County Talent Pathway Lead - Women and Girls

Working as part of the England Women’s Cricket Leadership Team, the role connects the international pathway with the wider county game, ensuring strong collaboration across the cricket network to support the development of future England players. The postholder will provide strategic and operational direction for the girls’ talent pathway, helping to create high-quality development environments and programmes across academies, emerging player pathways and county age group cricket. By building strong relationships with counties and key stakeholders, the role will help ensure a joined-up, inspiring and sustainable player journey across the women’s and girls’ game.

WHO WE ARE

The England and Wales Cricket Board is the national governing body for all cricket in England and Wales, supporting the game at every level – from grassroots to professional. We believe cricket is a force for good that can have an enduring impact on everyone’s lives and we have an ambitious strategy to inspire a generation to say ‘cricket is a game for me’. It provides great entertainment. It teaches important skills, both physical and social. It can help inclusion and social cohesion, bringing communities together. The ECB wants cricket to be the most inclusive sport in England and Wales. The ECB welcomes applications from all backgrounds to ensure we deliver our Inspiring Generations strategy and fulfil our purpose to connect communities and improve lives through cricket.

OUR VALUES

• Run on respect. We ensure our game is based on fairness, respect and decency.
• Embrace enjoyment. We make sure everyone finds fun in the game.
• Build belonging. We actively include so everyone can find a place in the game.
• Progress with purpose. We stay open to change to keep the game moving forward.

YOU’LL LOVE THIS JOB IF

• You are passionate about developing world-class holistic talent development environments.
• You are a creative thinker with a commitment to developing and implementing innovative ideas and putting them into practice.

YOU’LL BE

• Part of the England Women’s Cricket Leadership Team influencing strategy for international and county talent pathways.
• Playing a fundamental role in connecting and optimising collaboration between the England Women’s international pathway and the wider county game.
• Playing a key leadership role in managing relationships across talent development stakeholders within the women’s and girls’ game.
• Driving collaboration across the cricket network to develop inspirational talent pathways.
• Providing strategic and operational direction to the girls’ talent pathway through the Talent Pathway Advisory Group, to ensure a game wide approach to talent development, driving high-quality player development programmes and environments across Academies, Emerging Player Programmes and County Age Group Programmes.
• Ensuring the Talent Pathway Action Plan delivers on its commitments to the girls’ pathway and wider game.
• Representing the women’s and girls’ game in the ongoing management and development of the County Partnership Agreements.
• Developing gamewide insight to ensure talent pathway competition and match play offerings evolve with the ongoing needs of the players, counties and international pathways.
• Leading and monitoring the development and delivery of the ECB Girls’ Talent Development Framework to ensure a game wide understanding of an effective player journey that values holistic and quality experiences in the development of talent.
• Work in collaboration with ECB Coach Development to establish CPD opportunities for High Performance Coaches working across the women’s professional game.
• Ensuring the evolution and development of ‘Best in Class’ talent development environments underpinned by contemporary and contextualised independent review processes and support.
• Identifying bespoke development opportunities for women’s and girls’ talent pathway staff and liaising with relevant ECB departments (e.g., Coach Development) to implement programmes of development.
• Managing the relationship with key stakeholders e.g., Sport England, DISE, SportsAid & TASS.
• Ensuring the girls’ talent pathway is meeting the demands of the England Women’s Cricket Pathway.

YOU’LL HAVE

• A degree in sports science / management / coaching or a related field.
• Extensive knowledge and a commitment to creating holistic performance pathways.
• Experience and understanding of the complexities of planning, implementing, and managing successful talent identification and development programmes within performance sport.
• An ability to influence across organisational structures and systems.
• A proven ability to be able to communicate clearly and effectively – both in writing and orally.
• Excellent organisational and administrative skills.
• A team player with a collaborative approach to ways of working.
• Proven experience of building effective working relationships.
• Experience of and a commitment to work flexible hours and undertaking national travel.

YOU’LL RECEIVE

• Holiday - 25 days a year.
• Volunteering – 2 days a year.
• Pension Scheme.
• Private medical insurance.
• Employee health cash-back plan.
• Long-term sickness insurance.
• Life assurance - a multiple of your annual basic salary.
• Enhanced family leave and pay.
• OpenBlend - an innovative coaching and performance management tool.
• Learning and Development - a range of programmes and initiatives to help you develop and reach your potential.
• Employee Assistance Programme - 24/7 confidential access to expert services including counselling, wellbeing, and independent legal and financial advice.
• Cycle 2 Work Scheme.
• Season ticket loan.
• Preferential access to tickets to England games.
• Opportunities to be a part of and be involved in our Employee Resource groups: Women in Cricket Employee Network, Race in Cricket Employee Network, Social Equality in Cricket Employee Network, Cricketability Employee Network (formerly called the Disability in Cricket Employee Network) and LGBTQ+ Community in Cricket Employee Network.