Head Coach Western Team/Herd Caretaker

SEARCH REOPENED

Midway University, located 14 miles outside Lexington, KY, is actively recruiting a full-time head coach to oversee our Western equestrian program. This position also has caretaking responsibility for the horses, as well as assisting with the daily operations of the farm. This is a full-time position with dual reporting to our Athletic Director and Farm Manager.  

Key responsibilities include the following: 

• Recruiting, with the Admissions team, to achieve roster goals, competitive success, and academic performance in accordance with admissions procedures and scholarship requirements.  

• Assist the farm manager with maintaining an appropriate size herd, along with conditioning and training of the herd horses. 

• Assist with the daily operation of the farm, including barn chores. 

• Assist with events hosted and held at the Equestrian Center, including Equine Preview Day 

• Organizing, scheduling, and leading daily practice sessions, game plan preparation and strategy, competitions, and off-season training. 

• Coordinating travel arrangements for away contests. 

• Supporting academic progress and enforcing discipline and sportsmanship behavior. 

• Hiring, supervising, and evaluating assistant coach and program volunteers. 

• Budgeting, fundraising, promoting and marketing the program. 

• Additional duties may be assigned by the Athletic Director and Farm Manager. 

Bachelor’s degree required; master's preferred. Previous demonstrated coaching experience is required, with head or assistant collegiate level experience preferred. Candidates should have familiarity with and working knowledge of rules and a commitment to a strong compliance culture, including IHSA, AQHA and YEDA. 

This position will require evening and weekend work as well as the ability to travel when the team competes. Housing is not available for this position. 

The selected individual should possess excellent interpersonal and communications skills, initiative, the ability to handle multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment, sound judgment, the ability to respond to emergency situations in a timely manner, a commitment to the academic and life skills development of student-athletes, the ability to maintain effective work relationships across campus, and previous experience with recruiting of student-athletes and management of coaches.   

Review of applications will begin immediately, and the position will remain open until filled. 

Midway University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.