ABOUT ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY:
Our Vision: To be the preeminent Catholic University in Canada, known as a centre of academic excellence providing a vibrant and engaged student experience that prepares authentic leaders committed to the service of others.
Our Mission: Open to all and grounded in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, St. Mary’s University educates the whole person to inspire and empower tomorrows engaged, global citizens for the future.
Our Values: As a Catholic community, we value being Welcoming and Serving of all, Academic Excellence and Faith. As an independent Catholic university in Canada, with a strong emphasis on liberal arts and sciences, St. Mary’s University prepares its students to live with integrity, compassion and confidence while embodying a compassionate commitment to ethics, social justice, and respect for diversity of opinion and belief. St. Mary’s is focused on developing the whole person: mind, body and spirit. For more information about St. Mary’s and our Strategic Plan, visit
https://stmu.ca/ and https://stmu.ca/about-us/strategic-plan/
ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY:
Lightning Athletics is a leader in promoting academic, athletics and personal excellence through the participation in intercollegiate sports. Our intercollegiate teams compete in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) and within Canada (CCAA). The athletics department is seeking a coach to lead the continued development of a performance focused varsity endurance program competing in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA).
The Head Coach of Cross Country and Indoor Track will be responsible for recruiting student-athletes who contribute to both institutional enrollment goals and competitive program success while establishing training and performance standards aligned with varsity expectations. The ability to establish positive relationships with student athletes, staff and faculty, peers, media and the running community is essential.
Contract term: 1 year term with possibility of ongoing renewal
Main responsibilities for this position will include:
- Lead the varsity Cross Country and Indoor Track Programs, which may include recruitment, supervision and supporting assistant coaching staff.
- Design and implement year-round training plans aligned with ACAC and CCAA competition standards.
- Develop and execute a recruiting strategy focused on attracting student-athletes not otherwise attending St. Mary’s University who contribute to varsity competitiveness and institutional enrollment goals.
- Establish performance standards and benchmarks for varsity participation aligned with Lightning Athletics competitive standards and scholarship consideration.
- Support measurable competitive improvement within ACAC competition and prepare athletes capable of qualifying for CCAA championships.
- Apply appropriate tactical and technical strategies during competition and provide performance analysis and feedback to student-athletes
- Communicate program administration needs, operational planning priorities, and budget requirements with the Athletics Department.
- Develop and implement annual team fundraising initiatives that support program operations and meet established yearly targets.
- Support and act in accordance with the strategic directions and initiatives of the Athletics and Recreation Department and the University as they relate to student athlete support, promotion, and community relations
- Monitor and support student-athlete academic success consistent with Athletics Department expectations.
- Promote engagement in Athletics Department initiatives, campus events, and the broader StMU varsity athletics community.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree with additional education as an asset.
- Minimum of 3 – 5 years coaching experience and demonstrate experience recruiting student athletes. (preferably at the post-secondary level)
- A minimum of NCCP Athletics Competition Introduction is required, NCCP Competition Development is preferred (or must be prepared to complete). Appropriate and comparable certifications will be evaluated.
- Enthusiasm/passion for the sport, as well as skill in analyzing the sport
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate others
- Ability to identify and recruit competitive student-athletes
- Organized, patience, determined, flexible and adaptable
- Ability to support student-athletes within a high-performance varsity environment
VALUES & ATTRIBUTES:
- Alignment with institution values and strategic plan pillars.
- Upholding core competencies associated with the institution’s four pillars.
- Ability to promote, or at least respect, the institution’s Catholic mission and identity
- Ability to foster equity, diversity, and inclusion, as well as Truth and Reconciliation.
OUR COMMITMENTS:
St. Mary’s University is committed to Indigenous Truth and Reconciliation. Our land acknowledgement and Indigenous initiatives information can be found at https://stmu.ca/campus-life/indigenous-initiatives/. St. Mary’s University is an
equal opportunity institution. We hire on the basis of merit and are passionate about building and sustaining an
equitable and welcoming campus environment where diversity in all areas is celebrated and valued. If you require
support services or accommodations during any stage of the recruitment process, please include this in your application.
All requests will be handled with the utmost confidentiality.
APPLICATIONS:
Please email application packages to Human Resources in one .pdf formatted document with the Subject Line of: “Head Coach” by May 15, 2026. All applicants must submit a cover letter with salary expectations, resume, and contact information of three most recent supervisors and/or written letters of recommendation. Previous employees should submit an updated resume and updated credentials if applicable. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply. Canadian citizens, permanent residents and others currently legally authorized to work in Canada will be given priority.
We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those applicants being interviewed will be contacted. No phone calls please
Work Location: In person
