As Team Scotland begins the search for the Sport Team Managers who will help deliver success at Birmingham 2022, we are proud to announce a ground-breaking partnership with First Ascent and sportscotland to deliver a world-class learning and development programme for selected candidates and prospective Team Managers at future Commonwealth Games.

A critical component of a successful team, Team Scotland is seeking a cadre of up to 21 Team Managers capable of supporting each other for collective success at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. In addition we’re also looking to select a number of Understudy Managers, who will begin their journey as potential Team Managers for 2026 and be available to step in should any Team Manager become unexpectedly unavailable for 2022.

If you are interested in the role of a Team Manager for the Commonwealth Games we want to hear from you! Please click here to view the full advert and get in touch.

In a first for Team Scotland, all selected Team Managers and Understudy Managers will take part in a two year, personalised training and development programme which combines modules, webinars, e-learning resources, and peer learning. The programme will cultivate knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours so each manager is highly confident, ready to deliver in their role and able to support Team Scotland athletes to perform to their potential in Birmingham.

Jon Doig OBE, Chief Executive at Commonwealth Games Scotland said:

“Our Team Managers are as diverse in background as the sports themselves, so it’s an exciting step to be able to combine our knowledge of the Games environment with First Ascent’s expertise in leadership and learning to offer a fully tailored and personalised development programme over the next two years.

“Feedback following Gold Coast 2018 highlighted an appetite for a more targeted approach to people development and we’ve worked closely with sportscotland since then to create the framework to achieve this. Whether someone is at their first major multi-sport Games or their tenth, it’s important that they have the confidence and skills to operate in what is a highly pressurised environment. This is a fantastic opportunity bringing long-term benefits, not just for these individuals and Team Scotland, but more widely as they take what they have learned back into their individual sports.”

First Ascent specialises in providing tailored learning and development programmes that utilise the latest scientific knowledge and tools to drive accelerated performance. They bring a sound understanding of high performance sport, having provided leadership, team development, recruitment and executive coaching programmes to organisations such as UK Sport, EIS, Sport England, Sport Wales and over 20 National Governing Bodies of Sport.

David Sales, Director of First Ascent Group Ltd, said: “We are extremely excited to be partnering with Team Scotland as they prepare for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. We are looking forward to working together over the next two years to select and develop the talented individuals who, as Sport Team Managers, will play an integral role in leading Team Scotland to success at the Games. Team Scotland 2022 is going to be a force to be reckoned with!”

Partnership working with sportscotland over the past two years has been instrumental in developing the framework of the programme and online delivery platform, and this will continue on the journey to Birmingham.

Mike Whittingham, Director of High Performance at the sportscotland Institute of Sport, said: ‘‘We are delighted to be working alongside our partners, Team Scotland and embarking on a new partnership with First Ascent. Our collaboration is designed to make team management as effective and seamless as possible. It is this type of preparation that fuels our ability to perform at our best, giving our athletes every opportunity to fulfil their potential.

“We are looking forward to building on a decade of success in Scottish sport and, while Birmingham 2022 will provide new challenges for all of us, we are ready and prepared to maximise the opportunity another UK-based Games presents following on from Glasgow 2014.’’

Team Managers do not need to have been athletes or coaches to be candidates for this role. Our successful Team Managers are characterised by a diversity of backgrounds in different sectors and with different functional skills in their careers. Attitude and mindset are far more important for success, than having had a career in sport. A belief in sport and a desire to play a key role in a unique global event will be important to you.

If you are attracted to the role of a Team Manager for the Commonwealth Games, please click here to view the full advert and get in touch.

Applications must be completed by midday on Friday 31st July 2020.