Chief Executive Officer - Equestrian Australia

Equestrian Australia (EA) is the peak body for the administration and delivery of Equestrian Sport in Australia. The organisation manages four Olympic / Paralympic sports and four non-Olympic equestrian sports. Australian athletes and teams have won a total of 23 Olympic & Paralympic medals and 11 World Equestrian Games medals, as well as great victories at peak international Equestrian events and as a result Australia has earned the reputation as an elite equestrian nation.

Headquartered on the outskirts of Sydney Olympic Park in Homebush, EA has a staff of 40+ and an annual operating budget of $9million.

Reporting to the Board of Directors, this is an exceptional opportunity for a new CEO to lead Equestrian Australia into an exciting new phase. The CEO will be at the forefront of delivering EA’s Nationally Aligned Strategy and implementing the proposed Discipline Model Restructure. The role includes:

• Strategic Leadership: Drive the successful execution of EA’s Nationally Aligned Strategy and implementing the proposed Discipline Model Restructure, including the integration of a new IT ecosystem.
• Operational Oversight: Manage the day-to-day operations, national programs, and functions, ensuring alignment with strategic and commercial objectives including focused financial management.
• People, Culture and Safety: Foster a culture of safety, respect, and innovation, ensuring effective management of reputational, financial, compliance, and operational risks.
• Representation and Advocacy: Represent EA’s values and goals to members, state branches, government bodies, and key stakeholders. Develop strong relationships with the Australian Sports Commission, AOC, FEI, Department of Agriculture, Australian Horse Industry Council, and Animal Health Australia.
• Funding and Development: Reduce reliance on Federal Government funding by identifying and developing new opportunities that promote equestrian sports, attract a wider membership base, and engage sponsors and commercial partners.

To be considered for this role, you will have significant senior operational management experience, exceptional leadership skills, strong commercial and financial acumen, and a proven track record of steering organisations through periods of significant growth and change. In addition to day-to-day business operations, this role will oversee multiple projects with conflicting timelines and priorities, requiring a CEO who is dynamic, nimble and adaptable. You must have the ability to swiftly build credibility and trust whilst fostering sustainable relationships across diverse stakeholder groups and possess political maturity, patience, resilience and diplomacy. Experience in sports management within a large membership-based organisation and an understanding of volunteerism in a not-for-profit context would be beneficial.

The EA Strategy is underpinned by values central to the culture of the sport: Teamwork, Integrity, Inclusion, and Excellence. The CEO will demonstrate these values for all decision-making and operational practices within EA. 

This prestigious role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of equestrian sports in Australia.