Performance & Operations Director

Organisation

British Surfing

Salary

Competitive based on experience

Location

Home based but with travel around the UK

Contract type

Permanent (Full time)

Closing date

28 June 2022

Job Description

Introduction

British Surfing is a relatively new organisation, formed in 2019 by the four home nation surfing federations to enable a step change in the performance of the sport. Since the sports advent at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games surfing has now been confirmed for Paris 2024 and with LA planned for 2028 and Brisbane 2032 the expectation is that sport will strengthen in each Olympic cycle. British Surfing has recently been awarded progression grant funding worth £1.35 Million from UK Sport which will give us the opportunity to support talented surfers and develop an effective progression pathway. This is a game-changer for the sport and will enable us to work with the surfing community to build the foundations of talent and world-class performance programmes that complement the culture of surfing.

British Surfing now has the funding, the opportunity and the ambition to create this new Performance role, to raise performance and develop a successful team of homegrown athletes.

We’re looking for a progressive, knowledgeable and enthusiastic leader that can:

• add sustainable value to existing systems and structures that amplifies the impact of any investment (by UK Sport or other agencies).
• Initiate transformational change.
• Test and explore new approaches to high performance.
• Enable the gaps to eligibility for investment at Academy and above to be understood and bridged.
• Provide leadership and expertise to the surfer and coach development pathway (coaching development & pathway leadership).
• Work with the home countries with the creation of the right environment to provide surfer time on task enabling a progression to performance pathway.

You’ll be an integral part of the British Surfing team at one of the most pivotal points in the sport’s history and will help shape the future of Elite surfing in the Great Britain.

There has never been a better time to be part of British Surfing and we are now seeking an ambitious and accomplished individual to develop and lead the organisation towards world class success. This will require an individual who can inspire and motivate our people, engage and excite our stakeholders and ensure British Surfing is a high performing organisation.

JOB TITLE:
Performance & Operations Director

REPORTS TO:
British Surfing Board

SALARY:
Competitive

BENEFITS:
Pension Contributions, allowable expenses

HOLIDAYS:
25 days per year plus statutory days

CONTRACT:
Full-Time. (Funding confirmed until March 2025)

HOURS OF WORK:
Such hours as are necessary to fulfil the duties. This will involve a minimum of 35 hours per week and may include evenings, weekends, public holidays as well as considerable time out of the country.

LOCATION:
Home based but with travel around the UK

REQUIREMENTS:
Full UK driving license and own vehicle (a mileage allowance will be paid) & DBS Check

British Surfing are committed to becoming a more diverse and inclusive organisation to bring new and different perspectives to our work. So that we can more closely reflect UK society, we particularly encourage applications from individuals within groups which are currently underrepresented within our organisation, most specifically candidates from an ethnically diverse background and/or individuals with a disability or long-term health conditions.

The Role

The Executive Performance Lead will be responsible for the establishment, delivery and implementation of the Progression strategy for British Surfing, through clear and decisive leadership and sound business judgement to ensure the overall success, growth and business efficiency of British Surfing. Principal accountabilities include:

1 Organisational Leadership:

A. People and Culture:

• Develop, establish, articulate, and live every day, the organisational culture and values, ensuring they are true to the sport and embedded across the organisation and in its people’s behaviours, recruitment, training, and development.

• Establish, and manage, a high performing team of goal-focused staff and coaches with expertise and complementary skills who collaborate, innovate, and succeed.

• Ensure that British Surfing is an inclusive sport, and that inclusivity, equality and diversity is reflected in
every aspect of British Surfing’s work.

• To line manage the Pathway and Team Manager.

B. Governance:

• Working with the Chair and the Board, ensure that British Surfing exhibits strong effective governance including appropriate management of public funds and compliance with the Code for Sports Governance.

• Ensure continued adherence to robust governance, legal and regulatory processes to demonstrate British Surfing’s corporate and financial integrity to stakeholders, members, and funding partners.

• Identify risks on a quarterly basis and ensure appropriate strategies are in place to address them.

C. Budget Management

• Build commercial revenue to underpin continued investment, success, and development of the sport.

D. Relationship Development and Management

• Lead the relationships with key funding bodies to include the preparation and submission of high-quality funding applications to maximise investment into the sport.

• Maintain and build further the strong relationships with the Home Nations to ensure that British Surfing plays its full part in supporting their work and vice versa.

• Act as the Accountable Officer for the funding and significant relationships with UK Sport and other key partners.

• Develop and Foster key relationships with the Chair, Board Members, Athletes and Coaches, UK Sport, the home nation governing bodies, the British Olympic Association, the International Surfing Association and the European Surfing Federation.

2. Performance/ Progression Strategy Leadership

• Refine and drive the Progression strategy for British Surfing in conjunction with the Board, ensuring British Surfing sets the right objectives, selects the right strategies and allocates the appropriate resources to achieve its plans and goals.

• Inspire, and lead the performance pathway programme for the Progression strategy ensuring it is developing towards being world leading in everything it does, for example within: coaching, sport science/medicine, coach development, team behaviours, athlete engagement and wellbeing.

• Oversee the development and implementation of the talent strategy and performance plan, including management of the Progression programme, by providing the appropriate leadership and support for all staff.

• Develop British Surfing’s portfolio of events to drive maximum public engagement and profile for the sport, working in close partnership with UK Sport, Home Nations and other key partners as required.

Finally, in order to embrace some of the inevitable uncertainty of developing this new British Surfing Programme within a pre-existing wider British and global surfing culture, the Executive Performance Lead will need to be open and flexible to taking on different and additional responsibilities over time.

The Candidate

Applications are invited from Candidates who demonstrate the following key skills, experience and behaviours:

Essential

• Strong project management skills and excellent financial awareness, with a proven ability to control budgets and forecasts.

• An accomplished senior level executive with demonstrable experience of motivating, leading, and managing a high performance, diverse, multi-discipline professional and volunteer team in a people-focused environment.

• An entrepreneurial approach to develop a new organisation and take the sport onto the Olympic stage (and potentially the Paralympic stage in future), whilst taking the broader membership and stakeholders with you, through considered consultation and communication.

• Ability to promote, embed and advance equality, diversity and inclusion throughout the organisation.

Desirable

• A comprehensive understanding of high-performance sporting systems, including coaching, sport science, performance planning, competitions (domestic and international) and talent pathways.

• A collaborative and empowering leadership style with a sound knowledge of typical priorities within a National Governing Body.

• The skill, ability and experience to continually develop members of the British Surfing team in a high performing organisation.

• An understanding of the importance of sporting governance, including the structures and discipline required to deliver it.

• A strong understanding of producing funding applications and maximising public funding for the sport.

• Commercially astute with a comprehensive understanding of sponsorship and how to develop a strategy to enhance the partnerships potential for the organisation.

• Experience of developing a brand and a good understanding of how digital transformation can enable efficiencies and generate commercial opportunities.

• Candidates may not necessarily have knowledge and experience of surfing but will be able to demonstrate strong experience in the other areas outlined above.

HOW TO APPLY:

British Surfing actively promotes diversity in employment and sport and welcomes applications from all parts of the community.

To apply, please send a covering letter stating why you are suitable for the role and your CV including your salary expectations and current notice period to: Victoria Gosling, Chair, British Surfing, Britishsurfingchair@gmail.com

Closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on 28th June 2022.

Selection Process:

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online first interview.

Final interviews will take place in London in the British Olympic Association Office.

How to apply

British Surfing actively promotes diversity in employment and sport and welcomes applications from all parts of the community. To apply, please send a covering letter stating why you are suitable for the role and your CV including your salary expectations and current notice period to: Victoria Gosling, Chair, British Surfing, Britishsurfingchair@gmail.com Closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on 28th June 2022. Selection Process: Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an online first interview. Final interviews will take place in London in the British Olympic Association Office.