Sports Officer

1. Preamble

Mary Immaculate College is an autonomous, university-level, Catholic College of Education and the Liberal Arts. Founded in 1898, and linked academically with the University of Limerick, MIC is the oldest higher education institution in Limerick. Significant expansion in recent decades has seen the College’s offerings expand across two modern campuses, one based in Limerick City and one in Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

The student community consists of more than 5,000 learners, participating in fifteen undergraduate degree programmes and several postgraduate programmes extending to PhD/Doctoral level. Academic staff engage in a wide range of academic research areas, and research underpins all teaching and learning at MIC.

MIC seeks to prepare its students for professional excellence and to nurture their capacity to lead flourishing lives.

2. Candidate Profile & Scope of the Position

The College wishes to fill 2 posts for the position of Sports Officer – Weights Room / Reception, at Executive Officer Grade on a full-time, permanent basis.

The position of Sports Officer – Weights Room / Reception is a key administrative role. The appointee will support the operational delivery of the College’s sports and recreational programmes, with specific responsibility for the safe, inclusive and effective operation of the MIC Limerick weights and cardio facility.

The role also aligns with the College’s commitments under the HEA Healthy Campus Charter and the participation-tier ambitions identified by the MIC Sport Strategy Workshop.

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• A Level 6 qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications in a sports-related area and a minimum of 2 years’ relevant experience;

or

• A minimum of 3 years’ relevant experience in a comparable role.
• Demonstrated experience working in a gym, fitness or sports facility environment.
• Strong organisational, administrative and project management capability.
• Evidenced ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, partnership development and working with external organisations.
• Strong customer-facing and communication skills, including digital communications competency.
• Knowledge of health and safety requirements in a fitness environment.
• Competency in the use of IT systems and membership databases.
• Current first aid certification, or willingness to obtain immediately on appointment.
• A clear student-focused, inclusive and development-oriented approach.

It is desirable that candidates will also have:

• Accreditation with UKSCA, ASCA or NSCA-CSCS, or willingness and capacity to achieve such accreditation within 12 months of appointment.
• Experience working in the higher education sport sector or in a comparable institutional recreational facility environment.
• Experience in membership growth, member retention or earned-income-generating facility operations.
• Experience as a strength and conditioning coach in a team-sport environment.
• Awareness of Sport Ireland frameworks, including Safeguarding 3 and the Code of Ethics.

Cuirfear fáilte roimh iarratais ó dhaoine go bhfuil dearcadh dearfach acu i leith na Gaeilge.

Applications are welcome from people who have a positive outlook to Irish.

3. Job DescriptionReporting Relationship

The appointee is required to carry out the duties attached to the post under the general direction of the Director of Sport, to whom they report and to whom they are responsible for the performance of these duties in the first instance.

The reporting relationship is subject to review and may be altered from time to time in line with service needs and developments in the College.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Sports Officer – Weights Room / Reception will perform the following duties.

1. Facility Operations and Safety

• Supervise the weights and cardio facility, ensuring the safe and compliant operation of all equipment.
• Develop, maintain and monitor weights room policies, procedures and risk assessments in line with health and safety requirements.
• Provide induction and orientation sessions for all new users, ensuring safe and confident use of equipment.
• Conduct routine equipment inspections, manage scheduled maintenance, report faults and concerns promptly, and oversee the upkeep and presentation of the facility and An Tailteann more broadly.
• Respond appropriately to incidents and emergencies, providing first aid support where required.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of incidents, equipment status and compliance documentation.

2. Membership Development and User Experience

• Drive sustained, structured growth in facility membership across student, staff, alumni and external user categories, in line with agreed annual targets.
• Lead the design and delivery of user-friendly induction and onboarding processes that prioritise retention as well as recruitment.
• Develop and deliver structured training and programme support to facility users, including individual programme design and small-group instruction.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date membership records, manage renewals and ensure efficient administration of payments and access.
• Maintain a current and engaging digital presence (website and social media) to promote the facility and grow membership.
• Provide regular member feedback and satisfaction reporting to the Director of Sport, and contribute to the design of the facility’s evolving membership and pricing model.

3. Inclusion, Participation Breadth and Beginner Engagement

• Develop and deliver dedicated programming for users, including those with limited or no prior experience of gym-based training, including beginner inductions, structured beginner pathways and confidence-building programmes.
• Design and deliver women-specific sessions and inclusive women-in-fitness programming as part of the College’s broader Women in Sport commitments.
• Ensure the facility is genuinely welcoming and accessible to all student and staff cohorts, including those typically under-represented in gym-based fitness environments, including mature students, students with disabilities, international students and access-route students.
• Develop programming that supports staff participation in fitness and wellbeing activities.
• Collaborate with the Director of Student Life, the Access Office, the Healthy Campus Coordinator/Committee and the EDII function on inclusive participation initiatives.
• Contribute to the wider Active MIC/Healthy Campus programme by leading or supporting facility-based wellbeing initiatives across the academic year.

4. Wider Department and College Support

• Provide frontline reception support within An Tailteann, acting as a welcoming and professional first point of contact for students, staff, visitors, sports clubs and other users.
• Respond to routine enquiries relating to facility access, memberships, programmes, bookings and events.
• Support membership administration, booking systems, user registrations and facility access processes.
• Maintain accurate records relating to memberships, bookings, participation levels and facility usage.
• Contribute to the planning and delivery of departmental and college-wide events, including Open Days, sports days, Welcome Week activities and end-of-year celebrations.
• Assist with promotional activities and college-wide initiatives designed to increase participation in and awareness of sport, physical activity and wellbeing.
• Work in collaboration with the Gaelic Games Development Officer (MIC Limerick), the Sports Development Officer (Thurles campus) and other Sports and Recreation colleagues to ensure a coherent cross-departmental and cross-campus offering.
• Contribute to relevant working groups including, where appropriate, the Sport Strategy Group or its successor structures, and to the operational development of the wider Sports and Recreation Department.

The work is broadly defined and the list of duties is not exhaustive. The performance of the entire range of duties is not necessarily confined to any one individual, as the work requires staff to function in a flexible manner and work together as a team.

The College retains the right to assign new duties and/or reassign staff to other areas of the College in response to service needs.

4. Terms and Conditions of EmploymentGeneral

All persons employed will sign an appropriate contract, which will contain terms and conditions of employment. A job description is given to all applicants for employment and this will form part of the contract documentation.

Place of Work

The appointee’s normal place of work will be Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.

The College reserves the right to require the appointee to work from any other location.

It is a requirement of the College that the appointee must reside within a reasonable distance of the College.

Exclusivity of Service and Outside Work

The person appointed will be required to devote their full-time attention and abilities to their duties during their working hours in the College and to act in the best interests of the College at all times.

Therefore, for as long as the successful applicant is working in the College, they may not, without the prior written consent of the Vice President Administration and Finance (VPAF), be actively engaged or concerned in any way, either directly or indirectly, in any other business or undertaking where this is, or is likely to be, in conflict with the College’s interests or the performance of the duties for which the person has been employed.

The appointee will not, during their tenure of office, undertake paid outside work unless they have received the permission of the VPAF of Mary Immaculate College to undertake such work on the terms and conditions agreed for the particular undertaking in question.

In every case, it is the duty of the appointee to seek prior written permission from the VPAF. It is also the duty, in every case, of the appointee to inform the person or body for whom the work is being undertaken that the work is being conducted in a private capacity and that the College cannot, in any circumstances, be responsible for such work.

Probationary Period

The appointment is subject to satisfactory completion of the standard 6-month probationary period.

The probationary period may be extended at the discretion of the College but will not, in any case, exceed 11 months.

Absences during the period of probation will extend the probationary period.

Performance and conduct during the probationary period will be reviewed through a process of assessment meetings.

Termination of the appointment during the probationary period, for any reason or no reason, will be at the discretion of the College.

The disciplinary procedure will not apply to a dismissal during probation where the probationary employee has been employed by MIC for less than 12 months.

Hours of Attendance

The full-time working hours are 35 hours per week.

There will be two shifts:

Morning/Afternoon Shift

• Monday to Thursday: 7.00am to 3.00pm with a 1-hour unpaid lunch break each day.
• Friday: 7.00am to 2.45pm with a 45-minute unpaid lunch break.

Afternoon/Evening Shift

• Monday to Thursday: 2.00pm to 10.00pm with a 1-hour unpaid lunch break each day.
• Friday: 1.45pm to 9.45pm with a 45-minute unpaid lunch break.

However, the duties attaching to the position are such that the post holder may be required to work evenings and weekends on occasion to accommodate service needs.

Subject to College policy, the post holder may avail of Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) or overtime where working hours exceed the contracted hours per week.

The College reserves the right to adjust starting and finishing times or days of duty to meet service needs.

Salary

The salary scale for this position has been approved by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Higher Education Authority in line with Government policy on Public Sector remuneration.

The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.

The appointment will be made on the salary scale at a point in line with current Government Pay Policy.

New entrants to the Civil or Public Sector, as defined in Circular 18/2010, will commence on the first point of the salary scale.

The grade for this post is Executive Officer.

With effect from 1 June 2026, the annual salary scale for Executive Officer (New Entrant – Grossed Up) is:

€36,569; €38,803; €39,595; €41,870; €44,030; €45,966; €47,838; €49,703; €51,534; €53,418; €55,297; €57,288; €58,625; €60,529 (LSI); €62,444 (LS2)

With effect from 1 June 2026, the annual salary scale for Executive Officer (Grossed Up – Non-New Entrant) is:

€39,595; €41,870; €44,030; €45,966; €47,838; €49,703; €51,534; €53,418; €55,297; €57,288; €58,625; €60,529 (LSI 1); €62,444 (LSI 2)

Increments are awarded in line with national pay agreements.

Salary will be paid on a monthly basis on the 25th of each month, or the previous Friday if the 25th falls on a weekend, using the PayPath facility.

Payment of salaries and wages is subject to statutory deductions, including:

• Income Tax (PAYE)
• Superannuation Contributions
• Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI)
• Universal Social Charge (USC)

Increments are awarded in line with national pay agreements.