Swimming New Zealand (SNZ) is the governing body of swimming in NZ and is responsible for the development, growth and leadership of the sport from grassroots to high performance.  SNZ’s Vision is “Swimming for all; Swimming for life” and our Purpose is to “Provide high-quality, enjoyable swimming experiences to improve the well-being of New Zealanders”.

To help us achieve our vision and purpose, we are looking for a dynamic and experienced leader for the role of Head of Participation, responsible for leading our Participation team as it works towards achieving our participation and coaching objectives.  

This is an opportunity to make a significant impact on a key sport in New Zealand. You will oversee national initiatives to increase participation and develop coaching and competition pathways, from grassroots to high performance, working closely with clubs, coaches, regional associations, and communities to ensure that swimming remains accessible, inclusive, vibrant, and expanding.

As Head of Participation, you’ll oversee the development and delivery of engaging events, support systems for swimmers and coaches, and initiatives that promote the health and well-being benefits of swimming to all New Zealanders. You’ll also play a vital role in building strong partnerships across the sector and advocating for the sport at all levels.

To succeed in this role, you’ll need:         

• Proven leadership experience in sport, community, or education.
• Experience in leading and motivating a small team to achieve big results.
• Exceptional people and communication skills.
• A collaborative, inclusive approach to working with diverse stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking and the ability to turn vision into action.

Critical Success Factors:

Key to the success of this role is leading the Participation Team to achieve the organisation's Participation, Competition, and soon to be Coaching strategic goals, as outlined in the organisation's 2028 Statement of Strategic Direction, which includes the 2028 Strategic Outcome of “more people swimming more often”, and the following 2028 Measurable Goals:

• At least 7,000 competitive members, competing more often.
• At least 30,000 actively engaged people on the database.
• At least 1m digital interactions annually. 
• Boost swimming enrolment in Maori and other under-represented cultures by 20% within 3 years.
• Lead the development and roll-out of the new Coaching Strategy.

Selection Considerations:

The successful candidate will have:

• High level of interest and participation in sport and the sport industry.
• Excellent organisational skills and ability to cope with various tasks simultaneously.
• Good understanding of the NZ sporting community.
• Be available to work nights, weekends and away from Auckland as required.
• Be legally able to work in NZ.
• Have a full NZ Driver’s license.