CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Candidate Brief

Blues – Overview

The Blues are a Professional Rugby Union team based in Auckland, New Zealand that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are one of the most successful teams in Super Rugby history, having won the competition in its first two seasons, 1996 and 1997, and again in 2003. Additionally, the team were finalists in 1998 and semi-finalists in 2007 and 2011.

When rugby became professional in 1996, New Zealand’s five Super Rugby teams were owned by the NZRU and managed by boards representing the provincial rugby unions in each team’s region. 2013 brought about the beginning of a new era for the Blues with NZR offering a licence to operate the club until 2020.

The resulting new structure is a separate limited liability partnership involving the Auckland, North Harbour and Northland Provincial Unions. NZ Rugby currently holds the remaining shares but in the future, is likely to introduce a new private investor for the Blues.

In recent seasons, the Blues have not achieved the on-field success they have been seeking and the organisation is highly motivated to reverse that trend while laying the foundations for sustained long term success.

BLUES – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER To apply, please contact [email protected] or visit www.globalelitesports.com

Position Summary – Chief Executive Officer

Reporting to the Board of Directors, you will be responsible for developing the Blues into an outstanding sporting organisation, by ensuring the foundations are in place to consistently win the Super Rugby competition while delivering a return to shareholders.

You will provide vision and leadership to rugby in the region, represent the Blues with distinction as a member of the domestic and international rugby community and ensure the Blues comply with all key obligations under its License Agreement with New Zealand Rugby.

You will be responsible for representing and enhancing the Blues brand nationally and globally, for building sustainable commercial partnerships, ensuring the strategic goals and objectives of the organisation are achieved while at all times ensuring the high-performance rugby program is world- class.

BLUES – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER To apply, please contact [email protected] or visit www.globalelitesports.com

REPORTING TO: Chair and Board of Directors LOCATION: Blues HQ - 32 Campbell Crescent, Epsom, Auckland – New Zealand DIRECT REPORTS: - Head Coach - Team Manager - Media Manager - GM High Performance - Sponsorship Manager - GM Brand and Community - Finance and Administration Manager

KEY RELATIONSHIPS: Internal External - Chairman - New Zealand Rugby staff and directors - Directors - Blues’ region Provincial Union Chairmen and CEOs - Senior Managers - NZ Super Club CEO’s and Senior Managers - Head Coach - NZ Rugby Players’ Association - Coaching staff and Team management - SANZAAR CEO and officials - Medical Staff and contractors - Central Government Ministers, MPs and officials - Players - Local Government Mayor, Councillors and officials - All other Blues employed staff - Key Blues sponsors and partners - Sport NZ and HPSNZ CEOs and Senior Managers - Media - Public

BLUES – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER To apply, please contact [email protected] or visit www.globalelitesports.com

Responsibilities:

Leadership • Provide leadership and direction to senior management, staff and the professional rugby sector in the region • Develop a culture of innovation and excellence • Develop and maintain appropriate policies, systems, processes and practices to ensure sustainable and world class business practices. • Oversee the fiscal activities of the Organisation including budgeting, reporting and audit for quality decision-making and to ensure effective and productive implementation of policies approved by the Board. • Ensure NZR License and annual Funding KPIs are met • Maintain a culture of understanding and compliance with best practice Integrity and Welfare standards and beh aviours • Ensure the organisation has a strong health and safety culture and is meeting all appropriate legal standards

Strategy and Implementation • Lead and monitor the development and implementation of strategic and operational goals and plans, including working with the board through the process of developing a new vision and strategy for the club. • Agree with the Board appropriate KPI’s against which to measure the performance of the organisation. • Implement the agreed strategic priorities, driving and developing the organisation consistent with the agreed direction. • Work with the Board Chair to develop an annual board agenda, and ensure appropriate and timely papers are prepared for all board meetings.

BLUES – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER To apply, please contact [email protected] or visit www.globalelitesports.com

Representation and Stakeholder Relationships • Build strong and effective relationships with: - Coaching and team management and support staff - Key stakeholders as set out in External Key Relationships above. - Suppliers, service providers and other business networks as required. - Players, their agents and the NZRPA - Managers and staff as recruited. • Be the face of the Blues to our rugby community and media. • Be an effective and influential member of the Super Rugby community and build relationships with other Super Clubs to advance the standing and reputation of the Blues both globally and domestically. • Attend, host, and take overall responsibility at all home Blues’ Super Rugby games, and travel to and attend all away Blues’ Super Rugby games within New Zealand as required. • Attend and travel to NZRU events as required • Participate in monthly NZR SR CEO calls and quarterly meetings and represent the Blues in NZR work programmes as required

Planning, Budgeting and Reporting • Prepare, seek approval of, implement and monitor the annual business plan and budget. • Report to the Board on progress against Plan and budget. • Provide the Board with accurate, quality, complete and timely information to enable good decision-making. • Work with the Board to enable it to fulfil its governance functions efficiently and effectively • Ensure that the Board is presented with clear and logical recommendations for action, preferably well before every Board meeting to allow time for clarification and proper consideration. • Ensure appropriate governance and operational frameworks are in place to ensure the necessary financial, administrative and organisational resources are embedded

BLUES – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER To apply, please contact [email protected] or visit www.globalelitesports.com

Commercial and Marketing • Ensure the optimal development and promotion of all Blues activities, services and programmes while building the profile of the Blues through strong brand and communications programmes and robust marketing alliances. • Build and nurture Blues brand loyalty within the stakeholder family. • Maintain and enhance relationships with key commercial partners and sponsors to ensure timely and effective delivery of key benefits available and awareness of opportunities • Develop and deliver innovative commercial opportunities and partnerships, and new and diverse revenue streams to underpin the delivery of our programmes, services and activities

Professional Rugby/High Performance • Ensure the high-performance rugby program is appropriately resourced and structured to recruit, retain, and develop the best players available to ensure long-term success; • Provide guidance and support to the coaching group, team management, support staff and GM High-Performance • Ensure all NZR player contracting regulations and CEA obligations are met • Provide guidance and support when necessary on player recruitment, including sourcing third-party funds if needed; • Ensure there is a close working relationship with key high-performance stakeholders, in particular New Zealand Rugby and the three provincial unions.

Any Other Business • Any other activity or business initiative that may be required or directed by the Board from time to time

BLUES – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER To apply, please contact [email protected] or visit www.globalelitesports.com

Required Skills, Qualifications and Experience:

• Proven experience and success as a Chief Executive Officer or at Senior Executive level • Track record for delivering innovative growth and commercial development strategies • Ability to manage multiple and diverse stakeholders at local, national, professional, international, player, government and stadia level to build successful win/win working relationships • Inspirational leadership style with strategic agility and excellent business acumen • Strategic capability and ability to think outside the square • Proven skills in aligning strategy and culture to excel and deliver • Strong relationship management skills and ability to inspire confidence and trust • High integrity and values compatible with Blues’ vision for the future • Excellent presentation, negotiation and communication skills • High level of influencing ability and the adaptability to apply this at all levels • Ability to deal with a high level of public scrutiny • A passion and understanding with professional, high-performance sport, particularly rugby • Bachelor Degree: Business, Marketing, Sports Management or relevant other

BLUES – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER To apply, please contact [email protected] or visit www.globalelitesports.com

How to Apply

Global Elite Sports have been contracted by the Blues exclusively to manage this executive search process.

Please visit www.globalelitesports.com for more information or contact Richard Stenhouse – Managing Director to submit your resume with cover letter: Email: [email protected]

APPLICATION CLOSING DATE – 5.00pm Monday 26th August, 2019

BLUES – CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER To apply, please contact [email protected] or visit www.globalelitesports.com