Executive General Manager – World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 2021

Background

With the support of the NSW Government, Athletics Australia (AA) won the rights to host the World Athletics Cross Country Championships for 2021. To be hosted in Bathurst, this is a significant win for the profile of Athletics in Australia and also a boon for the NSW Government’s Major Event Strategy and for Regional NSW.

The Championships is the most important competition in international cross country running. Considered by many as more difficult to win than the Olympic Games, the World Cross Country Championships pit all distance runners against one another in a single race. Bathurst 2021 will bring together more than 700 competitors from 60 countries around the world.  This is the first time in 25 years that Australia will host an World Athletics Series event.

The Event will be at one of Australia’s most famous sporting venues, Mount Panorama, which is better known as the home of Australia’s premier endurance motor race, but will welcome the world’s best endurance runners on 20 March 2021.

As recreational running continues to grow in Australia, the World Cross Country Championships also represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for community runners to test themselves on the same challenging course that the world’s best will run. A range of participation events will be planned in and around Bathurst and the iconic Mt Panorama site.

Executive General Manager

The Executive General Manager (EGM) will oversee and deliver the outcomes of the Event in line with the vision / strategy set by the Board.  They will actively drive the establishment of the Local Organising Committee and manage a small team of secondees and event consultants. The EGM will also work with the Board and key partners from Athletics, State and Local Government as well as the International Federation in developing the delivery model for the Event.

This is a strategic role demanding  exceptional leadership and management skills with a complex mix of high profile International, National and State Partners. While strategic, it is also important that the successful candidate is able to be hands-on in the delivery of a major event and possesses the full-suite of Operational / Venue Management skills.  Achievement of legacy outcomes will be a priority.

The EGM will be responsible for:

• Development of the Event Management Plan and associated management and delivery processes.
• Recruitment of key personnel into the Local Organising Committee.
• Detailed budget management along with the management of administrative, financial and planning functions.
• Establishing and maintaining communications with all committees, officials and key delegates associated with the Event.
• Overseeing commercial, marketing and operational plans for the Event.
• Building and managing relationships with key partners and suppliers that are collaborative, productive and mutually beneficial.
• Providing reports on progress to the Board and World Athletics.
• Providing reports to Government in line with funding agreements.

Key Relationships

Relationships will be varied, but the GM will work with and need to carefully manage a number of key relationships, including:

• The Board of the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Bathurst 2021 Organising Committee
• Athletics Australia Management
• World Athletics Management
• Athletics NSW and other State Member Associations
• Destination NSW
• NSW Office of Sport
• Bathurst Regional Council

Selection Criteria

To be considered for this role you will need to be a dynamic leader with excellent people skills and the ability to engage and develop lasting, positive relationships with a range of stakeholders. You will have experience in a senior role of an event organising committee together an demonstrated ability to identify and then capitalise on opportunities, finding innovative solutions and thinking ‘outside the square’. You will have the skills to navigate through complex issues prioritising, managing and delivering outcomes that fulfil the commercial and strategic priorities of the Board.

Location and Contract

The Local Organising Committee will be located in Sydney until its transition to Bathurst as guided by operational plans. This will be a fixed-term contract until the conclusion of the Event/Local Organising Committee in 2021.

The salary package structured to attract high quality candidates will be available, dependent upon skill level and experiences.

How to Apply

Please send your CV along with a detailed cover letter to Jonathan Harris at jharris@sriexecutive.com, that briefly details why you feel you would be suitable for this role in addition to your remuneration expectations.
You can call Jonathan on +61 (0) 413 939 993.

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