Director of Swimming and Diving
Are you a self-starter with a deep passion for swimming and diving and a drive to create life-changing opportunities for talented young athletes?
FirstPoint USA is the global leader in sports scouting and recruitment within the higher education sector, working with over 2,500 US universities to connect talented sportsmen and women with prestigious US scholarship opportunities. Swimming and diving are among the biggest collegiate sports for men and women, and a well-established pathway for talented young international athletes from around the world.
We've successfully placed athletes at top institutions like Harvard, Princeton, Michigan, Penn State and UCLA, and we're ready to significantly expand our swimming and diving business in the US. FirstPoint USA is also the official sports recruitment agency for Brown University, supporting their swimming and diving recruitment with the identification of the best athletes.
We are seeking an ambitious, energetic, and well-connected swimming and diving specialist to drive the growth of our roster of male and female athletes, increasing our pipeline of top student-athlete candidates. This is a pivotal role for an experienced individual to take the lead in our continued expansion across the US.
The Role
Reporting to the Director of Olympic Sports, your primary objective will be to identify, recruit, and manage relationships with aspiring young swimmers and divers and their families, leading them through the recruitment process and securing placements at best fit universities.
- Business Development: Contribute to the development and growth of our swimming and diving business to achieve ambitious KPI targets.
- Client Acquisition: Proactively manage and nurture relationships with prospective athletes and their families, converting leads generated through events, digital marketing and strategic partnerships into successful candidates.
- Athlete Evaluation and Signing: Evaluate the athletic and academic abilities of prospective student-athletes through attendance at events, interviews and ongoing engagement, analysing performance levels (times, rankings, event results, academic qualifications/predicted grades), progressing athletes from contract offer to signing.
- College Placements: Establish and grow an extensive network of college coaches at programs at each level across the US, working closely with them to identify roster requirements, brokering scholarship offers and securing best fit placement opportunities for our swimming and diving clients, supported by our Director of Olympic Sports.
- Partnership Development: Identify and secure strategic partnerships with organisations and individuals within the swimming and diving sector, including regional governing bodies, events, academies, clubs and coaches, to generate a consistent flow of high-quality candidates.
- Events: Attend national and international events to network with prospective candidates and their families, while raising awareness of FirstPoint USA within the elite swimming and diving audience.
- Ambassadorial Duty: Deliver compelling presentations at 1:1 meetings, events and partner organisations, acting as an ambassador for FirstPoint USA to raise awareness of our brand, positioning within the sport and the unique opportunities the collegiate swimming and diving pathway offers.
- Performance Reporting: Provide regular, insightful reporting on performance metrics and KPIs to the Sports Team, highlighting successes, opportunities, and challenges for continued optimisation.
- Client Transition: Collaborate closely with our Talent Management teams to ensure a seamless transition for all student-athlete clients.
The Candidate
You will have an authentic passion for swimming / diving and an affinity with talented swimmers and divers, bringing a commercial focus and a proven ability to build and maintain high-value relationships.
- Swimming and Diving Expertise: Significant collegiate athlete and/or college coaching background in swimming or diving, with a strong understanding of the junior performance pathway and key stakeholders (athletes, coaches, parents).
- Networking: An established, active network within the swimming and diving industry (e.g., coaches, clubs, academies, NGBs, event stakeholders, schools).
- Experience with or knowledge of the US collegiate athletics system is essential.
- Commercial Acumen: A proven track record in relationship building, collaboration, and ideally, experience in a business development environment.
- Communication Skills: A strong communicator, confident in presenting and building rapport with young athletes, parents, coaches and partners.
- Organisational Skills: High attention to detail, excellent planning capabilities, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, always-on environment.
- Drive & Attitude: Confident, positive, proactive, and passionate about improving the lives of young people through sport and education.
The Package
We believe in investing in our team's success and personal development:
- $85,000 - $110,000 OTE
- 21 days annual leave including bank / public holidays
- Your Birthday Off
The Location
Based within the United States