The Board appointed the first Supporter Board Advisor in January 2022 for a term of three years. Following the success of this initial appointment, the Cardiff Rugby Board now wishes to commence the process to select a Supporter Board Advisorfor the next three year term.
The purpose of appointing a Supporter Board Advisor is to:
- Change the dynamic between club and supporters from ‘us and them’ to ‘we’re all in it together’ and provide further insight into local fan culture and expectation.
- Provide constructive and well-informed checks and balances to help the company become more successful on and off the field.
- Help to ensure board decisions continue to consider supporter interests, so they become grounded, 360-degree decisions.
- Create greater understanding among supporters of constraints under which the board operates, leading to fewer demands to ‘buy’ success
- Facilitate access to a reservoir of expertise, goodwill and voluntary support.
- Enable issues such as equal opportunities, disability rights and anti-racism to be highlighted and dealt with more easily.
- Pave the way to additional potential revenue streams being accessed via voluntary fundraising.
- Provide access to specific support for history and heritage.
Recruitment Process
The post will be advertised across Cardiff Rugby’s website, social media channels and will be emailed to supporters on an approved database.
Candidates for the role will be democratically elected by supporters, namely, shareholders, Season Members, CF10 Rugby Trust members, Cardiff Blue & BlacksSupporters’ Club members and Cardiff RFC Supporters’ Club. Those supporters who are members of more than one of these groups will only be allowed one vote.
Candidates will need to have been nominated by two board/committee members of either of the recognised supporters’ groups (CF10 Rugby Trust and Cardiff Blue &Black Supporters’ Club) who can vouch for their suitability to represent supporters, as set out in this personal specification.
Supporters will then be invited to vote for the appropriate candidates through an electronic election.
The highest placed candidates in terms of total votes will be elected. The successful candidate will be appointed by the Board of Cardiff Rugby for a three-year period starting from 1 January 2025.
Supporter Board Advisor: Role Description
Role & Responsibilities
As a Board Advisor, the successful candidate will be expected to operate and contribute as all other non-executive Board members, which includes the following general responsibilities:
- Participate fully, and represent the values and standards of Cardiff Rugby.
- Act with honesty and in good faith to promote the success of Cardiff Rugby.
- Recognise and honour commitment to Board room confidentiality, unless expressly permitted by the Chair and/or CEO.
- Sign an NDA and make no comments to media unless given the specific permission of Chair and/or CEO.
- Avoid situations where a direct or indirect conflict of interest arises.
- Uphold high standards of integrity and probity.
- Help develop and challenge executives’ proposals on company strategy.
- Contribute to helping the executive to improve company performance.
- Unless otherwise agreed, not to undertake tasks concerning the day-to-day running of the Company.
In addition, the Supporter Board Advisor will be expected to contribute the following to the Board’s discussions and decision making:
- Build and sustain a credible and beneficial relationship between Cardiff Rugby and the supporter base.
- Support building and sustaining a credible and beneficial relationship between Cardiff Rugby and other stakeholders (including Cardiff Athletic Club and the Welsh Rugby Union).
- Act as a critical friend and ensure the views of Cardiff Rugby’s supporter organisations and the wider fan base are fully considered in Board decision making.
- Ensure relevant and approved information is shared with formal supporter bodies and the wider fan base.
- As requested, discuss issues raised by the Board with formal supporter bodies and vice versa.
- Assist Cardiff Rugby to raise its profile within the community and throughout the region.
- Assist Cardiff Rugby to grow its supporter base.
Personal Specification
Essential:
- Time to commit to the role and deliver its stated responsibilities.
- Commitment to meet regularly and consult the wider supporter base.
- Commitment to remain routinely accessible to the wider supporter base through a variety of media.
- Commitment to the values, principles and objectives of supporter organisations.
- Experience of board membership (or equivalent level) which may include the boards of supporter organisations.
- Good communication skills.
- Sound independent judgment, common-sense and diplomacy.
- An understanding of the history, heritage and spirit of Cardiff Rugby, and a commitment as a supporter through regular attendance at matches.
Desirable:
Welsh speaker
Responsible to:
Cardiff Rugby Board
Remuneration:
In line with non-executive Board members, this is an unpaid role with no direct remuneration. However, hospitality and a match ticket will be available for home games at no cost to the Board member.
Term of Office
Three Years from 1 January 2025
The Advisor may only serve up to two consecutive terms of office.
Timetable
Candidates wishing to apply for this role will need to complete the Nomination Form . This completed form together with a CV must be returned no later than Friday, November 15 to:
Richard Holland
Chief Executive Officer
Cardiff Rugby
Cardiff Arms Park
Westgate Street
Cardiff CF10 1JA
[email protected]
It is important that Cardiff Rugby ensure that the person elected by supporters is a ‘fit and proper person’ and suitable to sit around the Board table. Cardiff Rugby will therefore scrutinise applications before the election to ensure that this is the case.
Friday, November 29 Electronic voting will open
Thursday, December 12 Electronic voting will close
Monday, December 16 Candidates will be notified
W/C Monday, December 16 Supporter Advisor announced