November 2019, Articles

Women in High Performance Sport

NSO resident positions up for grabs

HPSNZ’s newly established Residency Fund for Women in High Performance Sport has been brought to life with resident positions at up to nine national sports organisations (NSOs) confirmed.

On 17 October 2019, HPSNZ invited 24 target NSOs to submit a proposal to the newly established Women in High Performance Sport Residency Fund.

Women in High Performance Sport Pilot Project Manager Sonia Boland says the Residency Fund is delivering on the leadership stream of the Women in High Performance Sport pilot project and seeks to establish a cohort of talented, highly capable, future female leaders and high performance coaches through offering 18 month fixed term employment opportunities within NSOs’ high performance programmes.

“Sixteen NSOs submitted high quality applications the Residency Fund. These applications included both coaching and management roles across a mix of HPSNZ tiered and campaign investment sports,” Sonia says.
Following an assessment of each application against the Fund’s selection criteria, the Selection Panel agreed to short-list the below proposals:

  • NZ Cricket – Head Coach NZC women’s U19; Head Coach NZC Women’s Development Programme; NZC White Ferns Assistance Coach
  • Netball NZ – High Performance Operations Manager
  • Snow Sports NZ – Performance Services Manager
  • Basketball NZ – High Performance Operation Manager
  • Hockey NZ – National Assistant Coach Black Sticks Women
  • NZ Football – Future Ferns Domestic Programme Assistant Coach, WU20’S Assistant Coach, Coach Mentor
  • Surf Life Saving NZ – High Performance Manager
  • Yachting NZ – Yachting NZ Strategic Coordinator
  • Cycling NZ – High Performance Programmes Lead

Sonia says the short-listed NSOs will undertake an open and transparent recruitment process to fill the resident positions over the coming weeks. All positions will be advertised on the HPSNZ Careers website.

Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson announced funding for the $2.7m Women in High Performance Sport pilot project in October this year. The project, which runs to the end of June 2021, will deliver to one of the 24 commitments in the Government Strategy for Women and Girls in Sport and Active Recreation.

Sonia says women are currently significantly under-represented in high performance leadership and coaching roles. The pilot project seeks to change this by creating the right environment and opportunities to enable far greater representation.

The pilot project will be delivered through three main streams:

  • The Women in High Performance Sport Residency Fund that will establish a cohort of highly capable women leaders and coaches through providing fixed term residency positions in NSOs;
  • A High Performance Sport Breakthrough Coaching Programme for Women that will develop a talent pool of future HP coaches; and
  • Working in partnership with NSOs to create sustainable and inclusive HP sport environments.

For more information on the HPSNZ Women in High Performance Sport project please contact sonia.boland@hpsnz.org.nz.