Regional Rugby Development Consultant

Have you ever wanted to help grow the game of rugby in Ontario?

Rugby Ontario is actively searching for talented and ambitious individuals who are passionate about sport development and want to apply their knowledge and experience to support a vision of Rugby for All, to fill multiple Regional Rugby Development Consultant contracts.

The Regional Rugby Development Consultants (RDCs) will make up the Provincial Rugby Development Consultant Network which will be led by the Manager, Rugby Development and Rugby Development Officer. The RDCs will provide services focused on supporting key parts of Rugby Ontario’s Strategic Plan and will assist Rugby Ontario in achieving the strategic objectives to Support the Club Community, Build Belonging, Invest in the Future, and Advance our Rugby Culture. Their services will be critical to the development of Rugby Ontario’s community of clubs and the growth of our community rugby programs.

Contractor Title: Regional Rugby Development Consultant

Number of Positions: Multiple; dependent on confirmed funding / club participation

Location: Regional hub assignment based on candidate location; Type of work is largely remote based with sporadic time in the Rugby Ontario office or on-site as needed to conduct the services.

Compensation: $10,000 fixed fee for the term per position; amount pro-rated and paid monthly

Contract Length: February 3rd, 2025 to November 30th, 2025

Who You Are?

You are a passionate and dedicated member of the sport community looking to apply your knowledge of sport and club development to grow and improve the game of rugby for all. You are connected at multiple levels with many sub-sections of the sport community (clubs, schools, community groups, boys, girls, match officials, administrators, etc.) and enjoy working with people of all ages, backgrounds, and life experiences. You can act professionally in different work settings and are interested in supporting the development of rugby clubs in Ontario.

Contract Description:

Rugby Ontario, in collaboration with Rugby Canada and local rugby clubs and branches, is looking to create a network of Rugby Development Consultants (RDCs) to expand our capacity to support the delivery of quality rugby experiences for all. Under the leadership and mentorship of the Manager, Rugby Development and Director, Rugby Operations, the RDCs will provide services to support the growth and development of rugby clubs within an assigned regional hub(s), working together to collectively impact the network of clubs as a whole. Rugby Development Consultants will build close working relationships with other members of the Rugby Ontario team, the national Rugby Development Officer Network, and most importantly local club and branch leaders, volunteers, and community rugby partners to help promote, design, and improve infrastructure, resources, and programming across the province. Strong communication and interpersonal skills will be important as you will be interacting with individuals in your community of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences. This coupled with excellent organizational and strategic planning skills and a development mindset will be essential to the successful achievement of the network objectives. At the core, we are seeking strong sport developers with a passion to grow the game for all.

Services:

** Note: Before reviewing the services listed below, we want to clarify that each RDC may not provide all of these services. Priorities within this list will be set in collaboration with local club stakeholders, the rest of the RDC Network, and RO staff members and may shift throughout the duration of the contract.

• Support the development and implementation of local club and regional development plans
  • Work with clubs to continuously evaluate, refine, and adapt development plans and ensure links to RO, RC, and branch development strategies.
  • Assist with the identification and securing of funding opportunities and partnerships.
  • Create opportunities to strengthen inter-club collaboration and facilitate sharing best practices among clubs and regions.
  • Help to develop resources to support club development across the province.
• Increase player retention, growth, and development
  • Coordinate club development projects within the region (i.e. Let’s Play Rugby, community house leagues, local developmental leagues, etc.).
  • Ensure club links to local community partners, including elementary and secondary schools, to create/expand inclusive opportunities to play rugby.
  • Promote the introduction of the sport in equity-deserving and non-traditional rugby communities in target area.
  • Protect player welfare
    • Adopt and promote safe sport guidelines and resources.
    • Support grassroots standards creation and education.
    • Strengthen policy and practice with respect to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.
  • Broaden rugby participation by developing and promoting standardized modified contact programs/ and other variations (e.g., T1, Mixed Ability, XRugby).
• Increase non-player retention, growth, and development
  • Conduct needs assessment regarding club volunteers, coaches, and match officials to support the identification, training, and development of all non-player participants.
  • Facilitate the sharing of and education on RO resources, policies etc.
  • Enable opportunities for players to remain lifelong members through rugby involvement (e.g., coaching, officiating, club leadership, and other non-player roles).
  • Support the creation, coordination, and management of development programs including Canada Summer Jobs Interns, Sessional coaches, and Youth-Engage.
  • Work with regional stakeholders and RO staff to coordinate coach and match official training and education and professional development opportunities in line with NCCP including supporting the Technical Game Leader Pilot Program
• Monitoring, evaluation, marketing, and communication
  • With RO staff and club stakeholders, build club capacity in the following areas:
    • Recording and tracking data on clubs and school participation
    • Reporting progress against club development plan key performance indicators
    • Raising the profile of rugby and increasing the club profile in the local community through community partnerships (e.g., local press).
  • Provide regular regional reports to the Rugby Development Manager
• Leadership and mentorship
  • Attend Rugby Canada Rugby Development Officer Network meetings to connect with, learn from, and contribute to the National RDO Network.
  • Attend Rugby Ontario Rugby Development Consultant Network meetings and check-ins to connect with, learn from, and contribute to the Provincial RDC Network.
  • Identify emerging leaders within your hub and mentor or connect them to mentors to support their leadership development.

Desired Experience/Qualifications:

** Note: Before reviewing the qualifications listed below, we want you to know that we understand you may not meet all the qualifications described and have other relevant expertise and experience.  We invite you to please share this with us in your cover letter.

• Sport-related post-secondary degree and/or experience working or volunteering in a related field (e.g. sport and community development, positive youth development, coaching or managing a sports team or league).
• Experience developing and/or implementing club development plans in grassroots community sport.
• Experience in a governance role (especially in club rugby) an asset.
• Experience managing and working with volunteers and community partners.
• Understanding of current club and school rugby landscape in region.
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with diverse groups of people.
• Knowledge and understanding of Long-Term Development.
• Understanding of Safe Sport and experience with player protection policies an asset.
• Experience as a mentor and knowledge of leadership development (preferably with youth sport).
• Strong leadership, teamwork, and initiative.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Experience sourcing and securing funds an asset.
• NCCP Comp-Intro coach qualification or equivalent an asset.
• Match Official Level 1 qualification an asset.
• Ability and willingness to work evenings and weekends as required.
• Must be legally eligible to work in Canada for the duration of the contract.

Additional requirements

• Please note all contractors will need to submit a Police Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screen.
• As this job requires remote work and travel, you must have access to a laptop and smartphone and have a valid driver’s license and access to transportation.

About Rugby Ontario:

We are the Provincial Sport Organization (PSO) for rugby in Ontario. The story of rugby in Ontario is one of evolution. We are not the same organization we were a decade ago. We are not even the same organization we were two years ago. To help shape this constant evolution, we set out to reflect upon and better understand the challenges and needs of our membership. Our mission is to lead, support, and promote Rugby for All from our communities to clubs to province. Working with our member clubs and branches we are looking to make rugby one of the most appealing, accessible and inclusive sporting activities available today. Check us out: Website: https://www.rugbyontario.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rugby-ontario/

Our values

It is important to us that you know what the team values; you will learn more about our values throughout the interview process.

For the Love of the Game: We are passionate, dedicated and committed to our mission, which is what binds us tightly together with a common purpose and pride in our accomplishments.

Game Regs: We build trust and earn respect by holding ourselves and others accountable and bringing honesty and integrity to everything we do. Fair play is the essential fabric of the game and what we believe in.

Other Duties as Required: We are an open and inclusive team that values everyone’s contributions, comradery and cohesion. It’s about going above and beyond and doing the little things to achieve our collective goals.

Lead from the Front: We move forward together to achieve success, just like in the game itself. Through a professional, transparent, and collaborative approach, we lead the way in creating a safe, welcoming and supportive sport culture.

To Apply and Our Process

If you are chosen to move forward, our interview process follows this sequence:

1. Virtual 30-minute interview with two members of our team.
2. A decision is communicated, and an offer is extended.
3. Reference and background checks (if necessary).

The deadline to apply is 11:59pm ET January 5th, 2025. Click here for full postings and to apply.

Rugby Ontario is an equal-opportunity employer, and we welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. Please inform us within your application if you require any accommodations and every effort will be made to meet your needs.