Participation Manager

**Posted**:
15/01/2025

**Closing Date**:
15/02/2025

**Job Type**:
Permanent - Full Time

**Location**:
Bondi/Hybrid

**Job Category**:
Sport and Recreation

Surf Life Saving exists **to save lives, create great Australians and build better communities.**

Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) is Australia's peak coastal water safety, drowning prevention and rescue authority.

With 193,009 members, of all age groups and demographics across 315 affiliated Surf Life Saving Clubs (SLSCs), SLSA represents the largest volunteer movement of its kind in Australia.

Since Surf Life Saving was established in 1907, over 670,000 lives have been saved. In 2021/22 our Surf Life Saving active members were involved in 8,916 rescues, 58,342 first aid treatments and more than 1.63 million preventative actions. Surf Life Saving volunteers carried out more than 1.31 million patrol hours.

Surf Life Saving is a unique not-for-profit, community cause that exists through community donations, fundraising, corporate sponsorship and government grants.

Job Description

This position is integral to our mission, driving forward key initiatives and contributing to the overall success of our team. Your expertise will shape our strategic direction and operational efficiency, directly impacting our innovation, growth, and the maintenance of SLSA's iconic Australian brand.

**The person who takes on this role will consult with**:

- Sport, Learning and Development Managers and other Mission teams
- Senior SLSA Marketing Manager, SLSA's Strategic Communications Manager and SLSA's National Research Manager, and their teams
- National Advisory Committees
- Surf Life Saving State and Territory representatives
- Surf Life Saving Clubs and members
- Australian Sports Commission and Primary Sport Networks
- Volunteering Australia

**Your purpose will be**:
To take on the responsibility for the implementation of participation initiatives and engagement that will generate new members for SLSA that are reflective of the community we serve.

The role requires someone who can work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to develop and implement strategies to increase awareness, engagement and participation in all levels of Surf Life Saving, with the aim of attracting more members to reflect the community we serve.

This role will be responsible for implementing the participation initiatives of both the Participation and PlayWell Funding agreements and reporting on them.

**The successful Participation Manager will understand**:

- The sport and participation sector, trends and key stakeholders
- Participation drivers, motivations and barriers and the importance of customer experience
- Product and program design, development and delivery
- Policy, budgets, resource management, and data and technology trends

**You will have experience with**:

- Aligning partnerships with strategic priorities
- Managing Board and CEO expectations
- Developing, implementing, managing and evaluating sport growth strategies and national programs and services
- Using data to enable evidence-based decision making

**As the Participation Manager at SLSA you will need to be**:

- Adaptable, positive and courageous
- Driven to achieve positive outcomes
- Responsible and accountable
- Continuously learning and motivating others

**You will also thrive on**:

- Building relationships and partnerships
- Creating a culture of trust
- Being customer focused
- and showing the ability to strategically plan and be an operational decision-maker

**Your key responsibilities will include**:
**Managing the relationship with Australian Sports Commission Play Well Investment - which includes**:

- Implementation and maintenance of a Participation Plan
- Management of the relationship with the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and the reporting related to this funding body
- Preparation and management of the budget in accordance with ASC funding
- Attending regular meetings with the ASC Participation Advisor, the Primary Sport Network and other meetings/forums organised by the ASC to ensure SLSA is well represented
- Collaboration with others to ensure effective representation of SLSA across this network
- Ensuring SLSA is actively supporting the Coalition of Volunteering and promoting its activities
- Identifying a better reporting mechanism for tracking officials and coaching numbers.

**Managing the relationship with Volunteering Australia - which includes**:

- Manage relationship with Volunteer Australia and other industry groups, and ensure SLSA is well represented across the volunteering networks.
- Assist the Communications Department to communicate the value and impact of volunteering.
- Create volunteer-led partnerships.
- Develop resources and tools for volunteers in consultation with internal and external stakeholders.
- Establishing a volunteer action plan aligning with the National Strategy for Volunteering.

**Particiption and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion -