Director of Women’s Cricket

RESPONSIBLE TO: Director of Cricket
 
RESPONSIBLE FOR:
 
- Women’s professional cricket
- Women’s Head Coach and Performance Staff
- Player Pathway (EPP/CAG Programmes)
- Cricket Operations (Women & Girls Programme)
- Line management of Head of SSM
 
We are Trent Bridge — a cricket ground of global repute, proudly established in 1838 and recognised around the world as one of the sport’s most iconic venues.
 
Steeped in a rich and illustrious history, we are custodians of generations of cricketing excellence, unforgettable moments, and a deep-rooted connection to the game. Our continued success is driven by a steadfast commitment to invest in our world-class cricketing talent, ensuring we attract, develop, and support players capable of performing at the very highest level.
 
Through this investment, we are able to host and deliver international-quality fixtures that uphold the prestige of Trent Bridge, showcasing elite performance, inspiring future generations, and reinforcing our reputation as a premier venue on the global cricketing stage.
 
As part of this ambition, we are now seeking to appoint a Director of Women’s Cricket, a critical and exciting leadership role that will help drive the continued growth, performance, and success of the women’s game at Trent Bridge.
 
RELEVANT GENERAL OBJECTIVES
 
- As a member of the Wider Leadership Team, support the Chief Executive in shaping and delivering the strategic direction, leadership and long-term development of women’s cricket at Trent Bridge
- Develop and implement a clear vision and strategy for women’s cricket that aligns with the Club’s wider business plan and the ECB’s strategic priorities
- Lead the high-performance environment across the women’s professional team and pathway, ensuring sustained success at County and national level
- Take overall responsibility for the management and leadership of the women’s cricket programme, from elite performance through to pathway development
- Establish strong working relationships with the ECB, Tier 2 counties and key stakeholders to support the growth and development of women’s cricket
- Oversee all player recruitment, contracting and negotiations, including overseas players, ensuring alignment with agreed financial parameters and ECB regulations
- Develop, manage and maintain budget accountability for all aspects of the women’s high-performance and pathway programmes
- Ensure compliance with all ECB and Cricket Professional Association (CPA) requirements relating to the women and girl’s programme
- Protect and enhance the Trent Bridge brand and contribute to the continued growth of women’s cricket across Nottinghamshire
- Provide effective leadership of the women’s cricket staff group, fostering a high-performance, inclusive culture and supporting the ongoing development, wellbeing and progression of all team member

SPECIFIC ROLE PROFILE
 
Strategic Leadership
 
- Lead the vision and long-term strategy for women’s cricket across Nottinghamshire
- Shape and deliver a world-class high-performance environment aligned to ECB frameworks and England pathway requirements
- Ensure alignment between the Club, County structure and ECB strategic objectives
- Provide leadership across all elements of the women’s cricket structure, from elite level to pathway development
- Contribute as a member of the Club’s wider leadership team and, where appropriate, the Cricket Committee
 
High Performance & County Team
 
- Lead the County Senior Team programme, ensuring delivery within ECB 50-over and T20 competition structures
- Agree, monitor and control budget expenditure for the senior programme
- Lead and manage a multidisciplinary performance team to deliver high-quality, individualised, year-round player programmes
- Work collaboratively with the ECB to ensure performance standards support the development of England players
- Build a high-performance culture that supports player wellbeing, development and competitive success
 
Player Recruitment & Talent Identification
 
- Lead all aspects of player recruitment, including contract negotiations and overseas player strategy
- Develop and implement an effective talent identification system across the talent catchment area
- Support and lead the Elite Pathway Manager to ensure a strong and sustainable pipeline of players progressing from academy to professional level
- Build relationships with Tier 2 counties to support talent identification and development
- Monitor squad balance and succession planning across short, medium and long-term cycles
 
Talent Catchment Area Academy & Player Pathway
 
- Provide overall leadership of the Academy, EPP and CAG programmes
- Agree, monitor and control Academy budget expenditure
- Ensure delivery of the Academy in line with ECB Talent Development Framework
- Promote best practice in talent development and identification, ensuring a high-quality, inclusive pathway for women and girls
- Oversee progression routes from recreational cricket through to elite performance
 
Facilities & Operations
 
- Lead planning and development of facilities to support the women’s high-performance and pathway programmes
- Work with internal and external stakeholders to develop new grounds and training facilities
- Manage venue relationships, including liaison with host clubs for fixtures away from Trent Bridge
- Ensure appropriate infrastructure is in place to support elite performance standards
 
People Leadership & Culture
 
- Lead, manage and develop all staff within the women’s cricket programme
- Drive the development of staff through structured CPD, mentoring and clear progression opportunities, ensuring individuals are supported to grow and reach their full potential
- Oversee recruitment, retention, performance management and appraisals of staff
- Create a high-performance, inclusive and collaborative team culture
- Set clear KPIs and objectives aligned to strategic priorities
- Ensure effective workforce planning, including seasonal and temporary staffing
 
Governance, Stakeholder Management & Compliance
 
- Ensure compliance with ECB regulations, CPA requirements and safeguarding standards
- Support the growth of women’s and girls’ recreational cricket across Nottinghamshire
- Maintain an understanding of the Trent Rockets’ position within the Club’s wider structure and its impact on the women’s game

Experience and Knowledge (Essential)
 
- Experience in professional sport, in a playing, coaching or management capacity
- Proven leadership experience within high-performance environments
- Strong understanding of elite sport structures, talent pathways and player development
- Experience of budget management and strategic planning
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
- Proven experience in leading, developing and managing staff, with a strong track record of building high-performing teams and fostering a positive, growth-focused culture

Role Summary
 
The Director of Women’s Cricket is a senior strategic leadership role responsible for delivering the vision, performance and growth of women’s cricket across Nottinghamshire. The role requires the ability to lead high-performing teams, manage complex stakeholder relationships and deliver a world-class player pathway that supports both regional success and the development of England players.

4. Core Criteria
 
- Provides strategic leadership with a proven track record of building and sustaining high-performance environments, with a clear focus on long-term player and programme development. Demonstrates a strong commitment to developing and empowering staff, ensuring player development remains at the heart of the programme
- Is an influential relationship builder, with experience of working collaboratively across organisations and stakeholders, and a track record of empowering staff and players to deliver excellence in their roles
- Is an authentic, empathetic and emotionally intelligent leader, able to operate effectively in high-pressure environments, demonstrating outstanding communication and providing clarity, direction and confidence to both staff and players
- Puts people at the centre of decision-making, investing time in understanding individuals to support their development as people, practitioners and performers
- Has a clear and compelling vision for the growth of women’s cricket, aligned to the wider game in England & Wales, and is able to translate this into a coherent and deliverable strategy
- Demonstrates curiosity, adaptability and a continuous improvement mindset, recognising what has driven success while identifying opportunities to evolve and strengthen the programme
- As a member of the Wider Leadership Team, support the Chief Executive in shaping and delivering the strategic direction, leadership and long-term development of women’s cricket at Trent Bridge

5. Leadership & Impact Expectations
 
- Provide visible, credible leadership for the women’s game within the club and across the wider cricket network
- Act as a key contributor to the club’s broader strategy, ensuring alignment between women’s cricket and overall Club objectives
- Build and embed a high-performance culture that supports player development, wellbeing and sustained success
- Drive continuous improvement, challenging the status quo and introducing new approaches to programme development
- Represent the club externally, building strong relationships with the ECB, partners and wider stakeholders

PERSON SPECIFICATION
 
Experience (Essential)
 
- Extensive experience of delivering strategy through innovative and engaging interventions
- Experience of leading complex programmes, including budgeting, planning, programming and monitoring delivery of strategic priorities
- Experience of working within high-performance sport or similarly demanding environments
 
Skills & Abilities (Essential)
 
- Excellent leadership, communication, interpersonal and influencing skills
- Strong understanding of best practice principles underpinning talent development environments
- Ability to build high-performing, values-driven cultures
- Ability to operate strategically whilst maintaining oversight of operational delivery
- A clear passion for changing lives and making a difference through sport
- High standards of personal and professional integrity
- High levels of energy and enthusiasm
- Resilience and a strong commitment to driving and sustaining change
- Honesty and openness
- An appetite to constantly seek improvement in all aspects of work
 
Qualifications (Essential)
 
- Coaching or high-performance sport qualifications (or equivalent experience)
 
Experience (Desirable)
 
- Experience within elite women’s sport
- Experience working within ECB, county, or national governing body structures
- Proven track record of building or transforming high-performance programmes
 
Skills & Knowledge (Desirable)
 
- Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams (e.g. coaching, science & medicine, talent pathways)
- Experience of stakeholder management across governing bodies, partners and internal leadership teams
- Commercial awareness, with an understanding of the growth and sustainability of women’s sport

HOW TO APPLY
  
Deadline for the application is: 5pm Thursday 25th June 2026
Interview date is: 1st - 3rd July 2026
 
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible
 
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expect the same commitment from all staff and volunteers
 
We are an equal opportunity employer. we celebrate diversity and are committed to building an inclusive environment for all employees. when submitting your details, please let us know if you require any support or reasonable adjustments during the interview process
 
No agencies please
 
REF-(Apply online only)