NSW Athletics is the state governing body for athletics in New South Wales, bringing community participation, school sport, competition and performance pathways together within a single, connected athletics system. NSW Athletics gives more than 50,000 registered members and participants access to the sport through more than 220 affiliated clubs. Every decision is guided by what is in the best interests of athletes, coaches parents and the clubs and volunteers who support them.
Membership, participation and representative opportunities are all growing strongly, and NSW Athletics is committed to building clear and connected pathways. Those pathways take athletes from their first experience at a local club through to state, national and international performance, so that every athlete, whatever their ability, has the opportunity to reach their potential regardless of where they live.
Our operating model brings together four functional areas (Corporate Services, Community, Sport Delivery and Performance & Pathways) alongside NSW Schools Athletics. They work collaboratively to deliver a consistent, high-quality athletics experience across the state.
Performance & Pathways is responsible for developing and delivering the NSW Athletics athlete and coach pathway. This includes the Centre of Excellence (COE), the Pathway Academy Talent Program (PATP), Pathway Camps, NSW State Teams, Pathway Education and associated performance support initiatives. The function supports, rather than replaces, the work of clubs and coaches, strengthening the pathway through education, performance support, development opportunities and closer connections across the sport.
The NSW Athletics Centre of Excellence at Sydney Olympic Park is the home of the NSW performance pathway. It gives athletes access to strength and conditioning, performance testing, physiotherapy, nutrition, recovery and education services. It also acts as an important connection point between NSW Athletics, Australian Athletics, the NSW Institute of Sport and other performance partners.
Reporting to the General Manager - Performance & Pathways, the Performance & Pathways Coordinator is responsible for coordinating and driving the operational delivery of NSW Athletics' Performance & Pathways programs.
The role provides the operational link between strategy and delivery, ensuring programs are well planned, appropriately resourced, effectively communicated and consistently delivered for athletes, coaches, parents and partners.
Working closely with the General Manager - Performance & Pathways, Performance & Pathways Manager, Centre of Excellence staff and wider NSW Athletics team, the Coordinator will oversee the operational delivery of the Centre of Excellence, NSW State Teams, Pathway Camps, athlete services and pathway events.
The position will have a strong focus on program operations, logistics, systems, planning, communication and continuous improvement, ensuring the Performance & Pathways team has the structures and processes required to deliver an increasingly sophisticated statewide athlete pathway.
This is a hands-on role suited to someone who enjoys making complex programs work. The successful candidate will be comfortable moving between forward planning and day-to-day delivery and will have the ability to coordinate multiple programs, stakeholders, deadlines and operational priorities simultaneously.
The Performance & Pathways Coordinator is responsible for the effective day-to-day coordination and operational delivery of NSW Athletics' Performance & Pathways activities. The role has four primary areas of responsibility: NSW State Teams, Centre of Excellence operations and customer service, Pathway Program operations and Performance & Pathways Operational Support.
1. NSW State Teams
Coordinate the end-to-end operational and administrative delivery of the NSW State Teams program, ensuring a professional and well-organised experience for athletes, parents, coaches and team staff.
- Plan and coordinate State Team campaigns, including operational timelines, selections, nominations, EOIs, appointments and key deadlines.
- Manage State Team logistics and administration, including travel, accommodation, accreditation, uniforms, equipment, team records and event requirements.
- Manage State Team information and communications, including website content, handbooks, schedules, athlete and parent communications, selection letters and athlete recognition.
2. Centre of Excellence Operations & Customer Service
Coordinate the day-to-day operations of the NSW Athletics Centre of Excellence, ensuring the facility, memberships and associated services operate efficiently and without interruption.
- Manage day-to-day membership and customer service, including onboarding, memberships, payments, enquiries, access and member communications.
- Coordinate bookings, schedules and systems, including GymMaster, facility access and athlete bookings across strength and conditioning, recovery and performance support services.
- Support effective daily facility operations, working with coaches, practitioners and service providers to maintain schedules, records and a professional member experience.
3. Pathway Program Operations
Coordinate the operational delivery of NSW Athletics' growing portfolio of pathway programs, including the Pathway Academy, Pathway Programs, Grow 2 Gold PhD Research and other emerging pathway initiatives.
- Coordinate pathway program administration, including calendars, registrations, nominations, onboarding, athlete and coach communications and program records.
- Manage the operational delivery of camps and pathway activities, including venues, schedules, staffing, bookings, equipment, testing, education and participant information.
- Support the delivery and growth of pathway programs, coordinating the Pathway Academy and new initiatives with Performance & Pathways staff, coaches, practitioners and external partners.
4. Performance & Pathways Operational Support
Support the broader Performance & Pathways team through effective planning, systems and coordination across the portfolio.
- Maintain operational planning and systems, including the Performance & Pathways calendar, databases, procedures, templates and workflows.
- Support program administration and business operations, including purchasing, invoices, suppliers, budget tracking and other operational requirements.
- Work across the Performance & Pathways team to coordinate priorities, identify upcoming requirements and support the effective delivery of programs and projects.
Qualifications & Experience
- Relevant tertiary qualification in sport management, sport development, exercise/sport science, business, event/project management or a related discipline, and/or demonstrated equivalent relevant experience in sport, program or pathway operations.
- Demonstrated experience coordinating the planning, administration and delivery of programs, projects, camps, events or similar initiatives, including managing schedules, logistics, communications and key deadlines.
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple projects and competing priorities simultaneously, with strong organisational skills, attention to detail and reliable follow-through.
Sport & Pathway Delivery
- Understanding of athlete development and sporting pathways, or demonstrated ability to quickly develop knowledge of pathway structures, programs and athlete-development environments.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders, which may include athletes, parents, coaches, clubs, staff, service providers and sporting organisations.
- Ability to support the delivery and continuous improvement of pathway programs, including maintaining accurate program information, athlete records, reporting and operational processes.
Communication & Professional Skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate professionally and appropriately with different stakeholder groups.
- Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team and take ownership of responsibilities from planning through to completion.
- Strong digital capability, including Microsoft Office and the ability to confidently learn and use databases, athlete/program management platforms, booking systems and other digital tools.
- A flexible, proactive and solutions-focused approach, with the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced sporting environment and work outside standard business hours, including evenings, weekends and events when required.
Compliance
- Current First Aid and CPR qualification, or willingness to obtain.
Desirable
- Previous experience working within a state or national sporting organisation, institute/academy, club, school sport, high-performance or athlete-development environment.
- Experience supporting or coordinating talent identification, athlete development or performance pathway programs.
- Knowledge of the Australian sporting system and athlete pathway frameworks, including organisations such as the AIS, NSWIS and National Sporting Organisations.
- Knowledge of athletics and the Australian athletics pathway, or previous experience within athletics.
- Experience coordinating camps, testing activities, education programs, representative teams or athlete services.
- Experience working with athlete/program databases, CRM systems, learning platforms or athlete management systems.
Child Safety & Inclusion
NSW Athletics is committed to promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in our care. We undertake appropriate screening processes to ensure this commitment is upheld, including requiring employees to hold a valid Working with Children Check and satisfactory criminal history record check.
NSW Athletics is an Equal Opportunity employer and believes diversity and inclusion are fundamental to the athletics community we serve. Our sport is for everyone, and we strive to create a workplace that reflects this commitment. We encourage people of all cultural backgrounds, abilities and identities to apply.
