Job Description: Senior Men’s – Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach / Player-Coach
Role: Senior Men’s – Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach / Player-Coach
Overall Purpose
Sevenoaks Rugby Club is seeking a Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach / Player-Coach to lead the physical preparation and performance development of the Senior Men’s Programme.
The successful applicant will join during the summer of 2026 and work as part of the club’s wider coaching, medical and performance team.
The Senior Men’s programme operates as one unified squad of 80+ players, with over 50+ players regularly attending training each week, competing across three senior sides:
1st XV: National League 2 East
2nd XV: Counties 1
3rd XV: Counties 4
The Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach will be responsible for planning, delivering and monitoring the physical development of the squad, ensuring players are physically prepared to meet the demands of competitive senior rugby.
The club is particularly interested in candidates who are currently playing adult rugby and would be open to combining this role with playing within the Senior Men’s squad as a player-coach. Player-coach applications are strongly encouraged.
The successful applicant must be available for pre-season, in-season training and match days between July and April.
Training Schedule
The Senior Men’s squad currently trains on pitch twice per week on pitch (Monday & Wednesday evenings). This may move to Tuesday & Thursday evenings, subject to pitch availability.
Reporting & Accountability
The Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach / Player-Coach will report directly to Adam Bowman, Director of Rugby & Head Coach.
The role will:
• Design and implement off-season, pre-season and in-season Strength & Conditioning programmes for the Senior Men’s squad.
• Manage and monitor player physical development and training load, ensuring appropriate progression and injury risk management.
• Lead group-based gym sessions for the Senior Performance Squad within the club gym environment.
• Deliver on-field conditioning sessions during pre-season and in-season training blocks in collaboration with the coaching team.
• Support the coaching team with player load management across the season.
• Work closely with the medical team on return-to-play and rehabilitation programmes.
• Maintain and manage Strength & Conditioning databases and monitoring systems, ensuring high levels of player engagement and compliance.
• Provide guidance on player nutrition, recovery and physical preparation.
• Contribute to the wider performance environment, supporting player development and professional standards across the squad.
• Uphold and promote the standards, values and behaviours expected within the Sevenoaks RFC environment.
Essential Skills, Experience & Qualifications
To succeed in this role, the candidate must possess:
Professional Qualifications
• BSc in Strength & Conditioning, Sports Science, Sports Coaching Science or other relevant discipline (or currently studying towards one)
• Recognised Personal Training qualification (or currently working towards)
Practical Experience
• Experience working, volunteering or playing within a sporting performance environment
Technical Skills
• Strong understanding of physical preparation for contact team sports
• Ability to design and deliver structured Strength & Conditioning programmes
• Competent IT literacy including Excel, Google Drive and training programme platforms
Personal Qualities
• Excellent planning and organisational skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to motivate and engage athletes in a demanding training environment
Player-Coach Profile (Preferred)
• Current adult rugby player interested in combining the role with playing within the Senior Men’s squad
• Experience playing at Level 4 or above is highly desirable
• Ability to contribute to the Senior Men’s squad on match days
Commercial Opportunity
Sevenoaks Rugby Club has an on-site club gym and performance space, which the successful candidate may have the opportunity to utilise as a base for their own Strength & Conditioning or Personal Training business.
This provides an opportunity for the Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach to:
• Operate and grow their own S&C or Personal Training business from the club gym
• Work with club members, players and the wider local community
• Deliver individual or small group training sessions outside of squad training times
Sevenoaks RFC has a large and engaged membership base, providing strong potential for personal training, athletic development and performance services.
This opportunity is designed to support the successful candidate in building a sustainable coaching business alongside their role within the Senior Men’s programme.
Further details regarding facility use and commercial arrangements will be discussed as part of the recruitment process.
Remuneration
A competitive package is available for this position and will be discussed during the interview process.
Future Opportunities
There may be opportunities for the successful candidate to lead the wider Strength & Conditioning provision across the club, including:
• Senior Women’s programme
• Academy Boys & Girls programme
Confidentiality
We understand that some applicants may currently be affiliated with other clubs.
This recruitment process will be handled with the utmost discretion to respect the confidentiality of all applicants.
How to Apply
If you are interested in applying for this position, please contact:
Adam Bowman
Director of Rugby
Sevenoaks RFC
Email: coachajbowman@gmail.com
