Senior Lecturer & Programme Leader: Coaching & Performance Management

Reports to: Head of Undergraduate

Launched in October 2022, the world-leading university-level institution is dedicated to the global business of esports and gaming.

Our contemporary campus is set within the iconic Velodrome, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, surrounded by lush and relaxing gardens.

We are boutique in nature; totally focused on the student experience via our unique TRI-Curriculum resulting in higher contact time and committed to the wellness and development of staff and students. 

Purpose of the Role

The Senior Lecturer & Programme Leader for Coaching & Performance Management provides academic and operational leadership for the University Campus of Esports’ coaching, performance, and applied practice programmes. The postholder ensures high-quality teaching, curriculum innovation, and strong student outcomes while maintaining compliance with academic regulations and external benchmarks.

This role combines subject expertise with programme management, team leadership, and a commitment to delivering an outstanding student experience within a practice-led, industry-aligned environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Academic Leadership
  • Lead the strategic and operational management of the Coaching & Performance Management programmes.
  • Ensure programmes remain current, evidence-based, industry-aligned, and academically robust.
  • Act as the primary academic contact for the programme area, providing subject leadership and direction.
  • Contribute to the development of new modules, pathways, and curriculum enhancements, including applied coaching and performance analytics content. 

• Teaching & Learning
  • Deliver high-quality teaching across modules in coaching, performance management, athlete development, psychology, analytics, or related applied disciplines.
  • Use innovative, inclusive, and practice-based teaching methods.
  • Supervise student projects, applied coaching practice, performance analysis work, and reflective portfolios.
  • Provide academic support, guidance, and constructive feedback to students.

• Quality Assurance & Compliance
  • Ensure programmes comply with UCES academic regulations, OfS Conditions of Registration, and external benchmarks.
  • Lead programme reviews, validation processes, and continuous improvement activities.
  • Monitor assessment standards, moderation, and external examiner feedback.
  • Maintain accurate programme documentation and contribute to audit-ready records.

• Student Experience & Engagement
  • Foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.
  • Lead initiatives to enhance student engagement, retention, and progression.
  • Support student employability through industry-aligned teaching, live briefs, coaching practice opportunities, and applied performance projects.
  • Respond to student queries, concerns, and feedback in a timely and professional manner.

• Industry & External Engagement
  • Lead the external presentation of the programme for student recruitment and tri-curriculum activity, ensuring a consistent, engaging, and professionally aligned representation of the provision across on-site and off-site events.
  • Build and maintain relationships with coaching organisations, performance teams, sport and esports clubs, analytics providers, and industry professionals.
  • Explore opportunities for collaboration, live briefs, guest speakers, and applied performance projects.
  • Integrate real-world practice, industry tools, and professional standards into the curriculum.
  • Promote the programme externally and contribute to recruitment, outreach, and open day activities.

• Programme Management
  • Lead programme team meetings and coordinate academic staff teaching on the programme.
  • Manage timetabling, assessment scheduling, and resource planning.
  • Contribute to workload planning and staff development within the programme area.
  • Support the Academic Board and relevant committees through reporting and documentation.

• Team Leadership, Management & Development
  • Provide day-to-day guidance for a small team of academic staff.
  • Coach and mentor team members to support their professional growth, teaching practice, and subject expertise.
  • Foster a collaborative, supportive, and high-performance team culture aligned with the UCES values.
  • Identify training needs and support staff in accessing CPD, industry engagement, and pedagogic development opportunities.
  • Model professional behaviours, inclusive practice, and a student-centred approach.

• Scholarly Activity, Research & Professional Practice
  • Engage in scholarly activity that informs teaching, curriculum development, and subject expertise.
  • Maintain an up-to-date understanding of developments in coaching science, performance management, analytics, and pedagogic practice.
  • Contribute to applied research, industry-focused projects, or practice-based outputs relevant to coaching and performance.
  • Participate in conferences, workshops, professional networks, and practitioner communities to enhance the programme’s academic and industry profile.
  • Support a culture of continuous learning and reflective practice within the programme team.
  • Encourage and guide students in developing research-informed and practice-led approaches to their work.

Skills, Experience & Attributes

Essential

• Proven programme leadership experience within Higher Education or an equivalent professional training environment.
• Strong academic or professional background in coaching, performance management, sport science, esports performance, psychology, or related applied disciplines.
• Experience teaching in Higher Education or equivalent professional training environments.
• Understanding of curriculum design, assessment, and academic quality assurance.
• Experience leading or coordinating academic delivery or applied practice teams.
• Strong communication, organisation, and problem-solving skills.
• Commitment to inclusive teaching and student success.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and support staff development.

Desirable

• Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience in OfS-regulated environments or HE quality frameworks.
• Industry experience in coaching, performance analysis, athlete development, or applied

performance roles.

• Experience supervising student projects or applied practice portfolios.
• Familiarity with relevant tools and technologies (e.g., performance analysis software,

coaching platforms, data analytics tools).

Values & Behaviours

The postholder is expected to model University Campus of Esports values:

• Creativity and innovation
• Professionalism and accountability
• Inclusivity and respect
• Collaboration and shared purpose
• Student-centred decision making

Continuous Improvement & Proactivity

• Contribute to continuous improvement in processes, service delivery, and team effectiveness by demonstrating a proactive and motivational approach to your role.

Appearance, Culture, and Professional Conduct

• Act as a positive role model in line with the Institution's values and culture by upholding professional conduct, high standards, presentation, and behaviour.

 Additional Information

• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for events, exhibitions, or industry engagement.
• The role requires on-site presence for teaching, student support, and academic duties.
• Annual KPIs will be issued at the start of each academic year and form part of the performance expectations for this role.
• As part of our collaborative and inclusive culture, our colleagues may occasionally be required to support wider institutional priorities. Such requests will always be reasonable, aligned with your skillset and designed to support the smooth running of University Campus of Esports.

Please apply via email using the 'Apply' button above (e: careers@uces.ac.uk).