Reporting to: The Head Coach

About the Boat Club

Christ Church Boat Club has a long and successful history, including 46 Headships. Our fleet consists of high quality racing shells, with senior crews training primarily from the Sandford Lock compound on the Radley stretch. The boathouse gym is fully equipped for endurance and strength training, and we also use the pavilion at the Christ Church Sports Ground for land based sessions.

The Club is led by an experienced Head Coach with a strong record of success at college, university, club and international levels. Our aim is to provide excellent rowing opportunities for all students — from complete beginners to athletes seeking
university level selection — and to produce competitive crews for inter collegiate racing throughout the year.
The Boat Club seeks to offer students the best rowing opportunities and experiences that we can, whether that be for novices coming into the sport or for those with significant prior rowing experience who are looking to gain selection for the university crews. Hand-in-hand with this, the Boat Club aims to produce a good number of competitive crews to enter and achieve success at the inter-collegiate regattas throughout the season.

Role Purpose

The Assistant Rowing Coach will support the delivery of high quality rowing and land based training for novice and senior crews, contribute to athlete development and crew selection, and help ensure the smooth running of the Boat Club.

Key Responsibilities

Coaching duties include, but are not limited to

  • Coaching on water rowing sessions and land based training as agreed with the Head Coach
  • Assisting in planning training appropriate to each squad’s level and goals
  • Contributing to crew selection discussions
  • Supporting the maintenance and organisation of boats, equipment and training spaces (not including repairs)
  • Helping to foster a positive, inclusive and ambitious club culture
  • Attending coaching meetings to plan and review training with the Head Coach
Person Specification
Essential
  • Self motivated, reliable and able to work independently
  • Meticulous, organised and detail oriented
  • Enthusiastic, positive and supportive in approach
  • Strong coaching ability, including identifying technical issues and helping athletes correct them constructively
  • Experience coaching sweep rowing, ideally in coxed boats
  • Ability to support gym based sessions, including familiarity with basic strength and conditioning movement patterns
  • Ability to adapt coaching style to different athletes (novices, recreational rowers, high performance athletes, and those transitioning from other sports)
  • Confidence using rowing related technology (e.g., GPS cox boxes, Speedcoaches, video analysis)
  • Proven ability to engage, motivate and support young people
  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills
  • Ability to work collaboratively within a coaching team, contributing ideas while being receptive to new approaches
  • Ability to work within OURCs rules, safeguarding requirements, Health & Safety guidelines and the overall coaching plan
Desirable
  • British Rowing Club Coach Level 2 qualification or equivalent
  • RYA Level 2 Powerboat Handling
  • CPR and First Aid certificate
  • Familiarity with Oxbridge college rowing is desirable
Working Pattern
  • Training takes place primarily during Oxford University term time
  • Sessions typically occur early mornings and evenings on weekdays, and either mornings or afternoons at weekends
  • Attendance during Torpids and Eights Weeks is expected
  • Occasional weekend travel to find rowable water may be required during winter
  • A pre summer training camp is held annually, sometimes abroad; attendance is desirable
  • We recognise that applicants may have other employment or academic commitments, and scheduling can be arranged flexibly where possible
Training venues include:
  • Sandford Lock compound (Radley stretch)
  • Christ Church Boathouse (Isis)
  • Winklevoss Boathouse gym
  • Christ Church Sports Ground pavilion (Iffley Road)

Some evening, weekend and occasional overnight commitments may be required during training camps or events.

For more information visit: https://www.chch.ox.ac.uk/vacancies/assistant-rowing-coach

How top Apply

To apply for this position please complete provide the documentation listed below, no later than the deadline of noon on 13 July 2026. Applications will be assessed as they are received so early application is advised.

Application documents should include:

  • A covering letter addressed to Human Resources stating your interest in the role, and explaining how you meet the criteria set out above using examples of your skills and experienced
  • A CV, including the names and contact details of two referees. References will only be taken up for the successful candidate.

Please note, applicants need to have the ongoing right to work in the UK without restrictions as visa sponsorship is not provided.

Applications should be sent to:

Human Resources, Meadows 1, Christ Church, St Aldate’s Oxford OX1 1 DP or may be emailed to [email protected]

Applications will be judged only against the criteria which are set out in the job description, and applicants should ensure that their applications explain how they meet each of the selection criteria for the post using examples of their skills and experience. This may include experience gained in employment, education, or during career breaks (such as time out to care for dependants).

Salary: £16 per hour

Type: Part Time

Application Dates: From Monday 29th June 2026 to Monday 13th July 2026