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Event Director (2028 European Archery Championships)
Archery GB
Archery GB is the national governing body for the sport of archery in the UK. Our vision is to enrich lives through archery in Great Britain, from grassroots to performance level.
Job Posted- 8 Oct 2026
Status- Part Time
Location- England
Closing date- 26 Oct 2026
Event dates: 18-29 May 2028
Engagement: Phased commitment from December 2026
Project Fee: £70,000 (subject to final scope and contract)
Partners: Archery GB and Nottingham City Council, with support from UK Sport
Rights holder: World Archery Europe
THE OPPORTUNITY
The 2028 European Archery Championships, including the Continental Qualifying Tournament for the LA28 Olympic Games, will bring Europe’s leading archers to Nottingham. The Championships will culminate in finals in the city centre and offer a powerful platform to increase the visibility of archery, inspire participation and showcase the East Midlands as a destination for major international sport.
The successful Event Director will translate the partners’ ambitions into a single, credible and deliverable event plan. They will combine strategic leadership with day-to-day delivery, establishing the team, partnerships and culture required to deliver the event safely, sustainably, on time and within budget.
THE ROLE
We are seeking an exceptional Event Director to provide strategic leadership and end-to-end accountability for the planning, delivery and close-out of the 2028 European Archery Championships and Continental Qualifying Tournament.
Reporting to the Event Board / Steering Group, the Event Director will lead the Local Organising Committee and coordinate the work of Archery GB, Nottingham City Council, UK Sport, World Archery Europe, venues, agencies, suppliers, contractors, volunteers and other delivery partners. The postholder will be the principal executive lead for the event, responsible for turning agreed objectives into an integrated delivery programme and ensuring that decisions are taken at the right level and at the right time.
This is a senior leadership role requiring both strategic judgement and operational oversight. The Event Director will be comfortable moving between Board-level advice, international federation relationships, detailed budget and risk scrutiny, team leadership and visible leadership during event-time operations.
Phased commitment:
• December 2026 to mid-2027: governance, scope validation, master planning, budget assurance, key appointments and procurement strategy.
• Mid-2027 to early 2028: increasing delivery intensity, functional-area planning, commercial and communications activation, workforce recruitment, venue and city integration, testing / readiness.
• Event period, 18-29 May 2028: full-time event leadership across build, competition delivery, city-centre finals and de-rig, including evenings and weekends as required.
• Post-event: financial reconciliation, evaluation, reporting, lessons learned, and formal close-out.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
We welcome applications from candidates whose experience has been gained across major sport, live events, festivals or comparable multi-partner programmes. Direct archery experience is not essential. Evidence of leadership, judgement and delivery at the required scale is more important.
Essential experience and knowledge:
• Substantial senior leadership experience in the planning and delivery of major international sporting events or comparable complex live events.
• A strong track record of leading multidisciplinary teams and integrating multiple functional workstreams through the full event lifecycle.
• Experience of working within multi-partner governance structures and reporting effectively to Boards, steering groups or senior public-sector stakeholders.
• Demonstrable ownership of significant budgets, forecasting, financial controls, procurement and contract management.
• Experience of working with international rights holders or federations, governing bodies, host cities, public funders, venues and commercial partners.
• Proven capability in event safety, risk, contingency, readiness and event-time command structures, with sound judgement about when to seek specialist assurance.
• Knowledge of broadcast operations, ticketing, sponsorship, hospitality or commercial rights delivery.
• Experience of developing workforce plans that successfully combine employees, contractors, agencies, suppliers and volunteers.
• Experience of delivering inclusive events and embedding safeguarding, accessibility, equality, diversity and inclusion into planning and operations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including clear Board reports, persuasive presentations, negotiation and senior external representation.
• Ability to work flexibly, travel regularly to Nottingham and be fully available throughout the event build, competition and de-rig period.
Desirable experience:
• Experience of delivering outdoor or city-centre sport, including temporary venue infrastructure and public-realm interfaces.
• Experience of public funding, local-authority procurement and grant-compliance requirements.
• Experience of designing and evaluating social impact, participation, sustainability or legacy programmes.
• Knowledge of Nottingham and the East Midlands sporting, cultural or community landscape.
Leadership competencies and personal qualities:
• Purpose-led and audience-focused: connects daily decisions to the event’s objectives and to enriching lives through archery.
• Collaborative: values people, listens well, shares information and builds trust across organisations with different priorities.
• Strategic and delivery-minded: holds the big picture while maintaining disciplined control of detail, deadlines and dependencies.
• Calm and decisive: makes proportionate, evidence-based decisions under pressure and takes responsibility for outcomes.
• Commercially and financially astute: understands value, trade-offs and opportunity, and protects public and partner investment.
• Inclusive and respectful: creates conditions where people can contribute and perform at their best.
• Open to learning: seeks feedback, applies lessons and encourages constructive challenge and continuous improvement.
• High integrity: communicates honestly, manages conflicts appropriately and does what they say they will do.
For more information and to view the full candidate pack, please visit our careers page at: https://archerygb.org/about/ca... submit the following via https://hr.breathehr.com/v/eve...: • An up-to-date CV, ideally no more than two pages. • A covering letter, no more than two pages, explaining your motivation and how your experience meets the essential requirements. • Your availability from December 2026 through post-event close-out, including any known constraints. • A fee proposal and payment profile, confirming VAT status and any travel or expenses assumptions. • Contact details for two referees. References will normally be taken up for the preferred candidate. Please send any informal enquiries to Mike Painter (HR Lead) at: [email protected] Recruitment Timetable: Closing date: Monday 26th October (5pm) First-stage interviews: Thursday 5th November (online via MS Teams) Final-stage interviews: Friday 13th November (in person at Lilleshall National Sports Centre)