Job Description
Background
For more than eight decades, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has taken a global leadership role in uniting the Commonwealth’s athletes, citizens and communities through the transformative and connecting power of sport. The CGF is the organisation responsible for the strategic direction of the Commonwealth Games, Commonwealth Youth Games and associated projects and initiatives across the Commonwealth Sport Movement. Working with 71 Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) across six regions, the CGF creates peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities across the Commonwealth.

In July 2022, Birmingham will host the XXII Commonwealth Games, the largest multi-sport event to be held in England in 10 years. Approximately 6,500 athletes and team officials from across the Commonwealth will come together in a 12-day celebration of sport and culture. Events will take place across Birmingham and the West Midlands, entertaining more than one million ticketed spectators and reaching a global broadcast audience of more than one billion. Prior to that, in Summer 2021, 1000 of the Commonwealth’s finest young athletes will gather in Trinidad & Tobago for the 7th edition of the Commonwealth Youth Games, an international festival of sport, youth and international friendship.
The development of the Commonwealth Sport digital strategy is a key Transformation 2022 strategic objective, along with an ambition to deliver a world-class digital solution at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. The current approach is fragmented – with the Federation, participating teams and every Games host managing and servicing different and at times competing or crossover channels. The voice, engagement and reach of athletes are also not supported or integrated in to content planning.

Because of this, the CGF have recently agreed an ambitious digital strategy to create an athlete-centred, sports-focused movement, powered by digital – one ‘Commonwealth Sport’ team (CGF, Birmingham 2022 OC and future Host City OCs) will work together and use Birmingham 2022 as a launchpad, building on this Games with the implementation of a longer-term digital technical solution and content strategy, allowing for a more sustainable and consistent digital footprint for future Games.
This digital strategy will reinvent the Commonwealth Sport Movement’s digital presence, reach and influence. It aims to transform the approach to communications and storytelling globally, connecting with new, younger fans. It will also play an essential role underpinning and supporting other strategies (Games Hosting, Games Value, Broadcast, Development, Communications) enabling the Movement to reach, engage, grow and retain global audiences like never before.

Role Overview
Managed on a day to to day basis by the CGF Partnerships Programme Lead based at the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee, and accountable to a wider governance structure overseen by the CGF, the purpose of the Digital Delivery Programme Manager is to drive forward the implementation of the Commonwealth Sport digital strategy, including the transition to the new shared web platform and digital architecture. The role will work closely with colleagues from the CGF, CGFP and OC teams to develop and integrate a digital and social media master plan for the Commonwealth Sport Movement.

The digital strategy has four key delivery pillars:
• A truly integrated Commonwealth Sport digital solution and ‘one’ integrated digital team (current OC, CGF, future OCs), resulting in a more sustainable and consistent digital solution and digital team for future Games, thereby improving efficiencies, retention and continuity and reducing development and set-up costs.
• A single Commonwealth Sport and Commonwealth Games website platform by January 2022, based on a world class digital infrastructure platform and digital services solution. This will evolve into Commonwealth Sport’s long-term digital platform and provide future OCs ‘out of the box’ digital solutions, reducing costs of developing digital platforms, and driving successful commercial and communications outcomes quicker and more effectively.
• A much enhanced and amplified Commonwealth Sport digital content plan, supported by a Digital Communications Officer and aligned with the CGF Communications Strategy. This will enable the CGF to deliver strong and relevant content on a much more regular basis, catalysing the delivery of the CGF’s ambition of bringing an athlete-centred, sports-focused movement to life with innovative and interesting digital content and storytelling.
• A joint OC/CGF Commonwealth Sport Digital Asset Management tool that will store, share and organise digital assets (images, videos, broadcast content etc) in a customisable and ‘simple to use’ central content location that can be accessed by the CGF, current and future OCs, CGAs and other Commonwealth Sport constituent parties.
The role will evolve during the different phases of the digital implementation plan, therefore the prospective candidate should have strong programme management skills, as well as broad experience of all elements of digital (website, social media, CRM, data management) and an understanding of commercial strategies and market driven opportunities. The applicant should have a proven track record in scoping and initiating complex projects, with strong inter-personal skills and a passion for digital.

Key Responsibilities
• Lead the detailed planning and roadmap for the transition phase from current state to future state, acknowledging the specific Birmingham 2022 requirements, along with the longer-term plan post 2022.
• Further detailed development of the overall digital implementation plan and prioritisation of activity to move towards a ‘one team’ approach including embedding of proposed CGF digital resource and support.
• Lead the development of requirements and commencement of a procurement process for the selection of technology and digital suppliers to support the build of a progressive web application (PWA) and associated digital platforms. This will incorporate market testing to understand longer-term sponsorship opportunities for these assets.
• Work closely with the embedded CGFP OC Technology team, OC Digital team, external consultants and OC Head of Marketing to input in to requirements for the proposed digital technology services, in particular, the proposed PWA.
• Support with the development and delivery of CGF digital communications priorities and campaigns via social channels and CRM. This includes liaising with stakeholders to develop and manage complimentary content, as well as developing content for CGF/Commonwealth Sport social channels, CGF website and CGAs.
• Co-develop the data management approach with the OC and CGFP so that CGF priorities are recognised and embedded in to the OC’s data management approach including working with the OC’s recently selected CRM partner.
• Work through the timing plan and requirements for 2026 editions of the Games and implications on the digital plan.
• Work with the CGFP Commercial team to develop further the digital commercial proposal and digital packages that will be attractive to target categories and sponsors – both with regards to the Commonwealth Sport platforms and architecture, as well as activation opportunities.
• Lead a coordinated approach to rights, distribution, CGF exploitation of photography and footage.
• Continuity post-Games to support the implementation of the transition from ‘Games time’ to ‘Commonwealth Sport’.
• Development of a funding plan for after the Birmingham 2022 Games and a longer-term digital master plan, including a blueprint for the digital operations of the 2026 and 2030 Games.
• Management and tracking of the overall budget and financial management.
• Leading the governance and processes associated with the digital implementation plan, including the chairing of senior steering groups, presenting to senior executives and the running of workshops as required.

How to apply
Applications should be in the form of a pdf covering letter and curriculum vitae. These should be sent via email to communications@thecgf.com by 5pm UK time on 30 April 2020. The email should be titled “Digital Programme Delivery Manager”. All applicants must be able to demonstrate the right to work in the UK and should include details of their current remuneration and notice period. The salary for the role of Digital Delivery Programme Manager is circa £55k pa subject to commensurate experience. The role is based in the Birmingham headquarters of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee and envisaged to be a full-time position subject to ongoing project funding with a minimum term of twelve months, subject to renewal and satisfactory probation. Regular domestic travel to the CGF Headquarters in London is expected.