Job title: Chief Executive Officer
Closing date: 20 March 2023
Applications to be sent to applications@sahockey.co.za
Contractual status:
Full-time. Candidates must be eligible to work in South Africa.
Remuneration:
The package will include a salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Location:
Johannesburg, Gauteng.
About South African Hockey:
South African Hockey is about the administration, development, and coordination of all activities of the game within South Africa in areas such as coaching umpiring and playing whether at International, Provincial, Clubs and Schools.
South African Hockey Association is a National Sports Association that manages Hockey in the country. We are affiliated to African Hockey Federation (AfHf), the FIH (International Hockey Federation), as well as the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC).
South African Hockey has 4 full time staff. A CEO, 2 administrators based in Illovo and a Project Manager based in Port Elizabeth. The Executive Board comprises of volunteers.
Vision:
A single integrated Hockey program that caters for ALL
Mission
Being in the top 8 in the world by unlocking Hockey potential by 2028
Values
- Inclusivity
- Social justice
- Trust
- Good clean corporate governance at all levels
The SA HOCKEY (SAHA) office is based in Illovo, Gauteng, but as Hockey is a national sport the focus and representation is across all nine provinces in South Africa.
Summary of the role:
Reporting to, and working closely with, the board of Hockey South Africa, the CEO is responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership for the organization, managing the SA Hockey (SAHA) staff and working with regional/provincial structures, affiliate and associate members to implement short, medium and long-term goals, strategies, plans, and policies.
The SA Hockey (SAHA) CEO will also work with the relevant SA Hockey (SAHA) board sub-committees to align the organisation with national governance policies and ensure that SA Hockey (SAHA) is compliant with the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. The CEO will develop our strategic plan and vision and engage and inspire all of our stakeholders to deliver it. Our CEO will be a dynamic, passionate and driven leader with a proven track record in a related role and have the credibility to drive our organisation to achieve its ambitions.
The CEO will have the ability to manage a complex portfolio of organisational responsibilities – including commercial and strategic priorities, operational effectiveness, stakeholder management, the implementation of financial and governance controls, change management and championing the organisation culture.
The CEO will need to have a strong but collaborative management style. He or she will also have excellent management prioritisation skills and will be experienced in delivering strategic projects and objectives. A background in Hockey would be preferred but is not mandatory. However, experience of the local and/or international sporting landscape is critical.
SA Hockey is committed to the Transformation imperatives of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture of South Africa and the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee, as contained in, amongst others, the Transformation Charter for South African Sport. These imperatives will be considered in this appointment.
Key responsibilities:
- Leadership & Strategic Planning:
- Working closely with the SA HOCKEY (SAHA) President, Vice-President and Board to provide leadership to the organisation.
- Prepare, promote and deliver the rolling strategic plan, annual operational plans, and annual reports.
- Represent SA Hockey at all Annual General Meetings, monitor, manage and review the organisation’s strategy and budgets, reporting on performance against agreed objectives.
- Work to create and drive a culture that is aligned to the vision, mission and values of the organisation.
- Manage change and growth across the organisation.
- Provide line management to members of the SA Hockey senior office management team – including goal setting and annual appraisals
- Empower all staff to grow and develop as both employees and individuals.
- Maintain a working knowledge of significant developments and trends across both global and local Hockey areas.
- Commercial, Marketing & Communications:
- Package and negotiate complex commercial transactions including media rights and sponsorship agreements
- Manage Commercial and sponsor relations to maximise revenue certainty by building long term partnerships
- Identify new programmes and other opportunities to expand the revenue base
- Work with the head of commercial, communications and stakeholder relationships to drive the organisations marketing and communication plan across all platforms.
- Assume the role of primary media spokesperson for SA Hockey.
- Stakeholder Management:
- Work with the SA Hockey President and Vice-President to build and maintain effective relationships with all key strategic partners – including FIH, the national Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, SASCOC, sponsors, provincial structures, affiliate and associate members of SA Hockey, clubs, players, parents and coaches.
- Help to create an environment where excellent relationships with all stakeholders can help deliver positive growth for the sport.
- Ensure an inclusive environment with consultation and dialogue at its core.
- Actively engage with the Hockey community to create an open dialogue on matters of significance.
- Financial & Risk Management:
- Support the SA Hockey President, Vice-President and board to ensure SA Hockey is best of class in the local sporting industry, with regards all governance matters and in compliance with all statutory frameworks.
- Manage the financial dealings of SA Hockey in a prudent, consistent and measured manner, in line with Board oversight.
- Maintain operational ownership, subject to all necessary governance controls, of the organisations full P & L (Profit & Loss) – including setting priorities for revenue generation and resource allocation, in order to support strategic priorities
- Work with the finance administrator and Treasurer to prepare annual budgets for consideration by the Board, MANCO and the SA Hockey finance committee. This includes providing regular analyses of actual financial results to the approved budget.
- Work with the various SA Hockey board sub-committees to manage risk across the organisation.
- Operational Delivery:
- Oversee the operational delivery of all SA Hockey projects and programmes.
- Working with the SA Hockey office staff to ensure all departments comply with and deliver on their operational budgets and plans.
- Ensuring that SA Hockey is appropriately structured to deliver successfully against the approved strategy and performance measures.
Required qualifications, experience, knowledge and qualities:
Essential
Qualifications
Post-graduate degree or similar qualification
Experience
A minimum of 10 years business experience, ideally with a track record of senior leadership in the sports industry
Senior staff management, at least 5 years’ experience.
Proven success in effectively leading, building, managing and motivating staff
A track record of outstanding stakeholder management in a complex operating environment.
Financial management and budgeting experience: Demonstrable ability to grow revenues and/or fund raise – including packaging, selling and negotiating sponsorship and media rights partnerships
Working knowledge of Hockey and the international Hockey scene: Understanding of the workings and demands of a sport/ membership-based organisation
Proven experience of delivering complex projects: A track record of harnessing technology to improve organisational effectiveness and performance
Knowledge
Of contemporary management techniques and practices
Of company and employment Law
Of sport and the work of the governing bodies
Advanced computer literacy including email, Microsoft Office
Qualities
Dynamic and proactive leader who can drive results. An ambitious and innovative strategic thinker, with experience of shaping and influencing organisational strategy
Commitment to transformation, inclusivity and equal opportunity: An understanding of and a strong belief in the importance of maintaining high standards of governance
Skilled written and oral communicator on all levels along with the ability to liaise with stakeholders at all levels of the game
Ability to perform and provide clear decision-making leadership while juggling multiple responsibilities
Strong work ethic with a track record of delivering results in high pressure situations
Strong interpersonal communication skills with the ability to establish and maintain relationships at the grassroots and senior executive levels
Must have a collaborative, team-oriented management style that engages volunteer leadership
Exceptional financial planning and reporting skills: The ability and energy to lead, inspire and deliver cultural change at an organisational level
Ability to manage conflict
Skilled at building consensus
Effective problem solving and decision-making skills
The ability to be inventive and pursue innovative ideas
Empathetic – with the ability to listen to, consider, and act on the views of others
Team player