Sports Coordinator

LOCATION

Zomba, Malawi



SCOPE OF WORK

The role of the Sports Coordinator is to coordinate the development and delivery of inclusive sports programmes within The Sparkle Foundation. This includes football, netball, and broader physical exercise and wellbeing initiatives. The role will ensure sports are embedded across all programmes and age groups (from early years through to youth), supporting holistic child development, health, and talent progression. The Sports Coordinator will also contribute to developing pathways for talented players, including links to academies, national teams, and opportunities for local and international competition. 



DUTIES AND TASKS

Multi-Sport Development & Curriculum Integration

• Develop and implement a multi-sport strategy including football, netball, and general physical education across all Sparkle programmes
• Integrate structured physical activity into the curriculum from early years (2+) through to youth programmes
• Ensure sports and physical wellbeing are embedded across Education, Health, Nutrition, and Community programmes
• Promote inclusive participation across all beneficiaries, including girls and children with disabilities
• Develop age-appropriate sports frameworks that support both participation and progression

Football Program Activities (Planning and Implementation)

• Establish and deliver a football operational plan for The Sparkle Foundation and Academy.
• Facilitate the establishment of Malawi-based football academy
• Organise tournaments, leagues, and football camps for the Malawi Based Football Academy
• Develop and deliver football programmes for the youth and primary school children.
• Create links for clubs, coaches, leaders, and players to ensure growth of the academy.
• Contribute to raising the profile and the positive perception of Football in Zomba and surrounding districts.
• To support the development and supervision of Academy coaches and volunteers.
• Support the identification and development of talented players with pathways to academies and national teams
• Build partnerships with local, regional, and international academies and sports organisations
• Strengthen structured player development pathways within Sparkle programmes

Netball Program Activities (Planning and implementation)

• Work hand in hand with lead netball coach and deliver a netball operational plan for The Sparkle Foundation and other netball partners.
• Organise the annual netball tournament working hand in hand with the relevant officers from the Sparkle team.
• Develop and deliver netball plans for the youth and primary school children.  
• Contribute to raising the profile and the positive perception of Football in Zomba and surrounding districts.
• Support the identification and development of talented players with pathways to academies and national teams
• Build partnerships with local, regional, and international academies and sports organisations
• Strengthen structured player development pathways within Sparkle programmes

Tournaments, Partnerships & International Engagement

• Organise and coordinate local and international sports tournaments and competitions
• Facilitate international exposure opportunities for players where appropriate
• Coordinate visiting volunteers supporting sports programmes, including structured sports trips and tournaments
• Build relationships with international partners, schools, and organisations to support sports development initiatives
• Ensure all volunteer-led sports activities align with safeguarding, programme goals, and operational standards

Staff Fitness and Sports

• Organize weekly fitness classes that cater to different fitness levels and interests e.g cardio exercises
• Host regular team sports tournaments to promote teamwork, friendly competition, and physical activity.
• Plan outdoor adventure activities to encourage staff to enjoy nature and stay active. These activities could include hiking et cetera.
• Promote a culture of health and wellbeing among staff through regular physical activity initiatives
• Integrate staff participation into sports programmes where appropriate to encourage engagement and role modelling

Monitoring and Evaluation

•  Ensure key football development outcomes are achieved to retain and grow participation for male, female and disability players
• Support the M and E department to develop monitoring and reporting tools that enable efficient analysis, cross-referencing with other datasets for the football program.
• Facilitate tracking of the football annual plan
• Timely submit quality narrative and financial reports related to football program activities on organization agreed timelines.
• Develop and submit football success stories on monthly bases



professional qualifications

• A minimum qualification of Diploma in sports management or a related discipline. 
• Minimum of 2 years relevant experience in sports management with an emphasis on football. 
• Attention to detail and a flexible approach to work
• Excellent communication and team-working skills, with the ability to build good relations, both internally and externally
• The ability to lead projects in collaboration with others and take ownership of their own projects
• Excellent MS Office 365 skills, particularly MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• A self-starter, capable of working independently

desirable personal attributes

• Staunch football fun
• Reliable, accurate and systematic
• Goal-oriented, problem-solving, independent, committed, innovative and motivated
• Able and willing to learn and acquire new knowledge relevant to the function
• Team working
• Trust/reliability
• Flexibility
• Strong affinity with the mission and values of The Sparkle Foundation and the voluntary and charity sector 
• Friendly, positive and personable manner with a high level of energy and enthusiasm 
• Strong multitasking abilities and ability to work to meet objectives and to meet deadlines 
• Ability to work without lots of supervision and make decisions