Sport Participation and Development Senior Manager

University of Nottingham Ningbo China

University of Nottingham Ningbo China is seeking to recruit a Sport Participation and Development Senior Manager

Your Responsibilities

With a transformation in our sport and activity offer currently ongoing, we are looking for an experienced sport, activity and wellness professional to join our team and lead the strategic development of our participation and development programmes. We are driven by achieving results, and this is a high-impact role where you will work with a great team of people to achieve positive and long lasting change. 

This role will oversee the areas of participation, adventure, health and fitness and new for Academic Year 2025/26, student development with the aim of engaging more students and staff in healthy and regular physical activity. You will be someone laser focused on detail and achieving high standards and outside of the strategic and operational management of your teams, you will utilise your network to develop global partnerships which will make a difference to our customers and stakeholders. 

Your key responsibilities include:

• Create and deliver strategic and annual team plans with ongoing review and evaluation
• Ensure we offer a safe, innovative, inclusive and engaging service offer which is balanced, comprehensive and fully aligned to the University of Nottingham Vision and UNNC Strategic Plan
• Strategic and operational leadership responsibility for the Participation, Adventure, Health & Fitness and Sport Development teams.
• Develop and implement a new integrated Student Development Model with volunteer, internships and placement opportunities to support employability, work-life experience and skill development
• Integrate the Student Development programme with the Nottingham Advantage Award and design a programme of additional internationally accredited vocational qualifications for students and staff
• Produce regular performance reports with optimised digital data collection, analysis and evaluation. 
• Work with international colleagues in UON UK and Malaysia to align our programmes and deliver connected global opportunities

About You

You will be an experienced sport professional with ideally at least 8 years of relevant leadership and management experience and a track record of challenging consensus to achieve your outcomes. You will be passionate about sport and activity and a person determined to achieve results. You will be someone who embraces accountability and responsibility with a love for data and insight. Your leadership style will be positive, optimistic and people orientated as you recognise an effective and highly motivated team is always more successful than the individual. You embrace inclusivity and difference - you want people to be themselves, thrive and make a difference. 

Please check out the role profile for more essential requirements for the role. If this sounds like an opportunity of a lifetime and that you have the skills, knowledge and experience we are looking for together with the drive to achieve record results, then we would love to hear from you. 

About Us

Join a unique British University in China.  The University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) was the first Sino-foreign university to open its doors in China. Located in Ningbo, this award winning campus offering a UK style education has grown to establish a student body of over 10,000 in just 21 years. UNNC is a global leader in Higher Education sport, activity and wellness and at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, we are entering the most exciting period in our history. As we continue to drive change and innovate to deliver the best sport and activity programme in Asia, we are finalising designs for a ¥multi-million investment in a cutting edge, innovative facility designed to offer our global students and staff an experience like no other. 

Your Remuneration, Benefits and Support 

This is a regular post that you will be offered a fixed term contract initially of 3 years with a probation of 6 months with University of Nottingham Ningbo China. We are committed to providing competitive employment packages while supporting the wellbeing of our staff to help them reach their full potential.

How to Apply

Applicants should apply via our on-line application system before 23:59 on 17 July 2025. Only on-line applications made will be accepted. Referees will be contacted prior to interview and interviews will take place in Ningbo China.

Enquiries

If you are unable to apply on-line, please contact Recruitment Team, Email: Job@nottingham.edu.cn 

Equality and Diversity 

University of Nottingham Ningbo China is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportively learning and working environment for our students and staff. It is our intention to ensure that job applicants and staff are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential, regardless of gender, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, age*, socio-economic background, disability, religious or political beliefs, trade union membership, family circumstances, sexual orientation or other irrelevant distinction.