Job Description
Exciting leadership role to drive growth, performance, and community in a fast-growing Auckland sport from grassroots to elite competition.
About Us
The Auckland Badminton Association (ABA) is the largest regional badminton association in New Zealand. Based in Epson it’s reach extends from Portage Road in the west to Te Irirangi Drive in the south. As a not-for-profit organisation, we proudly support over 24 affiliated clubs, catering for a hugely diverse player base from juniors to seniors, casual to elite.
With over 100,000 people playing badminton NZ wide, the sport is experiencing a resurgence, drawing new enthusiasts of all ages, including many new Aucklanders. As a vibrant, established and financially sound organisation, we aim to further advance Auckland badminton from grassroots participation to elite level national success, while fostering strong community connections and stakeholder engagement.
The Opportunity
As General Manager you will deliver on our Strategic Plan through the creation of a clear and measurable Operating Plan, focused on growing participation, enhancing player development, and investing in our facilities. This is a pivotal role with the opportunity to create meaningful impact. You will work with a passionate and committed board and play an essential role in shaping the future of badminton in Auckland.
Key Responsibilities
• Lead the execution of ABA’s Strategic Plan, setting clear milestones and ensuring measurable progress.
• Cultivate relationships with a broad range of stakeholders, including affiliated clubs, schools, funders, sponsors, and players, building a positive and inclusive community around the sport.
• Oversee ABA’s coaching and development programmes across Auckland, promoting participation from junior age groups through to senior competitive levels.
• Manage financial operations effectively, ensuring ABA’s resources are allocated to maximise impact and sustainability.
• Maintain and enhance ABA’s facilities, ensuring they meet the growing needs of the sport and its players.
• Act as an ambassador for ABA, representing the association’s values with integrity, passion, and professionalism.
What You Bring
Skills and Experience
• Proven experience leading a sporting organisation, ideally of a similar scale and complexity.
• Financial literacy, with the ability to interpret financial reports, manage budgets, and make sound financial decisions.
• People leadership experience including HR practices.
• Demonstrated ability to develop operational plans aligned with a strategy, with a record of setting and achieving milestones.
Key Behaviours For Success
• Stakeholder Relationship Management: Adept at managing relationships with a wide array of stakeholders, you must be able to listen actively, build trust, and ensure all parties feel informed and respected. You value transparency, deliver against commitments and treat others equally.
• Leadership: A natural leader who motivates through influence rather than authority, fostering positivity, inclusivity, and engagement with ABA’s strategic goals and operational priorities.
• Problem Solving: Able to independently navigate complex challenges, balancing resource allocation and managing competing stakeholder needs. This role requires a candidate who can view issues from different angles, validate data, and weigh options to find balanced solutions with minimal risk.
• Cultural Competence: ABA serves a diverse playing community, so it’s essential that the candidate respects cultural nuances and promotes an inclusive environment that meets the needs of all players.
What Drives You
You’re a passionate leader with an intrinsic motivation to elevate a community-focused sport. ABA offers a unique chance to impact the future of badminton, from fostering grassroots engagement to enhancing elite performance in Auckland. If you are driven by the prospect of advancing a sport that is rapidly growing and building a legacy within Auckland’s sporting landscape, this is the opportunity for you.
We recognise that neurodiversity is critical to a healthy, successful workplace. Our role is to uncover and advocate strengths via a psychologically safe recruitment experience. So, if a typical recruitment process doesn’t bring out your best, let us know. We want you to shine, not shy away.
Next steps
Apply here with a CV in MS Word. You’ll need to hold NZ citizenship, residency, or have already secured a valid visa. Want to discuss your suitability further? Find me via our website.
We understand some job seekers choose not to apply if a role isn’t a 100% match. We’d encourage you to apply anyway or send us your details. If this isn’t right something else might be.
A bit about Tony, who's recruiting this role
Tony is a co-founder of Cultivate. Helping businesses to build a sustainable future based on ‘performance through people’ is what drives him in work hours. Outside of work he's hopelessly addicted to cycling and getting outdoors, which helps when trying to keep up with two very active children.