Loughborough Sport
Full time and open ended
This role is on-site based.
Are you ready to lead one of the most high-profile university rugby programmes in the UK and shape its future on the national and international stage?
Loughborough Sport is a world-leading, athlete-centred and research-driven environment, where performance, participation and people thrive together. Rugby sits at the heart of this ecosystem, spanning elite performance, student experience, professional pathways and commercial growth.
We are seeking an exceptional Director of Rugby to provide strategic, technical and cultural leadership across men’s and women’s rugby. This is a unique opportunity to define a bold vision, drive performance excellence and position Loughborough as a leading force in university and professional rugby.
What you’ll do:
- Set and deliver a long-term strategy for rugby, shaping performance, participation, people and commercial growth.
- Lead and inspire a high-performing rugby programme across men’s and women’s teams, including Lightning Rugby and BUCS competition.
- Provide senior technical leadership and oversight, ensuring world-class coaching, playing identity and performance standards.
- Develop and strengthen strategic partnerships with the RFU, Premiership and Championship clubs, and key rugby stakeholders.
- Drive commercial growth and sustainability through innovative partnerships and revenue opportunities.
- Oversee talent identification, recruitment and progression pathways into elite and professional rugby.
- Champion an inclusive, high-performance culture that supports athlete wellbeing, development and dual careers.
What we’re looking for:
- A credible and experienced leader with extensive technical knowledge of rugby and a strong background in high-performance environments.
- A strategic thinker who can combine long-term vision with delivery of performance outcomes.
- Proven experience influencing senior stakeholders across sport, education or professional contexts.
- A strong leader with the ability to develop teams, drive standards and build a positive, high-performance culture.
- Excellent communication and decision-making skills in high-pressure, high-visibility environments.
- A deep understanding of rugby systems, pathways and the wider performance landscape.
- Level 4 Rugby Coaching Qualification (or equivalent experience).
Join us and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of rugby at Loughborough, where excellence is expected, innovation is encouraged, and your leadership will have a lasting impact across the game.
For more information on the role please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification.
Please see the Candidate Pack for the role.
Informal enquiries to: Paige Norris, PA to Director of Sport, [email protected]
Closing date for receipt of applications: 16th August 2026
First stage interviews: 28th August 2026
Second stage interviews: 7th, 9th and 11th September 2026
Our Benefits
At Loughborough, our benefits are designed to support your life inside and outside of work, helping you to thrive and feel valued as part of our community. Examples of our benefits include:
Time off - generous holiday allowance, including 14 university closure days and bank holidays, with the option to buy extra through our holiday purchase scheme
Where you work – access to a range of fantastic facilities with plenty of green space across our 523-acre East Midlands campus, plus an exciting community at our London campus on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
Financial wellbeing – competitive pay, two excellent pension schemes, and everyday savings opportunities
Support for you and those close to you - through our range of life event leave policies as well as access to an on-site nursery at our East Midlands campus, flexible and hybrid working options.
Health and wellbeing – discounted gym memberships and access to world-class sporting facilities, including physiotherapy, plus healthcare offers such as eyesight testing and wellbeing support
Travel and sustainability - access to our electric vehicle and cycle-to-work schemes, as well as a variety of travel offers to support sustainable commuting
Discover more about the full range of rewards and benefits at Loughborough University.
