Elite Talent Development Director

Elite Talent Development Director

This role leads the design, execution, and review of structured talent pathways from identification through to confirmation, ensuring alignment with our mission to produce world-class athletes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and execute a comprehensive talent pathway from identification through to recruitment and confirmation.
• Collaborate with marketing teams to create clear marketing campaigns and social media publicity around opportunities and how to sign up for consideration/trials etc.
• Actively engage in strategic planning and review processes with senior leadership.

Talent Identification and Development:

• Coordinate and deliver annual talent identification programs, including multi-stage testing and profiling.
• Develop sport-specific benchmarking and profiling systems in collaboration with sports scientists and national/international benchmarks performance standards.
• Drive new initiatives such as talent transfer and special scouting projects to fill critical talent gaps i.e. female heavyweight athletes in combat sports.
• Implement athlete recruitment management systems to ensure comprehensive talent databases in all chosen sports.

Program Design and Delivery:

• Oversee annual planning, marketing, and scheduling of creative talent identification campaigns creating pathways across all sports.
• Ensure every athlete is supported throughout any talent recruitment campaign and communication is simple and clear to understand.
• Establish 'how to' participate in talent identification and recruitment campaigns via modern video mediums published on a frequent basis.
• Create a clear graphical prospectus outlining the offer to each athlete recruited to the program or participating in a talent recruitment day.
• Develop a payment and reward system attracting best talent to our organization while elevating Olympic Medal winning journeys over National title priorities.

Staff and Stakeholder Management:

• Recruit and develop a talent scouting and recruitment team, working alongside HR.
• Lead the pathways team building relationships with key stakeholders, club coaches, parents, national federations, and required stakeholders.

Data, Review & Insights:

• Track and monitor athlete talent using real-time performance analytics, benchmarking tools, and regular reviews.
• Lead pathway reviews, elevating the club structure with annual CPD opportunities for club coaches maintaining a positive relationship.
• Inform talent recruitment strategy using national and international performance trends.

Education and Welfare Integration:

• Collaborate with educational pathways teams embedding athlete welfare and dual career programs within talent development structures.
• Facilitate induction, transition, and exit processes for athletes entering and exiting the pathway.

Compliance and Reporting:

• Ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks including anti-doping, safeguarding, and donor requirements.
• Prepare reports, athlete summaries, and budget justifications as required.

Person Specification:

Essential Qualities:

• Proven leadership in talent development and pathway management in elite sports settings.
• 5–8 years experience in performance sport (preferably multi-sport or Olympic disciplines).
• Deep understanding of athlete development science and transition needs from junior to elite.
• Strong communication, stakeholder management, and program management skills.
• Experience managing budgets, staff, and complex logistics.

Desirable Qualities:

• Coaching qualifications in a relevant sport.
• Understanding of high-performance sports ecosystems.
• Previous involvement with national or international federations.
• Knowledge of long-term athlete development models and international medal trajectory planning.
• Experience with athlete management systems, data platforms, and performance tracking tools.

Additional Requirements:

• Flexibility to travel and work irregular hours.
• Ability to travel domestically.
• Subject to police verification and background checks as per organizational compliance policy.