Interim Director of Community & Sport Development (maternity cover) in Loughborough

Contract type: Minimum 12-month fixed term (maternity cover). Full time preferred; part-time arrangements may be considered

Location: British Triathlon Head Office, Loughborough, with hybrid working and national travel as required

Salary: Up to £75000 per annum

Job Description

Position Overview

This is a significant 12-month leadership opportunity within British Triathlon and Triathlon England. The postholder will provide continuity, clarity and support to the Development Directorate during a busy period of delivery and future planning.

The role spans participation, clubs and regions, events and workforce. A central focus will be enabling the directorate’s senior leaders and wider team to succeed, while maintaining momentum across existing programmes and commitments.

Purpose of the role

The Interim Director of Community & Sport Development will provide visible, supportive and effective leadership to the Development Directorate throughout the maternity cover period. The postholder will ensure that the team remains connected, well supported and focused on the priorities that matter most.

Working in partnership with colleagues across British Triathlon, Triathlon England and Sport England, the role will lead the adoption and operationalisation of the British Triathlon and Triathlon England strategies, support the regional restructure proposal, and lead the organisation’s Sport England investment process.

As a member of the Executive Team, the postholder will also contribute to wider organisational leadership, bring a strong cross-functional perspective and represent the Development Directorate with confidence and credibility.

Key Tasks

Leadership and team support

• Provide clear, inclusive and supportive leadership to the Development Directorate, leading and coaching the six Heads to create the clarity, confidence and conditions for the team to perform at its best.
• Maintain effective structures, ways of working and decision-making that promote collaboration, accountability and shared ownership.
• Provide leadership continuity as a proactive Executive Team member and strategic link with the Development Directorate, representing its priorities and translating organisational strategy, decisions and communications into clear direction and action.

Strategy and organisational priorities

• Lead the adoption and operationalisation of the British Triathlon and Triathlon England strategies, translating priorities into directorate plans, objectives and measures embedded across teams, programmes, budgets and governance.
• Provide strategic oversight across participation, events, workforce and coaching, clubs and regions, and place-based development, balancing business-as-usual delivery with strategic change and investment activity.

Sport England investment

• Lead British Triathlon’s Sport England investment process, working across the organisation and with Sport England to develop a compelling, evidence-led investment proposition aligned with organisational and Sport England priorities.
• Build and maintain a strong, trusted relationship with Sport England, leading planning, negotiation, assurance, reporting and decision-making, while ensuring existing commitments and funded programmes remain well governed and on track.

Operational delivery and partnerships

• Support high-quality, sustainable programmes and services that open up swim, bike, run and triathlon to more people and communities, working collaboratively across Performance, Commercial, Marketing, Membership, Digital, Finance, Governance and Operations to ensure joined-up delivery.
• Represent British Triathlon and Triathlon England with key partners, stakeholders, governance groups and delivery organisations, maintaining effective relationships with Triathlon Scotland and Welsh Triathlon and identifying opportunities for collaboration, shared learning and greater alignment.

Finance, performance and governance

• Oversee directorate budgets, forecasting, financial management, objectives, performance measures, impact indicators and delivery risks, ensuring resources are aligned to priorities and used responsibly.
• Ensure high-quality reporting to the Executive Team, British Triathlon Board, Triathlon England Management Board and Sport England; support relevant committees and governance structures; and promote sound governance, risk management, safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, and environmental responsibility.

Relationships

The role reports to the Chief Executive Officer and is a member of the British Triathlon Executive Team. The postholder will have responsibility for a directorate budget of approximately £3 million and will directly line manage the Head of Place and Community Participation, Head of Sport Development, Head of Workforce, Head of Events, Head of Clubs & Regions and Head of Customer Experience with a wider directorate team of approximately 30 people.

Key relationships will include:

• Chief Executive Officer and Executive Team
• Development Directorate leadership team and wider staff
• Sport England
• Triathlon England Management Board and associated governance groups
• Regional volunteers and representatives
• Welsh Triathlon
• Triathlon Trust and other delivery partners

About You

You will be an experienced senior leader who combines strategic perspective with a practical, supportive and delivery-focused approach. You will be comfortable stepping into an established team, building trust quickly and providing stability while progressing important organisational priorities.

Our values sit at the heart of everything we do, and we’re looking for someone who truly lives them:

• Inclusive ; welcomes and supports people from all backgrounds, ensuring everyone can participate, feel safe and belong.
• People Centred ; puts athletes, volunteers, colleagues and communities at the heart of decisions and ways of working.
• Ambitious ; strives for high performance and continuous improvement, on and off the field of play.
• Do What’s Right ; acts with integrity, transparency and fairness, even when that is the more challenging route

In addition to these values, the following knowledge, skills, and experience are essential or desirable for this role.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Significant senior leadership experience, with a track record of leading, supporting and developing high-performing teams.
• Demonstrable experience of translating organisational strategy into clear priorities, plans and successful delivery.
• Strong people leadership skills, with the ability to build trust quickly, provide clarity and lead effectively through periods of change.
• Experience of operating at senior leadership or Executive Team level and contributing to organisation-wide decision-making.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with experience of building trusted relationships across complex organisations and partnerships.
• Experience of managing significant budgets, resources, performance and organisational risk.
• Experience of working with governance structures, boards and or senior committees, including providing clear and effective reporting.
• Experience of developing or managing significant investment/funding relationships and associated planning, assurance and reporting.
• Experience of working with Sport England or another major public-sector funder.
• Experience within sport, physical activity, membership organisations and or the voluntary sector.
• Understanding of events, coaching, workforce, volunteer, club or community development.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage and influence people at all levels.
• A collaborative, inclusive and people-centred leadership style aligned with British Triathlon's values.
• Sound judgement, resilience and the confidence to make decisions and navigate complexity.
• Knowledge of triathlon and the wider swim, bike and run landscape is desirable.

Other

A full UK driving licence

If you’re inspired and excited about working at British Triathlon, we’d love to hear from you!

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