Posted: 21 August 2024
Link to Apply: https://media.licdn.com/dms/document/media/D4E1FAQHzACyktQ2StQ/feedshare-document-pdf-analyzed/0/1724197091231
Auckland Cricket is seeking applications from Directors with the relevant skills and experience to serve on our seven-member Board.
Auckland Cricket is responsible for the development and promotion of cricket across the Auckland region and is one of six Major Associations in New Zealand. Our operations encompass all aspects of the development of our grassroots game, through to our talent identification programme and up to our elite teams including the Aces and Hearts.
We service a diverse population and have responsibility for a game that is changing rapidly. Prospective Directors will need to contribute meaningfully to setting and guiding the strategic direction of the organization, and will need to possess an excellent knowledge of the sporting environment within Auckland.
There are three positions to be filled. We have two Directors retiring by rotation, who are seeking re-election, and one Director retiring.
The Board requires a diverse range of skillsets to meet the varied demands of servicing cricket in Auckland, which is evaluated via a skills matrix.
Successful applicants will be part of a Board that is focused on delivering to strategy and will therefore require strong governance experience and understanding of their role as a Director.
Auckland Cricket is committed to working towards Board diversity targets led by Sport NZ.
Please send a current CV and covering letter to Auckland Cricket Interim CEO, Ian Francis – ifrancis@aucklandcricket.co.nz. A Board skills and competencies summary is available on request.
Applications close 16th Sep, 2024.
Please note that interviews for the positions will take place in the week commencing 30th September 2024
If you have any questions regarding these positions please contact Interim CEO Ian Francis, ifrancis@aucklandcricket.co.nz
Skills and Competencies Framework for ACA Board Members
All applicants or nominees for positions on the Auckland Cricket (ACA) Board shall be assessed by an Appointments Panel against the skills and competencies in this framework. The Appointments Panel will then recommend candidates for the Board.
This framework sets out in Part 1, the types of skills and experience needed for effective governance of cricket in Auckland, and in Part 2, it outlines the ideal mix of functional strengths considered most likely to deliver outstanding leadership of the sport in Auckland.
This skills and competencies framework is intended to guide and assist the Appointments Panel in their assessment of applicants and nominees. This is not to be used as inflexible criteria but as a framework to assist and guide to decision making.
Part 1: Ideal Skills and Experiences – Each Board Member
Ideally, each ACA Board Member shall have a majority of the following skills and experiences:
1. Cricket Knowledge
a. A strong understanding of amateur cricket, preferably as a Board Member, at club, district and major association level.
b. Playing and / or coaching experience and knowledge at a professional level, preferably international.
c. A strong understanding of the national drivers impacting on semi-professional cricket in New Zealand.
2. Strategic thinking
a. Change awareness: The ability to be alert and responsive to changes within cricket, internationally and domestically and a willingness to support new initiatives and to implement new policies, structures and practices to meet that need for change.
b. Contribution: Ability to think strategically and to help develop key ideas and initiatives that will enable ACA to advance the interests of cricket in Auckland.
c. Organisational awareness: An understanding of the position of ACA and cricket in Auckland and New Zealand in the eyes of its stakeholders (including the clubs) and the current opportunities and threats.
d. Perspective and vision: The ability to see the wider picture and future opportunities and risks for cricket in Auckland and New Zealand.
e. Strategic Alignment: The ability to ensure that strategies, budgets and business plans are realistic and compatible with ACA’s vision and mission.
3. Governance skills and experience
a. A good understanding of the difference between governance and management: Able to distinguish between Board and executive management issues and not get directly involved in management matters.
b. Adding value: Has an ability to add value to Board meetings and discussions so that the right decisions are made at the right time and in the right way.
c. Compliance and conformance: Has a strong understanding of compliance and conformance in relation to employment law, health and safety regulations, external financial reporting, collective agreements, general ethics etc.
d. Conflicts of interest: Can identify and declare conflicts of interest on any issue coming before the Board.
e. Has an outcome focus: Is focused on the achievement of results.
f. Holding the CEO to account: An ability to hold the CEO to account once the strategic plan and objectives and goals have been agreed to.
g. Regional and National role: Understands that the role of a ACA Board member is a regional and national one rather than a representative one and that the Director must always act in the best interests of cricket in New Zealand.
h. Previous Board experience: Has previously served on the Board(s) of a commercial or NFP organisation (including cricket club), or has served as CEO / MD of such an entity / entities.
i. Requirements: Understands legal, fiduciary and ethical requirements of directors.
j. Risk mitigation: Knowledge and experience in the management of risk – financial, contractual, reputational, and preferably as an employer of athletes within a high profile RSO.
k. Strategic planning: Has a strong understanding of strategic planning processes particularly in relation to Sporting and / or Not for Profit Organisations.
l. Strong stewardship orientation: Understands the importance of growing Member value and the role of a Board member to care for and grow the tangible and intangible assets of ACA.
4. Business acumen
a. Broad business experience: Has proven experience in effectively leading a business at a senior level.
b. Building performance: Knowledge and experience of how to build organisational performance through strong leadership.
c. Critical faculty: The ability to probe the facts and challenge assumptions, identifies the advantages or drawbacks of a proposal, provide counter-arguments and ensure discussions are penetrating and constructive. Sound decision-making.
d. Financial literacy: The ability to interpret financial statements and statistical information such as balance sheets, profit and loss accounts and cash flow statements, and to understand foreign exchange.
e. Information-oriented: The confidence to ask for information on matters of significance and relevance and ensure it is available to enable informed judgments/assessments to be made.
f. Informed business judgement: The ability and intelligence to make sensible, astute, business decisions and recommendations based on reasonable assumptions and factual information, including the ability to deal with uncertainty, risk, incomplete information and complexity, both in the present and reaching out several years.
g. Strong fan focus: Is committed to the ACA being an organisation that provides services that are useful and relevant for its existing and potential fans, that aims to find out what is important to fans and tries to meet and, where possible, exceed their expectations.
h. Values: Alignment with, and an understanding of, the need for strong institutional values that underpin behaviours and performance.
5. Personal character and skills
a. Adaptable: The ability to adopt a flexible approach in team interactions and to alter stances when appropriate.
b. Analytical: Analytical, critical reasoning and problem solving skills.
c. Commitment: The energy, commitment, motivation and the time to properly meet the Board’s requirements and discharge its responsibilities. Must have a commitment to excellence, both personally and for the organisation as a whole.
d. Courage: The strength of character and boldness to pursue one’s own convictions, and to probe, penetrate and achieve full understanding in the face of adversity.
e. Interpersonal and communication skills: Must have strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to interact and communicate with people from a wide variety of backgrounds. A proven leader in working with others.
f. Honesty and integrity: Must be able to demonstrate honesty, independence and integrity at all times without compromise of moral principle, and show a willingness to act now and remain accountable for Board decisions.
g. Stakeholder empathy: Ability to understand and relate to the stakeholders of Auckland Cricket, including ACA’s significant relationship with the sixteen principal and community cricket clubs in Auckland.
h. Style: A personal style that does not detract from a Board culture of capability, candour, trust and professionalism.
i. Team player: Can work harmoniously within the group, to recognise and value contributions from others, to be diplomatic, supportive and accept majority Board decisions.
j. Verbal skills: Able to articulate opinions clearly, logically and concisely with courtesy, respect and a sense of humour, and the confidence to state those opinions when needed.
Part 2: Ideal Skills and Experiences – The Board Mix
Ideally, each ACA Board Member shall have a particular strength in one or more of the following key functional areas. It is not expected that each applicant or nominee will possess every attribute identified, or that every attribute will always be present around the board table as a number competencies are capable of being contracted in, if needed. However, ideally the Board, as a whole, will possess the mix and balance of many of the skills, experience and expertise identified below:
1. Amateur (grassroots) cricket: Has a strong understanding of amateur and community cricket at club and school level. Both at the Junior and Senior cricket levels.
2. Entrepreneurial: Has an entrepreneurial talent for contributing to the creation, not merely the preservation, of member value.
3. Finance: Has specialist financial skills and relevant experience critical to the performance of ACA.
4. High performance sport: Has a demonstrable knowledge of high performance sport (cricket or otherwise), including best practice.
5. HR / organisational development: Has specialist human resources and organisational development skills and relevant experience critical to the performance of ACA.
6. Local and National relationships and representation: Has the capability and credibility to promote the interests of Auckland Cricket on the local (including council) and national stage.
7. Legal: Has strong legal and analytical and skills, and a high level of legal experience in those areas critical to the performance of ACA.
8. Marketing/Media: Has specialist marketing and/or media skills and relevant business experience critical to the performance of ACA.
9. Representative Cricket: Has playing and/or coaching experience at regional and national level, preferably with a contemporary understanding of cricket.
