General Manager Participation & Sport Development

Streamline HR; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Diving Australia is seeking an exceptional strategic leader to join the executive team as General Manager - Participation & Sport Development. Working with the CEO and national stakeholders, you will steer the participation and sport development agenda to grow participation and strengthen pathways across the country.

You will lead national strategies, forge partnerships with State Sporting Organisations, clubs and schools, and drive inclusive programs that expand access to diving across

Qualifications

• Significant experience in sport development and participation growth.
• Strong understanding of the Australian sporting system and federated environments.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and relationship-building.
• Proven leadership of people, projects and organizational change.
• Experience with budgets and grants.

Responsibilities

• Lead national participation and sport development strategies.
• Grow community, club, recreational and school-based participation.
• Develop innovative programs to attract and retain participants.
• Drive diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
• Strengthen coach, official and volunteer development programs.
• Build trusted relationships with key stakeholders.
• Identify and secure funding opportunities and partnerships.
• Support governance, organizational capability and operational excellence.
• Use data and insights to measure impact and drive improvement.
• Contribute to the strategic leadership and success of the organisation.

Skills

Sport development

Participation growth

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic leadership

Program management

Budget management

Grant funding

Data-driven decision making

Education

Degree in Sport Management or related field

Job description

Brisbane (preferred) | Sydney | Melbourne | Adelaide | Canberra (location flexible for the right candidate)

Help shape the future of Australian diving.

Brisbane 2032 is on the horizon.

Participation in sport has never been more important. Communities are seeking connection, young athletes are looking for pathways, and national sporting organisations are being challenged to think differently about growth, inclusion, sustainability and impact.

This is your opportunity to play a defining leadership role in one of Australia's most exciting Olympic sports.

We are seeking an exceptional strategic leader to join the executive leadership team as General Manager - Participation & Sport Development.

Working alongside the CEO and key stakeholders across the country, you'll lead the national participation and sport development agenda, helping more Australians discover diving while strengthening the systems, partnerships and pathways that support lifelong involvement in our sport.

Why this role?

This isn't a traditional sport development position.

This is a rare opportunity to influence the future direction of a national sporting organisation at a pivotal moment in its journey toward LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032. You'll have the opportunity to:

• Lead national participation growth strategies
• Shape the future of diving pathways across Australia
• Build strong partnerships with State Sporting Organisations, clubs, schools and community stakeholders
• Drive innovation in participation, inclusion and community engagement
• Secure funding and investment opportunities that increase the impact and reach of the sport
• Contribute as a senior leader to the long-term success and sustainability of Diving Australia
• Be part of a high-performing organisation committed to excellence, wellbeing and human potential

About Diving Australia

There has never been a more exciting time to join Diving Australia.

As the national sporting organisation for springboard diving, platform diving and high diving, the organisation has a proud history of Olympic, World Championship and Commonwealth Games success and is now building momentum toward LA 2028 and Brisbane 2032.

Guided by a vision of: "Inspiring performances that deliver Australia's best-ever Olympic diving result at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, while building a nation that dives for life."

Diving Australia is committed to creating opportunities for people to reach their full potential, from their very first splash through to the highest levels of international competition.

The organisation's values underpin everything it does:

Integrity | Courage | Excellence | Community

What you'll be doing

As General Manager - Participation & Sport Development, you'll provide strategic leadership across participation, capability building, stakeholder engagement and sport development.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading and implementing national participation and sport development strategies
• Growing community, club, recreational and school-based participation
• Developing innovative programs that attract and retain participants
• Driving diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• Strengthening coach, official and volunteer development programs
• Building trusted relationships with key stakeholders across the sporting landscape
• Identifying and securing funding opportunities and partnerships
• Supporting governance, organisational capability and operational excellence
• Using data and insights to measure impact and drive continuous improvement
• Contributing to the strategic leadership and success of the organisation

Who we're looking for

We're looking for a commercially minded and collaborative leader who can bring people together and deliver meaningful outcomes.

You’ll ideally have:

• Significant experience in sport development, participation, membership growth or strategic program leadership
• Strong understanding of the Australian sporting system and federated sporting environments
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and relationship-building capability
• Proven experience leading people, projects and organisational change
• Strong strategic planning and execution skills
• Experience managing budgets, applying for grants, funding programs and resources
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Sport Development, Sport Management or a related discipline

What success looks like

You’ll leave a lasting legacy by:

• Increasing participation across Australia
• Strengthening development pathways
• Building stronger partnerships across the sporting ecosystem
• Enhancing capability throughout the diving community
• Supporting the long-term sustainability of Diving Australia
• Helping create a sport that is welcoming, inclusive and accessible for all Australians

Applications

Applications close on Friday November 6th.

Dive into something bigger.

Join a national organisation with ambitious goals, a strong values-based culture and a unique opportunity to shape the future of Australian sport.