Sport NI set for overhaul in refreshed leader roles
SPORT NI is poised for the biggest shake up in i ts history through the appointment of a new Executive Leadership team, with the organisation stating “we are on a journey of transformation that has resulted in significant changes to culture, strategy, structure, systems and processes”
n the new structure, four posts have to be filled in the Executive Leadership team — Director of Sport, Chief Operating Officer, Head of Sport System and Head of Policy & Innovation — with those successful in landing the jobs working under Chief Executive Antoinette Mckeown.
In an advertisement in the Belfast Telegraph for the roles, Sport NI says: “This new team will inspire and lead a team of staff across three sites in Northern Ireland and will help drive excellence in sport through informed strategies and programmes which meet sporting need and help to transform people and communities so we can all maximise the power of sport to change lives.
“The individuals Sport NI seeks to recruit to these roles will share a commitment to Sport NI’S vision and values, ensuring these inform daily decision making.”
Sport NI, a leading public body for the development of sport in Northern Ireland, has not been without controversy in recent years.
In 2015, Chief Executive Mckeown was suspended due to ‘leadership issues’ and was dismissed the following year.
She subsequently accused Sport NI of mismanaging the public money the organisation received each year and claimed that the body was “not fit for purpose”.
That was followed in 2016 when the chair and vice chair of Sport NI, Brian Henning and Ian Mcavoy, resigned in the wake of a critical report commissioned by Stormont, when Caral Ni Chuilin was Sports Minister first time around.
In 2017, an independent appeals panel overturned accusations of gross misconduct against Ms Mckeown and she returned to work. The next year, she settled a fair employment dispute with Sport NI.
The Director of Sport and Chief Operating positions are the highest paid of the four new roles, with successful candidates earning between £58,676 and £66,075.
The Director of Sport will report to the Chief Executive and be the lead technical sports adviser to Ms Mckeown and the Sport NI Board. Whoever is appointed will be responsible for “delivering an integrated sport development strategy, increasing participation in quality sport and physical recreation and driving excellence in Sport NI’S high performance services within a complex environment of competing priorities and needs”.
For the role, Sport NI will be seeking “an experienced professional with a strong track record in developing, leading and delivering successful sports strategies within a sports organisation”.
The Chief Operating Officer is going to be responsible for “directing all operations functions across Sport NI and will act as the lead technical adviser to the CEO and Board on managing public money and will deputise for the CEO”.
They will also be expected to oversee policy development and strategic planning to embed insight and innovation, communications and partnerships.
The Head of Sport System and Head of Policy & Innovation positions have a salary of £49,806 to £54,588.
The former will report to the Director of Sport and will work
with sports governing bodies and other partners at a strategic level to agree, deploy and monitor effective Sport NI resources in order to achieve agreed outcomes. The job advert states: “A key activity will be in the delivery of a bespoke sporting system for NI, ensuring that sports governing bodies are supported to meet their development needs”.
The Head of Policy & Innovation will report to the Chief Operating Officer and will be expected to lead and promote Sport NI’S policy and knowledge functions, ensuring innovation as a key driver in sport development.
Sport NI aim to fill the positions early in 2021, with the closing date for applications at 5pm on January 4. Application packs for the four roles can be downloaded from the Sport NI website www.sportni.net.
‘Sport NI aim to fill the positions early in 2021’