The England Blind Squad Head Coach (EBHC) is to be employed by the ECB on a consultancy basis (over a 3 year term) to provide leadership, guidance and direction to the England Blind & Visually Impaired elite programme.

The EBHC will liaise with domestic Blind Cricket organisations including Blind Cricket England and Wales and British Blind Sport in order to create and develop a squad of players who are able to compete in World Cups and Bi-Lateral series. The EBHC will have a close working relationship with all members of the England Management Team including the Performance Manager, Medical Services Lead, Performance Analyst and Operations Manager.

Candidates should have experience of working in a high performance environment and be a minimum of a Level 4 qualified coach. Please note that prior experience within Disability Cricket is not essential.

Process overview:

• Please submit your expression of interest by answering the application questions and submitting CV by 25th October 2022. As part of the initial application, applicants will be asked to answer carefully curated questions relevant to the role

• All application questions will reviewed anonymously (without visibility of CVs), by a multi-assessor panel, once the deadline for interest has passed.

• Following on from the anonymous review of answers, the top scoring candidates will be invited back to interviews, which will take place the w/c commencing 7th November, with panel of 3/4 interviewers inclusive of the hiring manager.

• The successful candidate would be expected to start their role early December 2022.

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 aspire to achieve world’s best development & performance impact

• Have a passion for learning and developing people

• You are adaptable, a great communicator and see opportunities not barriers

YOU’LL BE DOING

• Preparing and Selecting the country’s best available cricketers with a visual impairment to play and win international cricket matches for England.

• Providing feedback and development plans.

• Working alongside the Disability Cricket Performance Manager and Head of Elite Coach Development to recruit high quality coaching and support staff for the Blind Cricket programme.

• Setting individual and team performance targets for all England Blind Squad members.

• To liaise regularly with the Disability Cricket Performance Manager on all matters relating to performance

• Designing a training camp programme that allows for the development of the team & individual players

• Leading the squad in overseas and home series

• Liaising with domestic Blind Cricket coaches

• You’ll maintain and role model within the England Blind Cricket team the highest standards of behaviour and discipline. 
  

YOU’LL HAVE

• Experience as a Head Coach or leader of a high performance team with a proven track record of success

• Understanding of domestic and international Blind cricket

• Experience of performance and technical analysis systems

• Have attained or be working towards ECB Level 4 coaching qualification or international equivalent in cricket or another sport.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Strong people management skills and a verifiable record of working within a multi-disciplinary environment in the delivery of coaching programmes

• Experience of working with Blind cricketers is desirable but not essential.

• Understanding of effective learning transfer

• Enhanced DBS & Safeguarding

The ability to work weekends is essential and there will be a requirement for overseas travel, for which expenses will be covered.

YOU’LL RECEIVE

• £225-275 day rate (depending on coaching level, location and tournament type).

• £100 admin fee – at the discretion of HDC

• Suitable Uniform Provision

Please note that:

• If successful, along with insurance and certificates associated with your role, we will require confirmation that you have appropriate business use insurance for your car, should you use it to drive to and from squad weekends and matches.

• Expenses related any reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by the consultant, will be paid for. These will include travel expenses other than car mileage (which can be claimed at 40p per mile with a valid VAT Fuel receipt), parking fees, postage fees and consumables relating to role. There is no provision for alcohol within expenses. Any other expenses are to be authorised by a member of the ECB Disability Management Team before being processed.