Merton College Boat Club – Rowing coach
Merton College Boat Club (MCBC) is looking for an experienced Coach to oversee the Men’s and/or Women’s squad and coach Men’s and/or Women’s 1st VIII(s) or 2nd VIIIs to continue the success of 2025.
About the role:
- Coaching 3 water sessions per week per side (M/W) at Godstow, from a launch.
- Michaelmas Term: morning sessions, all senior rowers
- Hilary Term: morning sessions, the 1st VIII for Torpids
- Trinity Term: morning and/or evening sessions, the 1st VIII for Summer Eights
- Exact timing and quantity of sessions is flexible and often stream/weather dependent. In the lead up to bumps racing, we hope to facilitate an additional weekly water session.
- Creating and managing a training program for both water and land training, as well as vacation training programmes.
- Crew Selection: Working with Captains to select rowers and coxes for the 1st/2nd VIII(s)
- Other coaching: Depending on availability:
- Coaching sessions on the Isis (from a bike)
- Land session coaching (ergs, tanks, circuits)
- Bank riding where available during Oxford-based races (IWLs, Torpids, Summer Eights) and external regattas (Bedford, HORR, Wallingford etc.)
- Culture + Attitude: Promoting a positive attitude towards training, individual and crew progression, racing, and overall club ethos
Required Criteria:
- Experience of rowing or coxing, and coaching (preferably from a launch), at a competitive level
- Knowledge or experience of coxing and the ability to provide some feedback and guidance to coxes
- Understanding of equipment and rigging, and the ability to advise MCBC on equipment purchases
- Enthusiasm for coaching, and for athlete and squad development
- Organisational skills and flexibility
- Ability to manage a range of fitness levels and technical abilities
- Available for the full academic year (October 2025 to Summer 2026), preferably including during the holiday periods, with the potential of staying on in the longer term
Desirable Criteria:
- Understanding of Oxford College Rowing, Bumps Racing, and the Isis river stretch
- British Rowing Coaching Qualification, RYA2 Powerboat Qualification, or similar
- Interest in coaching at an Easter Training Camp (possibly abroad)
- The ability to coach-cox when needed (X/S Oxford coxing license)
Pay will be competitive and negotiable based on experience and commitment. Applications may be submitted at any time and interviews will be held on a rolling basis, until the right candidate(s) are found. Please submit a CV and short cover letter to the club President ([email protected]), the Men’s Captain ([email protected]), and Women’s Captain ([email protected]). Please do get in touch should you have any questions. We really look forward to hearing from you!
Merton College Boat Club (MCBC) is looking for an experienced Coach to oversee the Men’s and/or Women’s squad and coach Men’s and/or Women’s 1st VIII(s) or 2nd VIIIs to continue the success of 2025: we have achieved an incredibly successful year, with 13 bumps in Summer Eights, our Men’s first eight bumping into division 1 and blades for our 2nd Women’s eight.
We look to hire one Club Head Coach, or individual Men’s and Women’s Head Coaches, depending on compatibility, experience, and availability.
Salary: Dependent on experience
Type: Part time - approximately 3-4 sessions a week, each of 90 minutes
Application Dates: From Wednesday 2nd July 2025 to Monday 15th September 2025
