Head of Pathway

Organisation: Royal Yachting Association
Salary: £57,000 - £65,000 per annum
Location: Hamble, Southampton (hybrid working) with national travel; flexible/field-based working as required
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 5 July 2026
Job Description: The Mission: Realising the Talent

We are on a mission: to double active participation in sailing and boating in 10 years. A strong and aligned pathway is critical to the long-term success of British Sailing. We are seeking a strategic, visionary Head of Pathway to lead our UK Sport and Sport England funded talent system, working towards our ultimate aim: "Creating sailors for Life and Developing the Champions of Tomorrow".

You will lead a complex system of programmes, partners, and stakeholders to embed the Sailor Development Framework. By ensuring clear progression routes and consistent development approaches, you will build a connected, aligned, and high-performing environment that smoothly transitions athletes from their first entry into the sport all the way to the World Class Olympic and Paralympic programmes.

What You Will Do:

- Embed the Philosophy: Lead and firmly embed the Sailor Development Framework and our long-term athlete development philosophy across all stages of the talent pathway.

- Oversee the Pathway: Oversee the delivery of critical national pathway programmes, including the Pathway Club, Recognised Class Programme, England Talent Academies, British Sailing Youth Team, Diploma in Sporting Excellence, Para Pathway, and Talent Inclusion initiatives like Wavemakers.

- Lead a High-Performing Team: Provide direct leadership to the Youth Racing Manager, Junior Racing Manager, Youth Head Coach, and WaveMakers Manager, while fostering a culture of trust, alignment, and autonomy across the wider distributed network of coaches and class associations.

- Align the System: Act as the key connector across the sport. You will drive alignment of pathway aims across a broad stakeholder group, including Home Country programmes, classes, coaches, parents, and funders.

- Collaborate for Growth: Work hand-in-hand with the Growth, Learning & Volunteering, and Competition departments to ensure a connected end-to-end system. You will also partner with the Performance Pathway Manager to ensure high-potential sailors are effectively transitioned into the World Class programme.

- Resource & Risk Management: Accountable for deploying talent pathway resources effectively to maximise impact and value for money, while embedding strict safeguarding, safety, and inclusive practices across all delivery.

Who You Are (Essential Qualifications & Experience):

- A Proven Talent Leader: You bring proven leadership of talent and development systems within a National Governing Body or high‑performance youth sport context.

- An Experienced Systems Manager: You have a minimum of 5 years of management experience in the development and implementation of performance and pathway systems.

- A Experienced Operator: You possess a firm understanding of the governance requirements of sport programmes, including policy design, anti-doping regulations, and safeguarding protocols.

- A Strategic Scaler: You have extensive knowledge of programme design and scaling across multiple regions and partners.
Network Savvy: You possess a deep, practical understanding of junior and youth class dynamics and the realities of club environments.

- A Talent Developer: You have expert knowledge of the principles of talent development and how to apply them effectively within complex talent systems.

- Qualified & Ready: You are a qualified coach (Sailing RCL2 or other sports equivalent) and hold a valid driving licence to support national delivery.

Benefits:

The RYA offers a range of benefits which include:

- 36 days holiday including public holidays
- Birthday day off
- 10% RYA contribution to a personal pension scheme,
- Free life insurance
- Discounts platform for retail, entertainment, holidays & gym membership
- 2 volunteering days (paid)
- Free charging point for electric vehicles whilst on your working days at the office
- Social Events
- RYA Membership
- Optional Team Sailing Days
How to apply: Please visit our careers page on our website: https://www.rya.org.uk/about-us/careers/job-vacancies/head-of-pathway/ Here you can view the full job description and apply for the role.