Club Support Manager
Salary: £37,500 negotiable
Hours: 35 hours per week. However the postholder will be required to work such hours as may be necessary for the proper performance of the duties of the role. A flexible approach to work is requires as evening and weekend working will be involved
Location: Home Based
Job Purpose
To support EA member clubs to grow and sustain themselves in a focused way, so that people of all ages have access to athletics and running opportunities in their local communities that offer high quality experiences and are sustainable longer term.
The Club Support Manager role:
· Will work strategically as part of a club support team to provide high quality support and guidance that aims to transform and modernise the EA Club Network at a local level.
· Will disseminate and interpret relevant sector wide insights into useable information for member clubs and key local partners
· Will support member clubs to build long term sustainable structures and high quality environments for current and new members, and the wider local community
· Will play a key role in ensuring the athletics facilities stock can be maintained and preserved in key strategic locations and ensure work in this area is connected to the modernisation programme for member clubs
· Will play a vital role in activating member benefits to affiliated clubs and registered members through the coordination and delivery of key programmes at a local level
· Will offer focused and generic support to member clubs on matters ranging from business planning and volunteer recruitment and retention, to coach development, facility planning and club-community networking.
· Will work with, and through, partner organisations such as CSPs and Local Authorities at a local and sub-regional level in a strategic and targeted way to leverage support for our strategic plan and to raise overall standards of provision in the sport of athletics and running.
· Will develop strategies that capitalise on both key opportunities and overcome significant threats for the development of the sport that are identified in their geographical patch.
· Will lead the effective advocacy and promotion of the England Athletics strategic priorities in the designated location by working with, and through, specific clubs and key partner organisations, coordinating programmes of work to support the ongoing development of the sport.
Key Responsibilities
· Lead the effective implementation of a Club Support Programme across a defined geographical area which includes:
o Identification and selection of focus clubs against specific criteria
o Support focus clubs with the development and implementation of detailed business plans
o Facilitate and deliver local events, workshops and seminar programmes for clubs, covering key topics that directly impact on the area of club modernisation
o Implement the delivery of Athletics 365 Academies at key sites / clubs
· Lead on facility planning and development across a defined geographical area and ensure work in this area connects to the Club Support Programme through:
o Identification of key sites for development and gaps in provision across the geographical area
o Supporting clubs to develop Facility Viability Plans and identify opportunities to develop Hub-and-Spoke facility frameworks
o Work with clubs and facility owners to offer advice and guidance on opportunities and threats to local facilities within the framework of the EA Facilities Strategy
· Lead the effective implementation of a Coach, Official and Volunteer Support Programme in their area which includes:
o Establishing mechanisms to provide peer to peer mentoring and development support between club leader’s, coaches/leaders, and volunteers.
o Facilitate and deliver local events, workshops and seminar programmes for coaches, officials and volunteers
o Support the delivery of new and existing programmes connected to the 2017 Inspiration Programme and the EA Volunteer Strategy
· Effectively and efficiently manage a delegated budget to initiate and support key programmes
· To activate member benefits across the affiliated club network through delivery of key programmes which specifically include Athletics 365, Club Run and the EA Awards Programme. (There will be a need to act as a local touch point of contact to affiliated clubs – but is this something we need to add into the JD?)
· Work strategically, and act as an account manager, to key partners such as CSPs and Local Authorities to offer advice and guidance on linking key programmes into the athletics and running delivery structures and ensuring added value can be offered to affiliated clubs through these local partners.
· Be accountable for ensuring that all work delivered reflects and reinforces the core values of England Athletics namely Pride, Integrity and Inclusivity.
All employees are expected to maintain high standards of customer care in the context of England Athletics, to uphold the Equality and Diversity Policy and health and safety standards and to participate in training activities necessary to their role.
Main Job Requirements and Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training:
· Educated to degree level or equivalent
· Evidence of continuing professional development throughout career.
Specific Experience:
Required / Essential:
· Experience of developing / supporting volunteer led organisations (preferably sports clubs) to become long term sustainable bodies
· Understanding and familiarity of Local Authorities, the Education sector and other key stakeholders in the community sport landscape
· Experience of organising and managing projects, preferably within a community sport context
· Passionate about grassroots sport and the impact it has on local communities and individuals
· Demonstrable experience of building strong and lasting relationships in a working environment
· Experience of effective budget management
Desired
· Previous experience of mentoring, preferably working with volunteers.
· A working knowledge of athlete development and coach development.
· Previous experience of inclusion work, preferably through sport
· Previous experience of supporting and influencing volunteers to offer/deliver high quality experiences for those who participate in their activities
· Previous experience of facility planning and development
· Previous experience of interpreting and utilising key information from available insight to deliver products and services
Closing date for applications is 4 June
