Programme Lead and Senior Lecturer: Esports Coaching & Management

Reports To: Head of Undergraduate Studies

Launched in October 2022, the world-leading university-level institution 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 Programme Lead and Senior Lecturer for Esports Coaching & Management provides academic and operational leadership for the University Campus of Esports’ esports coaching, performance, and applied practice provision. The postholder ensures high-quality teaching, curriculum innovation, and strong student outcomes while maintaining compliance with academic regulations, sector expectations, and external benchmarks.

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

Key Responsibilities

Academic Leadership

• Lead the strategic and operational management of the Esports Coaching & Management programme.
• Ensure the programme remains current, evidence-based, industry-aligned, and academically robust.
• Act as the primary academic contact for Esports Coaching & Management, providing clear subject leadership and direction.
• Contribute to the development of new modules, pathways, and curriculum enhancements, including esports coaching practice, performance analytics, player development, and applied management content.

Teaching & Learning

• Deliver high-quality teaching across esports coaching, performance management, player development, psychology, analytics, esports business, and related applied disciplines.
• Use innovative, inclusive, and practice-based teaching methods that reflect the realities of esports education and professional esports practice.
• Supervise student projects, esports coaching practice, performance analysis work, live briefs, and reflective portfolios.
• Provide academic support, guidance, and constructive feedback to esports students.

Quality Assurance & Compliance

• Ensure the Esports Coaching & Management programme complies with UCES academic regulations, OfS Conditions of Registration, and relevant external benchmarks.
• Lead Esports Coaching & Management programme reviews, validation processes, and continuous improvement activities.
• Monitor assessment standards, moderation, external examiner feedback, and the quality of esports-related academic delivery.
• Maintain accurate esports programme documentation and contribute to audit-ready records.

Student Experience & Engagement

• Foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive learning environment for esports students.
• Lead initiatives to enhance student engagement, retention, progression, and belonging across the Esports Coaching & Management programme.
• Support student employability through esports 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 Esports Coaching & Management for student recruitment and tri-curriculum activity, ensuring a consistent, engaging, and professionally aligned representation of the esports provision across on-site and off-site events.
• Build and maintain relationships with esports coaching organisations, performance teams, esports clubs, talent pathways, analytics providers, and industry professionals.
• Explore esports opportunities for collaboration, live briefs, guest speakers, applied coaching projects, and performance-focused partnerships.
• Integrate real-world esports practice, industry tools, professional standards, and current sector insight into the curriculum.
• Promote Esports Coaching & Management externally and contribute to recruitment, outreach, school engagement, and open day activities.

Programme Management

• Lead esports programme team meetings and coordinate academic staff teaching on Esports Coaching & Management.
• Manage timetabling, assessment scheduling, resource planning, and operational delivery for the esports programme.
• Contribute to workload planning and staff development within the esports programme area.
• Support the Academic Board and relevant committees through reporting, documentation, and evidence-informed updates on esports programme performance.

Team Leadership, Management & Development

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

Scholarly Activity, Research & Professional Practice

• Engage in scholarly activity that informs esports teaching, curriculum development, and subject expertise.
• Maintain an up-to-date understanding of developments in esports coaching, performance management, analytics, player welfare, and pedagogic practice.
• Contribute to applied research, industry-focused projects, or practice-based outputs relevant to esports coaching and performance.
• Participate in conferences, workshops, esports 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 esports programme team.
• Encourage and guide students in developing research-informed and practice-led approaches to esports coaching, management, and performance work.

Skills, Experience & Attributes

Essential

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

Desirable

• Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant discipline.
• Experience in OfS-regulated environments or HE quality frameworks.
• Industry experience in esports coaching, performance analysis, player development, esports management, or applied performance roles.
• Experience supervising student projects, esports coaching activity, or applied practice portfolios.
• Familiarity with relevant tools and technologies, such as performance analysis software, coaching platforms, broadcast or review tools, data analytics tools, and esports tournament or team management platforms.

Values & Behaviours

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

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

Additional Information

• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for esports events, exhibitions, competitions, recruitment activity, or industry engagement.
• The role requires onsite presence for teaching, student support, and esports programme leadership 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, 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).