Job opening: High Performance Director in Brazil

The International Hockey Federation (FIH), has been asked by the The Confederacao Brasileira de Hoquei Sobre Grama e Indoor (CBHG) and the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) to identify a candidate for the position of High Performance Director to lead all aspects of Brazil’s high performance field hockey programs from talent identification to training and sport science support programs to the achievement of international competition results for the men’s and women’s national team, junior national teams and indoor teams programs.

The High Performance Director is a full-time position reporting to the General Manager of the CBHG. Quarterly reviews will be undertaken by representatives of the COB and the FIH.

The challenge of the High Performance Director is to build a high performance program which will enable the men`s and women`s national teams to reach the required standard for participation in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. A further outcome should be the legacy of a strong, sustainable high performance system through which the next generation of Brazilian hockey players will be produced.

The High Performance Director will:

• Develop, implement and lead a long-term high performance plan for the national team programs up to and including the 2016 Olympic Games
• Prepare annual and quadrennial national team budgets for submission to the COB, and other relevant bodies
• Identify and hire coaches for each of the men`s and women`s national teams and other support staff, subject to budgetary availability
• Manage the integration of all elements of the high performance programs (athlete identification and selection, training, sport science support, medical support, financial support to athletes etc) to ensure consistency with the long-term high performance plan
• In conjunction with national team coaches, monitor the performance of individual athletes and the teams as a whole to ensure progress and take corrective action where necessary

The High performance Director will:

• Direct all aspects of programs for training high performance athletes in various centres throughout Brazil in conjunction with local coaches
• Select and train a team of coaches to work with identified athletes in regional centres
• Take other action as required to build a sustainable high performance system for Brazil

The High Performance Director will:

• Prepare annual operating reports, annual applications for financial assistance and other reports as required for funding partners, agencies and working groups or committees
• Liaise with and respond to any relevant special committees of the Brazilian Olympic Committee
• Develop positive relationships with the CBHG, high performance coaches and sport scientists and seek their input and feedback where appropriate.

The successful candidate will:

• Have a proven track record leading a national high performance program and coaching at the international level, preferably at the FIH World Cup or Olympic Games
• Have leadership and management skills
• Be motivated and results-oriented with a drive to achieve performance targets

• Have utilized the services of sport scientists and developed programs to integrate all services
• Have developed long-term plans and strategies for national team programs which have led to success at the international level
• Have experience with athlete services programs which have worked in the best interests of the health and well-being of top level athletes
• Have experience in providing direction to coaches working with top level male and female athletes.
• Have the ability to build and maintain national and international relationships

Ability to speak Portuguese or Spanish is an asset.

The High Performance Director will be headquartered in Rio de Janeiro and should expect to travel extensively in Brazil and internationally.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications. Start date is negotiable

The term of appointment shall be until the end of December 2012 at which time the position and the candidate will be reviewed. Renewal is possible.

Applications including curriculum vitae and salary expectations should be sent by April 15, 2011 by email to Kelly Fairweather CEO FIH at Kelly.Fairweather@fih.ch . All applications will be confidential.