The Melbourne Cobras bridges India and Australia through hockey by creating professional pathways for Indian players, extending careers for recently retired Olympians, and opening doors for emerging talent in bi-lateral high-performance exchange. With the Melbourne Cobras’ entry into India, that legacy is set to expand creating a fresh international pathway for aspiring hockey talent across India. The Cobras’ Indo-Australian model promises world-class exposure and training opportunities, strengthening India’s standing in the global hockey ecosystem. Indian players are emerging within the Victorian and Australian grassroots and pathway programs, making the diaspora a growing force and future backbone for the sport’s growth. 

Role and Resposibilities

The Head Coach holds primary responsibility for the technical and strategic leadership of the team throughout all phases of preparation and competition for the Hockey One Season. This role is central to establishing a high-performance environment, driving the team’s playing identity, and ensuring the delivery of a cohesive, well-planned program that aligns with Hockey Victoria and Hockey One performance standards. 

Program Leadership & Season Preparation 

• Lead the design, implementation, and evaluation of the team’s annual performance program, including periodisation, training structure, match preparation, workload planning, and athlete management. 
• Oversee the delivery of all on-field and off-field program components to ensure players are physically, technically, tactically, and mentally prepared for the demands of the Hockey One competition. 
• Ensure training sessions are purposeful, high-quality, and aligned with the broader performance framework and playing style. 
• Participate as a member of the Squad and Team selection panel.  
• Participate in any team related weekly reviews (during the competition) and post season reviews.    

Player Recruitment & Squad Management 

• Work collaboratively with the GM – High Performance to identify, recruit, and retain players who meet the standards and expectations of the Hockey One program. 
• Contribute to talent identification and development pathways to ensure ongoing squad depth and succession planning for seasons 2026 and 2027. 

Leadership & Culture 

• Create and maintain a high-performance team culture built on professionalism, clarity, accountability, and respect. 
• Provide strong leadership to assistant coaches, support staff, and athletes, ensuring alignment to team values, standards, and behaviours. 
• Establish effective communication processes to ensure all staff and athletes understand roles, expectations, and performance objectives. 

Strategic Partnership with GM – High Performance 

• Work in close partnership with the GM – High Performance to plan, deliver, and review program objectives, agreed deliverables, and key performance outcomes. 
• Provide regular updates, insights, and performance reporting to support operational and strategic decision-making across the program. 

Competition Readiness & Match Management 

• Lead match preparation, team selection processes, tactical planning, and in-competition decision-making. 
• Conduct post-match reviews and provide feedback to athletes and staff to drive continual improvement. 

Other Commitments 

• Participate in a variety of media activities during the week, on match days and Melbourne Cobras / Hockey One functions where required.   
• Follow other directives from the GM-High Performance or CEO as required.   

Position Skill Requirements 

ESSENTIAL   

• Team coaching experience  
• Demonstrated technical and tactical knowledge of hockey  
• Experience working with volunteers  
• Outstanding communication skills  
• Ability to build a strong team culture  
• Excellent planning and problem-solving skills  
• Flexibility  
• Strong achievement focus  

 DESIRABLE   

• Experience in coaching / working within the South Asian International level environment.  
• Previous coaching experience at State or International Level 
• Previous playing experience at State or International Level 

KPI's 

The Team Coaches will work collectively with the HV High Performance team to achieve Key Performance Indicators set by the GM – High Performance. The Head Coaches will have individual targets as a part of the teams overall KPI’s 

REMUNERATION 

A $12,500 Honorarium will be paid at the conclusion of each post season review.