WANTED: Chief Executive Officer for South African Sailing

Chief Executive Officer for South African Sailing

We are very excited to be calling for applications for a full time CEO of South African Sailing.  This role is crucial for the continued growth of our sport especially at the current time with many new opportunities and iniatives under way.

The successful applicant would ordinarily be a contender for a material corporate role in the private sector with general management and fund raising experience.  It is not necessary for the CEO to be a sailor or to have had a career in the marine sector.  The full role specifications are detailed below.

Please circulate this as widely as possible to ensure we find the best candidate for our sport.  All candidates are to submit their CV together, with a covering letter detailing their suitability for the role, to Wendy Adams at South African Sailing – saswc@sailing.org.za  Closing date for application is Tuesday 31 May 2016.

Regards

Peter Hall

Chairman – South African Sailing

Role Specification, Job Description and Profile of the Chief Executive Officer for South African Sailing

South African Sailing

South African Sailing (SAS) is the national body recognised by the Department of Sport and the South African National Sports Confederation (SASCOC) for the promotion, development and administration of all forms of sailing in South Africa. It is responsible not only for keel boats, dinghies and multi-hulls but also wind surfing, kite boarding and model yacht sailing. It is accountable to the South African Maritime Safety Authority for safety inspections of ocean going yachts and the issuing of skippers’ tickets.

The Mission of SAS is to “Enable Sailing for Life across all Sailing Disciplines for all South Africans”.

Currently there are some 8,500 registered sailors operating from 63 clubs in the country. The sport is challenged by a 20 year decline in participation, a global issue, and perceptions of being a “white elitist” activity, a particular domestic matter.

A little over a year ago SAS adopted a new Strategy. The basic platform of the Five Point programme is to professionalise the management of sailing in South Africa. The actions associated with this step are to employ a full time CEO, update the organisation structure, professionalise the operations and develop a strong revenue stream.

Role and Scope of the Chief Executive Officer’s Position

The CEO is responsible for the execution of SAS’s adopted Strategy.

Specifically, the CEO is charged with managing and continuously improving the performance and reputation of SAS in respect of:

• Building key stakeholder relationships with government, SASCOC, SAMSA, Lotto, the water authorities and World Sailing. Access to water for all South African Sailors is a Key Priority.
• Build the Base of sailing by introducing and retaining more people to all disciplines of sailing. The target for registered sailors in the country is 100 000.
• Transformation is the most critical Priority. It is not only about Ethnicity but also most importantly Gender and Disability. Success in this area will have benefits for all. The opportunity to grow a new generation of South Africans must excite the candidate.
• Podium finishes at the World’s Top Events including the Olympic Games and the Volvo Ocean Race.
• Building strong symbiotic partnerships with South Africa’s corporate sector, Lotto and government to ensure a sustainable financial model for SAS. A funding model needs to include income streams from Official Partners, Membership fees, Grants, Fundraising, Media and Advertising revenues.  The investment case in SAS must be attractive.
• Financial performance and operational performance of SAS including the development and growth of SAS full time members of staff so that it is a preferred employer

The Board delegates its responsibilities to the CEO, except for:

• Ownership of the SAS Strategy and values
• Laying down instructions and rules concerning the organisation of administration and operations ie. Organisational structure
• Deciding on matters that are unusual or of far-reaching consequence
• Approval of the annual budget including capital spend
• Appointing and dismissing the CEO, and endorsing appointment of CEO’s direct reports
• Approving remuneration
• Setting the CEO’s performance goals and appraising performance
• Oversight of the organisation’s risk management
• Calling of, agendas for and proposals to the AGM and EGMs
• Significant legal proceedings
• Recommending appointment of and reviewing performance of auditors

Reporting and Relationships

The CEO reports to the Council. The CEO will, ex-officio, be a member of Council.

The Council currently consists of 11 members. There is a President, Vice President, Chairman, four Regional Councillors ( Northern Region, Kwazulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape) and four Discipline Representatives ie Transformation, Training and Development, Keelboats, Multi-hulls and Kite Boarding.

A Constitutional review is imminent as the Discipline Representatives are currently co-opted.

The Council meets in person four times a year. Meetings rotate around the four regions as does the AGM. There are video/ telephone interim meetings between the formal meetings to ensure continuity of work.

Profile

The CEO should be someone who would ordinarily be a contender for a material corporate role in the private sector. He or she needs to have general management experience, and is likely to have had at least 10 years post formal education work experience. It is not necessary for the CEO to be a sailor or to have had a career in the marine sector.  The CEO should have competencies in dealing with corporate partners and understand the financial requirements of sponsorship investors.

The CEO should be someone with high personal standards in safety, business ethics and financial management, who will be committed to work with the executive team and Council and lead SAS to become the premier sporting code in South Africa and a leading sailing federation in World Sailing.

The following more specific experience is either essential or highly desirable:

• Previous experience in management;
• Ability to work with government and parastatal organisations
• Previous experience of corporate sponsorship;
• Capability in community engagement;
• Managing change;
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with executive teams and boards of third parties in an entrepreneurial environment;
• The ability to communicate clearly with stakeholders including government;

All candidates are to submit their CV together, with a covering letter detailing their suitability for the role, to Wendy Adams at South African Sailing – saswc@sailing.org.za  Closing date for application is Tuesday 31 May 2016.