Ninoslav Kovacevic
Halifax,NS
Summary
Experienced, bilingual, and Master's-educated professional in club development and coach development within the not-for-profit soccer sector. Previous Club Licensing Lead at Soccer Nova Scotia. NCCP and Canada Soccer trained Coach Developer, Evaluator, and Master Coach Developer. Demonstrated ability to mentor and train diverse teams, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards while achieving organizational objectives. Skilled in facilitating productive discussions among diverse community groups.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Executive Director
United DFC
Halifax, Nova Scotia
03.2025 - Current
- Operational lead for a non-profit with 2,700 members.
- Manage a $1.8M budget and staff.
- Responsible for all operations of the organization, including soccer development, finance, HR, and other functions.
Independent Contractor
Canada Soccer
Halifax, Nova Scotia
09.2023 - Current
- Assist in the delivery of the CONCACAF B Diploma.
- Support coaches through their work within the B diploma.
- Support Canada Soccer in the evaluation of coaches who took the old B License.
Director of Coach and Club Development
Soccer Nova Scotia
Halifax, NS
07.2021 - 02.2024
- Developed, implemented, and evaluated a provincially scoped club licensing program, supporting policies, operational processes, and necessary staff resources.
- Trained, supported, mentored, and evaluated a variety of volunteers and staff against key objectives regarding our organizational performance.
- Sat on the following Canada Soccer committees: Soccer Development, Club Licensing, and Coach Education.
Strategic Development Consultant
Soccer Nova Scotia
Halifax, Nova Scotia
07.2018 - 07.2021
- Supported the delivery of the Canada Soccer C License and grassroots community education courses.
- Worked with Clubs to increase internal coach development capacity.
- Led the delivery of the standards-based Regional Excel Girls program.
Director of Soccer Development
Highland District Soccer Association
Halifax, Nova Scotia
08.2015 - 06.2018
- Increased the coach certification rate by 365%.
- Developed and implemented an overarching volunteer recruitment, certification, and mentorship plan.
- Liaised with stakeholders, schools, provincial government, and other sporting groups to build and fund a comprehensive coach recruitment and development strategy.
- Supported delivery of X-Women and X-Men Varsity Soccer Programs.
Education
Masters of Education - Adult Education & Health, Curriculum & Instruction
Saint Francis Xavier University
Antigonish, NS05-2024
Certificate - Human Resources Management
Saint Mary's University
Halifax, NS01-2015
Bachelor of Arts - International Development Studies W. Minor in Bus.
University of King's College
Halifax, NS05-2013
Skills
- In-person and virtual presentation expertise
- Comfortable in Office 365 and Google Workspace
- Project management
- Public speaking
- Team leadership: people development and mentorship
- Community engagement
- Program development and evaluation
- Compliance with regulatory standards
- Strategic planning and execution
- Budget management
- Policy development, implementation, and evaluation
- Group facilitation skills, hosting conversations, and generative discussions
Certification
- Trained CAC Master Coach Developer
- Trained CAC Coach Evaluator
- Trained CAC Learning Facilitator - Making Ethical Decisions
- Trained Canada Soccer Children's License Coach
- Certified Canada Soccer B License Coach
- Red Cross Certified - CPR & First Aid Services
Languages
English
Native/ Bilingual
Serbo-Croatian
Native/ Bilingual
Timeline
Executive Director
United DFC
03.2025 - Current
Independent Contractor
Canada Soccer
09.2023 - Current
Director of Coach and Club Development
Soccer Nova Scotia
07.2021 - 02.2024
Strategic Development Consultant
Soccer Nova Scotia
07.2018 - 07.2021
Director of Soccer Development
Highland District Soccer Association
08.2015 - 06.2018
Masters of Education - Adult Education & Health, Curriculum & Instruction
Saint Francis Xavier University
Certificate - Human Resources Management
Saint Mary's University
Bachelor of Arts - International Development Studies W. Minor in Bus.
University of King's College