PURPOSE

Women’s & Girls’ cricket is being transformed in England & Wales as part of a wider strategy to Inspire Generations by connecting communities and improving lives through cricket. Central to achieving this is stimulating demand for cricket among female participants, creating inspirational playing offers at inclusive facilities and ensuring robust competition infrastructure dedicated to women and girls.

This role will be key to lead on Enabling and Inspiring Women’s & Girls’ Participation and is an exciting opportunity to lead strategy development and tactical planning and playing a major role in the delivery of a strong, vibrant and inclusive recreational game that welcomes a broad, representative playing population.

This role  will be a passionate advocate of the women’s and girls’ game, maximising opportunities for women and girls at a recreational level to foster a life-long involvement with cricket. Alongside this, you will play an influential role across the wider organisation and the game to ensure the female participation agenda remains at the forefront of both hearts and minds.

In addition to building on the incremental growth of participation among women and girls over the last 5 years, cricket has an unprecedented opportunity over the next 5 years as England & Wales are set to host a home Women’s World Cup in 2026 and cricket will return to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028, with a Men’s World Cup then coming to England & Wales in 2030.

UK Government has also recently committed £35m of funding over four years to support recreational facilities and programmes linked particularly to the opportunity our home World Cups affords the game.

WHO WE ARE

The England and Wales Cricket Board is the national governing body for all cricket in England and Wales, supporting the game at every level – from grassroots to professional.

We believe cricket is a force for good that can have an enduring impact on everyone’s lives and we have an ambitious strategy to inspire a generation to say ‘cricket is a game for me’. It provides great entertainment. It teaches important skills, both physical and social.  It can help inclusion and social cohesion, bringing communities together.

The ECB welcomes applications from all backgrounds to ensure we deliver our Inspiring Generations strategy and fulfil our purpose to connect communities and improve lives through cricket.

OUR VALUES

• Stronger As One Team – We are stronger together. We allow for individual strengths and beliefs but head in the same direction. We respect, support and really listen to each other along the way.

• Push New Boundaries – We are bold, brave and curious. We challenge and don’t settle. We forge the future whilst remembering our roots.

• Be The Best In The Game – On & Off The Pitch – We train hard. We strive to be our best to help the team be the best. We celebrate our victories and learn from our let downs.

• Passion For Play – We are here to inspire & be inspired. We are serious about what we do, but don’t take ourselves seriously. We enjoy the journey and have fun.

YOU’LL LOVE THIS JOB IF

• You are a bold, daring, and instinctive leader, with a deep passion for driving positive change within a major sport.

• You’re a clear and articulate communicator with the ability to engage and influence at all levels.

• You have an unshakable can-do attitude, thriving under busy, variable and exciting environments where no two days are alike.

YOU’LL BE DOING

• Leading the team responsible for enabling and inspiring women and girls to play cricket. (currently 1 direct report but with the possibility of this growing in the build-up to the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2026).

• Bringing the current “Inspiring Generations” strategy to life through the ongoing development and implementation of the recreational strategy from the Transforming Women’s and Girls’ Cricket Action Plan, particularly in relation to optimising the current strategic, ringfences workforce investments into Cricket Boards

• Leading the delivery of a plan to grow the base of female participation through investment in local clubs, communities, and schools.

• Strategically and tactically linking mass engagement tools and products to continued play, whether in clubs or communities.

• Working in partnership with Cricket Boards, Trusts and Foundations to build a strong, sustainable, and inclusive club and league network.

• Establish and use insight to inform decision making and, where appropriate create and support innovative programmes that will deliver sustainable growth for women’s and girls’ cricket.

• Engaging and influencing key stakeholders to commit to the change and action that is required to transform cricket’s engagement with women and girls.

• Ensuring the opportunity afforded by the 2026 Women’s World Cup is maximised from a profile, reach and relevance perspective, particularly with Cricket Boards and partners who are situated around host venues.

• Establishing close working relationships with the ECB Commercial team to help build and develop new commercial partnerships through the women’s game.

• Supporting the Commercial team with any relevant Account Management of sponsors who support recreational Women’s & Girls’ Cricket eg Metro Bank.

• Working with relevant Heads of and Senior Managers within the Recreational Game department and funded charity partners to build gender-balanced and equitable participation nationally in all youth programmes and community initiatives.

• Working with Coach Development and Officiating departments at ECB to ensure gender equity is actively considered in their work streams. 

• Leading the collaboration between the Recreational Game Department and Communications, Marketing and Digital to build awareness of cricket amongst a new audience of women and girls.

• Seeking to develop partnerships with relevant organisations and networks, whether inside or outside cricket/sport who share our objectives to benefit women and girls and can support our work, eg Girl Guides

YOU’LL HAVE

• Outstanding leadership, communication, interpersonal and influencing skills.

• Experience of leading strategy development through innovative and engaging interventions.

• Experience and skills in budgeting, planning, programming, organisation, and monitoring of key strategic priorities.

• A thirst for data and insight to support decision-making, coupled with creativity and bravery.

• Instinctive leadership skills and able to be comfortable being visible in front of Cricket Board colleagues and other delivery partners.

• A clear passion for changing lives and making a difference through sport.

• High levels of passion and enthusiasm, particularly for female participation – and an authentic appreciation of its importance.

• A continuous improvement mindset.

YOU’LL RECEIVE

• Competitive salary

• Holiday - 25 days a year

• Volunteering – 2 days a year

• Pension - Non-contributory pension

• Employee health cash-back plan

• Long-term sickness insurance

• Life assurance - four times your annual basic salary

• Enhanced family leave and pay

• OpenBlend - an innovative coaching and performance management tool

• People Academy - a range of programmes and initiatives to help you develop and reach your potential

• Employee Assistance Programme - 24/7 confidential access to expert services including counselling, wellbeing, and independent legal and financial advice

• 30% Castore discount

• Cycle 2 Work Scheme

• Season ticket loan

• Preferential access to tickets to England and The Hundred games

• Opportunities to be a part of and be involved in our Employee Resource groups: Women in Cricket Employee Network, Race in Cricket Employee Network, Social Mobility in Cricket Employee Network, Disability Employee Network and LGBTQ+ Community in Cricket Employee Network