Head of Talent Pathways in Bristol

We are looking for an inspirational leader to drive our pathway to new heights and work cohesively with several stakeholders to develop young talent in high performance environments. We are excited to advertise this role as it presents an incredible opportunity to identify and shape the future of young cricketers within Gloucestershire.

Basic objective

The Head of Talent Pathway will lead the delivery of the Boys & Girls County Talent Pathway strategy to identify and develop the highest potential cricketers for Gloucestershire and England.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop a compelling strategy for Gloucestershire’s County Talent Pathway and oversee all County Talent Pathway cricket in the county, including the boy’s Academy, Emerging Player Programmes (EPP), County Age Group squads and Early Engagement Programmes (EEP).
• Line manage and organise all pathway staff, ensuring adherence to the County Partnership Agreement and the Pathway Performance review process.
• Execute a player identification strategy to encompass the Academy, Emerging Player Programme and County Age Group Squads whilst leading the delivery of individualised and holistic development programmes for current players.
• Plan and deliver a comprehensive winter training programme and summer fixture schedules for Academy, EPP and County Age Group Squads, working closely with our age group coaches to align with their availability and selection process of players.
• Develop, maintain and implement a talent development framework to guide pathway delivery, player identification and coach development including high quality coaching interventions to County Talent Pathway individuals/teams, as agreed with relevant Coaching staff.
• Ensure excellent organisation, administration and communication of the pathway programmes to provide efficient and effective programme delivery in line with a closely monitored Talent Pathway budget to include budget planning and reporting process.
• Liaise with England age-group coaches and ECB colleagues to ensure effective communication relating to the nomination and support of pathway players in regional and national programmes.
• Create an effective link and communication channel with other relevant stages (2nd XI/first team, Tier 1 & Tier 3 women’s counties) as well as local club, national county partners and community areas, to ensure the Gloucestershire pathway is appropriately connected.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with National Counties, SACA & Ace Programme to identify talent and work closely with the ECB Regional Talent Managers to ensure the on‑going advancement of the pathway programmes.

Additional Information

On occasions the Head of Talent Pathways may be asked to support Gloucestershire CCC in other areas as directed by the Head Coach.

Working Relationships

• Age Group Coaches and Managers
• Tier 1 & Tier 3 women’s Counties
• Head of Cricket Administration
• Local Clubs & Schools
• Other First Class Counties
• Talent Leaders
• County & National Scouting network

Knowledge and Qualifications

• A clear understanding of what qualities and characteristics are required for a young person to develop, thrive and perform within a professional cricket organisation.
• Experience of setting up and delivering engaging coaching programmes in a high performance environment.
• ECB Level 4, or ECB Level 3 working towards a Level 4 qualification (or overseas equivalent).
• Wide range of coaching experience and can demonstrate high‑level knowledge of the boys’ and girls’ pathway system to include leading a Talent Pathway.

Personal Specification

• This person must be a natural leader capable of collaborating effectively, engaging best practice and driving a culture of improvement.
• An innovative thinker with the ambition to deliver an engaging and stimulating talent development programme within an agreed budget.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to speak to large groups of players and parents, and able to communicate effectively when dealing with selection issues.
• Outstanding administration skills with the ability to curate and implement a strategic framework within a sporting organisation.
• Current DBS, Child Protection (Safeguarding Young People) and First Aid.
• Ability to travel independently between sites (Full and valid UK driving licence).
• Excellent coaching skills with experience of working with elite cricketers.

The successful applicant will therefore be required to apply for a disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). A disclosure is an impartial and confidential document that details an individual’s criminal record and where appropriate gives details of those who are banned from working with children.

This Job Description should not be regarded as exclusive or exhaustive. It is intended as an outline of areas of major activity and will be amended in the light of changing circumstances at GCCC.

As an equal opportunities employer, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

To Apply

To apply for this role, please email recruitment@glosccc.co.uk with your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability and motivation for the position. Applications will be reviewed on 5 January. However, we reserve the right to keep the application process open for a further extension, depending on the number of applications received.