Harbour Rugby is seeking an exceptional Junior Rugby Manager to lead and grow one of New Zealand's largest junior rugby programmes, and to help deliver our purpose of Improving Lives through Rugby.
With 6,000 junior players and more than 400 junior coaches across our network, this is a pivotal role. You will strengthen club environments, drive participation and shape the future of junior rugby across the Harbour region.
About Us
North Harbour Rugby covers 12 clubs across the region bounded by the Mahurangi, Waitematā and Kaipara harbours. The club season runs from March to early August.
The region also has 18 secondary schools, and 14 of them enters teams in a strong local competition. Many of these schools have close relationships with their local clubs.
Harbour has the third-largest female playing population in New Zealand, and it is growing 10% year on year. Our female players have embraced non-contact formats such as Rippa and Rip Rugby, showing the rest of the country that non-traditional formats are vital to the sustainability of our sport.
Our representative teams compete nationally and regionally, and our senior men's side plays in the Hilux NPC.
About the Role
You will sit within the Rugby Engagement & Participation team, whose purpose is to maximise engagement and participation through quality experiences. The team works across game development with players, coaches, match officials, volunteers and administrators. It also delivers festivals, tournaments and activations for junior, youth and senior participants.
As the key driver of junior rugby in North Harbour, you will:
Grow and enhance Junior Rugby participation across Harbour clubs
Lead the delivery of Primary and Intermediate School Festivals
Oversee Small Blacks Coach Education and support ongoing coach development
Act as the key Relationship Manager for Junior Rugby
Support Community Rugby programmes and manage them within budget
About You
You are passionate about developing young people through rugby, and thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment. You bring:
A strong passion for Junior Rugby and youth development
Innovative thinking and a continuous improvement mindset
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
Strong facilitation and presentation capabilities
Experience in junior sport or community programmes
The ability to work effectively with multiple stakeholders
Strong organisational and event management skills
The Harbour Way
At Harbour Rugby:
Be a Team: Be proud of who we represent and put the team first
Be Connected: Connect with one another and with our community
Be About People: Value our people and help others reach their goals
Be the Example: Lead with integrity and do what we say we will do
If you want to make a real impact on the future of Junior Rugby in our region, we'd love to hear from you.
Apply now with your CV and cover letter via SEEK, or contact Head of Rugby Engagement & Participation Jacob Corbett for more details [email protected]
The closing date for candidates to submit applications is Thursday 12th November 2026
You can find the full job description on our website www.harbourrugby.co.nz