Cricket Operations Manager – England & Wales Cricket Board

The overall purpose of this role is to support the Head of Operations in the provision of management of an effective and efficient administration of the professional game. Some national travel will be required. Specifically and in liaison with First-Class Counties, ECB Cricket Committee, ECB Cricket Discipline Commission and other members of the department, to:

• Manage and provide administration for the Cricket Liaison Officer team and issues arising from their work
• Manage the administration and operations of Second Xl cricket competition programmes
• Lead and manage cricket ball policy and administration for all professional cricket
• Lead and manage matters relating to suspect bowling actions / bowling review regulations
• Provide resilience within the department on discipline matters
• “Act up” when the Head of Operations is unavailable

Influence

The role holder is required to interact with:

• First-Class County CEOs
• First-Class County Operations Managers
• First-Class County cricket management (Coaches, Directors of Cricket)
• MCC
• PCA
• Cricket Liaison Officers
• ECB Cricket Committee
• All ECB departments
• ICC

The level at which they operate means that they are required to influence and persuade on cricket matters:

• First-Class County CEOs
• First-Class County cricket management (Coaches, Directors of Cricket)
• ECB Leadership Team
• PCA

The role holder is also required to:

• Be an ambassador for ECB and the game at all times
• Demonstrate best practice, fairness and equitability to all stakeholders

Resource

The role manages a team of:

• 10 Cricket Liaison Officers

The role holder has responsibility for:

• Direct management and development of a team of 10
• Playing a key role in providing and efficient and effective cricket operation
• Maintaining and improving the reputation of domestic professional cricket

The role holder has authority:

• To work autonomously and refer by exception rather than by routine
• To make decisions unilaterally at short notice (a requirement of the role)

Role Purpose

Impact

The role has a direct impact on business success by:

• Delivering smooth running competitions full of integrity
• Seeking always to improve domestic cricket
• Showing ECB in a positive light due to the profile of core business
• Providing a second-to-none service for ECB’s members

The impact and reach of decisions made means that:

• The domestic game is fairly and equitably serviced and supported at all times
• The ECB Cricket Committee is confident that the domestic game is fairly and safely run

Due to the nature of the role, the level of autonomy:

• Is high as in-season decisions must often be taken immediately and without discussion or referral
• Is high due to the specialist experience and skills required

The financial impact means:

• A strong, competitive environment with high integrity directly and significantly impacts on public and commercial interest and therefore the finance of the game

The role impacts own team or departments through:

• Providing strong management and support for all team members on a daily basis
• Being the reason that other departments are required; no game = no other functions
• Ensuring that initiatives work for cricket

Skills & Experience

Expertise

This role requires:

• A thorough understanding of First Class Cricket structures
• A demonstrable knowledge of professional sport and sportspeople (whilst experience of having played professional cricket is not essential, it is highly desirable)
• A good knowledge and understanding of playing conditions and laws of the game
• Experience of managing elite sportspersons
• Experience of disciplinary matters in a sporting environment
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrable team leadership and organisational skills
• Good time management skills
• A keen eye for detail
• Excellent computer literacy, including MS office
• Commitment to a continual professional development programme

This role is seen as:

• Vital support ensuring the smooth preparation for and running of a First-Class cricket season
• A technical area from which to support other teams and departments
• An opportunity to be customer- and supporter-facing, thus providing direct opportunity to showcase the game

Complexity

The complexity and type of problems encountered by this role are in its nature:

• Juggling a vast array of issues across the professional game
• Managing a group of individuals from often very different backgrounds
• Playing different roles – being at various times a service provider, auditor, policeman
• Being available and on-call every evening and weekend during the season
• Dealing with often complex and sensitive issues and problems
• Choosing between the regulation-directed decision and what is strategically correct