sport england

Time commitment

Two days per week on average.

Location of meetings
Board meetings are usually but not always held at Sport England’s headquarters in Central London. Other meetings/events can take place anywhere in the country. Some foreign travel may also be necessary.

Remuneration
£45,000 a year.

Term of appointment
The appointment is expected to be made in September 2008 for a four year term.

Background
Sport England operates under a Royal Charter and is a Government funded Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) and Lottery Distributor. It distributes both Lottery and Exchequer funds to sport, totalling some £265m in 2006/07.

The 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games provide an unprecedented opportunity to create a world leading grassroots and community sports system. Sport England’s main priority will be to build a world leading community sports infrastructure. Within this will be a key role to increase the number of regular participants in sport by 1 million, which will contribute to the Government’s target of getting two million more people more active by 2012. Sport England also has a key role to play in other areas, including the national school sport strategy, and securing new private investment into community sport. It is also a funder of key venues for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, such as the Aquatics Centre and Velopark.

The role
The Chair leads a main board which currently consists of 12 other members appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The post-holder, in close collaboration with the Chief Executive, will be responsible for:

Overseeing delivery of Sport England’s objectives within the policy and resources framework agreed with DCMS Ministers. Specifically, this includes:

o Delivering Sport England’s new strategy to create a world leading community sport infrastructure ensuring a lasting legacy for community sport from the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012
o Delivering Sport England’s contribution to the National PE and Sport Strategy for Young People – providing more sporting and volunteering opportunities for young people by extending and diversifying the community sport offer, through working with NGBs and County Sport Partnerships, and delivering high quality coaches.
o Delivering 1 million more people participating in regular sport - Sport England’s contribution to meeting the Government’s target to get 2 million more people more active by 2012
o Working with stakeholders to increase participation in sport by under-represented groups
o Developing talent pathways and infrastructure to allow everyone the opportunity to reach their sporting potential.
o Contributing to the government’s strategy on sports facilities

Working alongside DCMS and other sporting organisations – particularly the Youth Sport Trust and UK Sport - to ensure a joined-up sporting landscape.
Ensuring Sport England takes maximum advantage of the opportunity to partner community sport with commercial organizations, generating at least £50m of new investment into community sport during the next three years.
Representing the organisation to a wide range of interested parties at a national and international level (assistance will be offered to ensure anyone with disabilities could attend meetings). This will include building an effective personal working relationship with DCMS Ministers and the Department.
Ensuring that Sport England complies with statutory or administrative requirements accompanying the public funding it receives (£116 million of Exchequer Funding and around £120 million of Lottery funding in 2007/08)
Ensuring that Sport England observes the highest standards of corporate governance at all times and operates within the limits of its delegated authority agreed with DCMS

The person
The successful candidate will have:

A strong track record of strategic leadership in public service, business or sport, including experience of chairing and successfully overseeing major strategic changes and embedding culture change in a large organisation.
A proven ability to deliver results.
Excellent communication and presentational skills and the ability to work in partnership with other partners in central government, other non-governmental agencies and sporting organisations across the country.
A broad understanding of the structure of sport in England and appreciation of diversity issues related to encouraging greater participation of under-represented and priority groups in sport.
A strong grasp of the principles of public sector propriety, regularity and accountability, and experience of overseeing significant budgets and programmes.

Supporting information
This appointment is made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in consultation with the Prime Minister.
Sport England and DCMS support an equal opportunities policy. Applications are welcome from women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds and disabled people. Appointments are made on merit and are regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

To apply
For further information and to request a detailed application pack, please contact Amber Noble on 020 7932 4226 or email amber.noble@veredus.co.uk For an informal and confidential discussion about this role, please contact our advising consultants John Dodd on 0870 190 4340 or Roger Russell on 020 7932 4263.

Closing date for applications is Monday 30 June 2008.