Deputy Director,

Sport Strategy
and Investment
CANDIDATE BRIEF
Background:
The Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is the central strategic leadership agency in the
development and delivery of Australian elite and high-performance sport.

The AIS purpose is to lead and enable a united high-performance system that supports
Australian athletes with the ultimate aim to achieve podium success. The AIS will work
with National Sporting Organisations and National State Institute & Academy network in
addition to peak bodies such as the Australian Olympic Committee, Australian Paralympic
Committee and Commonwealth Games Association, so that collectively they can focus on
giving Australian athletes the right support, in the right place at the right time. It acts to
build collaboration, alignment and effectiveness within the Australian Sports sector.

Peter Conde was appointed Director of the AIS in August 2017 with a proven record
for overseeing systems that produce results. Peter has been tasked with delivering on a
renewed vision and direction for the AIS. The determination for the ASC and AIS is to lead
Australia’s high-performance sport system to a new level of excellence and achievement.

The AIS has high expectations and the new Vision for the business is to move from being
World Class to World Best in everything it does.

AIS Deputy Director Scheme

Following a comprehensive and inclusive reviews of the ASC and AIS, the new AIS
Director, the ASC Board and CEO have identified a revised structure that will best
position the organisation to deliver its strategic objectives.

The AIS will now have six executive Deputy Directors;

• DD – AIS Operations
• DD – Applied Technology & Innovation
• DD – Athlete Life Skills & Engagement
• DD – Performance System Delivery
• DD – Performance People
• DD – Sport Strategy & Investment
 AIS Purpose
To lead and enable a united high performance (HP) system that supports Australian athletes to achieve podium success
Key Areas of Work
1. Strengthen the 2. Drive overall investment
Australian HP system and resource allocation
through a united to optimise performance
approach outcomes, including for
long term
1.1 Evolve the AIS as the 2.1 Develop capability and
strategic system leader technology to gather, analyse
and redefine its role in and interpret data, including
service delivery field observation and expert
opinion, to collaborate with
1.2 Clearly articulate
NSOs and AIN to develop
and evolve the mission,
robust high performance
vision, strategy and
strategies
KPIs of the AIS and
lead the process to 2.2 Identify new opportunities
do same for the AIN for HP success and work with
through a National High NSOs to develop creative
Performance Strategic ways to realise these
Plan
2.3 Articulate and apply
1.3 Lead the HP a robust framework for
performance system investment that coordinates
delivery against agreed collective allocation of
strategic plans including total resources, effort and
operational planning expertise based on achieving
at program and athlete agreed national HP outcomes
level and optimal service
2.4 Grow and enhance sport’s
delivery
capability to progress athletes
along agreed effective
performance pathways
2.5 Optimise investment in
managing infrastructure,
including AIS Canberra
campus, in context of overall
resource allocation decisions
and service delivery model.
AIS Purpose
3. Transform Australia’s
HP workforce,
particularly coaches
and leaders, to deliver
performance outcomes
Priorities
3.1 Identify priorities for
the workforce capability
to meet current and
future needs of HP sport
3.2 Facilitate recruiting
and retaining key HP
staff in the system
3.3 Develop capability of
HP leadership, coaching
and support staff
4. Develop the system 5. Solve strategic
capability to provide for performance
athlete wellbeing and problems on frontiers
engagement with the of HP sport via applied
community research, technology
and innovation
4.1 Develop a system- 5.1 Identify key
wide approach to athlete areas where applied
wellbeing to be delivered technology or
by the network innovation is likely
to have a significant
4.2 Lead the system to
impact on achieving
develop athletes with life
system performance
skills to flourish in the
objectives and
HP environment and in
prioritise resources
their careers afterwards,
accordingly
including transition
out of HP sport and 5.2 Develop creative
eventually placement/ alliances and
internship programs partnerships to
leverage system
4.3 Work with AOC, APC
resources to
and CGA to achieve
solve significant
truly high performance
performance issues
Games environments,
particularly for medal- 5.3 Facilitate
potential athletes, and implement
including managing knowledge growth
family and friends and its application
engagement into the daily training
environment
4.4 Develop programs to
lead sports and athletes 5.4 Lead activity in
to appropriately engage strategically important
with communities to technical areas
realise the benefits of that are new and/
high performance role or appropriately
models centralised, which may
change over time e.g.
currently may include
proactive injury
prevention
Primary Job Purpose
The Sport Strategy and Investment Branch is responsible for providing system and sport-
wide data gathering and strategic analysis of the competitive position and potential of
sports, and the effective allocation of performance investment as well as effort, expertise
and resources.

As a member of the ASC senior leadership team the Deputy Director, Sport Strategy and
Investment will be responsible for leading the strategic analysis of the competitive position
and potential of sports, ensuring Gold Medal standards and systems are understood and
embraced.

Job Responsibilities
1. Provide strategic leadership, advice and direction to the Branch, in the development,
implementation and delivery of integrated business solutions and initiatives that meet
the evolving business needs of the ASC. Responsibilities include:

• lead and manage system and sport-wide data gathering and analysis of the
competitive position and potential of sports to ensure effective decision making,
and data sharing throughout the network.

• in partnership with sports, strategically analyse competitive position and potential,

developing appropriate systems to target and measure impact of effort, expertise
and resources.

• create a well-understood approach to actively managing investment – including

building system-wide understanding of investment decisions, potential ways to
regain investment, operational modelling across the system, etc.

• operationalise athlete pathways development (NAPF) and allocate investment to

pragmatically develop future generations for sports where there is future podium
potential as part of overall sport strategy.

• develop and influence innovative approaches to support targeted sports, such as

“aggregation” concepts, where it can improve medal potential.

• lead a portfolio approach to effectively allocate performance investment now

and into the future to maximise system performance against objectives in major
events.

• develop an evidence-based framework of Gold Medal standards for sports and the
system and influence sports to implement the Gold Medal standards. This includes
key areas such as talent identification, development, coaching, service delivery
and innovation.
Job Responsibilities (continued)
2. Provide strategic advice and quality reporting on relevant issues to the Minister, ASC
Board and Executive.

3. Lead, promote and manage relationships and key strategic alliances with internal and
external stakeholders and partners.

4. Work with the Executive and senior leadership group to shape the desired culture and
guide the leaders and the ASC to build and embed that culture.

5. Contribute to the effective leadership of the ASC as a member of the Deputy General
Manager group, working collaboratively with colleagues to contribute to and drive
achievement of the strategic objectives of the ASC, and actively promote and role
model effective organisational communication and behaviours.

6. Plan and develop budgets and manage finances, contracts, procurement, resources and
expenditure within the branch, negotiate resource and budget allocations.

7. At a senior level, actively promote and role model the ASC values of Excellence,
Integrity, Respect and Teamwork, and contribute to positive organisational change,
effective communication, and continuous improvement at the ASC.

8. Accountable for all aspects of people management of staff including developing,

coaching, performance management and conflict resolution. Ensuring that direct
reports are meeting their people management requirements.

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree or higher qualification/s and demonstrated senior level experience in Business,
Sport or other related industry.
• Demonstrated senior level management experience, with a strong track record of
achieving success in managing a team to deliver strategic objectives, in a diverse
environment.
• Demonstrated capacity to provide timely, compelling and concise advice to inform
executive members and senior management to support decision making.
• Demonstrated high level experience in managing financial resources, risk management,
business planning and strategy development.
• Experience delivering cultural change through influence and using innovative techniques.
Knowledge and Skills
• Exceptional strategic, conceptual thinking and analytical skills, including the ability to:
• evaluate complex and competing concepts and translate this into evidence-based
strategic advice and frameworks to achieve performance targets and strategic
objectives

• accurately evaluate and translate data into meaningful opportunities and to

generate new ideas for the business

• identify organisational and sector challenges, their implications and propose

solutions.

• Exceptional communication skills (including interpersonal, negotiation, influencing

and representation) and a proven ability to build and maintain effective relationships
both internally and externally with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• High level business and political acumen, with demonstrated ability to utilise
economic, financial and industry data to identify key issues and develop strategies
and plans.
• A strong grasp of key trends and issues facing the sector and ability to anticipate
future challenges to create long range competitive strategies and plans.

Personal Attributes
• Demonstrated commitment, drive and initiative, with the ability to work
independently and inter-dependently as a productive leader and manager.
• Demonstrated capacity to cooperate and work well with others in a cross-functional
environment to pursue team goals, share information, support others, show
consideration and respect for alternate ideas and solutions.
• Demonstrated agility to flex between strategic and operational issues, providing
value-adding input to any business issue.
• Demonstrated great judgement and creative approaches to challenge traditional
paradigms and in providing solutions.
• Ability to easily grow trusted and supportive relationships with the Board, Executive,
staff and stakeholders.
Location
The ASC is headquartered at the AIS campus, in Bruce, Canberra and the
preference is for this role to be based in the ACT. However, the ASC have staff
and offices located across Australia at five state offices and the GM could be
based in other cities. Regardless, the role will include significant travel to all
major Australian centres.

How to Apply
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For a confidential discussion about the role please contact;

Jonathan Harris
Managing Partner, ANZ

t: +61(0) 413 939 993

e: jharris@sriexecutive.com