Protected: Vacancy – Independent Non-Executive Director

We are seeking:

• An INED with considerable experience in performance sport at a talent to elite level, who can provide and mentor our Head of Performance, and guide the Board to achieve our performance ambitions.
• An INED with a broad professional background and prior NED experience, ideally with professional experience in finance, risk and/or governance.
• A Senior INED with considerable prior NED experience, and a professional background in finance, to Chair our Finance and Risk committee, and provide independent advice and scrutiny to the Board for matters relating to budgeting, accounts, financial reporting and forecasting. This is a key role, and the successful candidate will work closely with the Chair and CEO.

About Skateboard GB

Skateboard GB (SBGB) is the UK-wide governing body for skateboarding with responsibility for Olympic and the world class performance program (WCP), in addition to grassroots skateboarding and talent within England and Wales.

SBGB was formed by the skateboarding Home Nation governing bodies at the end of 2017 and restructured in December 2020 to include Skateboard England within our constitution, becoming responsible for grassroots skateboarding in England. In 2024, SBGB’s articles were subsequently amended in consultation with our membership and Sport Wales to become the NGB responsible for grassroots skateboarding in Wales.

Skateboard Scotland and Skateboard:NI are responsible for grassroots skateboarding in their home countries, with SBGB providing some shared services and resources.

Skateboarding made its debut in the Tokyo Olympic Games and SBGB secured a bronze medal through skateboarder Sky Brown. Following this success, SBGB entered a period of building capacity and capability to add value to the skateboarding community through the 2021-2032 Strategic Plan published in September 2021.

SBGB has grown considerably in a short space of time, with further success at the Paris Olympic Games, whilst continuing to serve the skateboarding community. A period of review and reflection in 2025 has resulted in an organisational restructure to help us better achieve grassroots and performance objectives, improving our ability to meet the needs of our members and the wider skateboarding community.

SBGB’s purpose is to give skateboarders the opportunity to “Skate More, Skate Better” ensuring we remain skater-focused in everything that we do: we aim to lead, support, empower and facilitate. It’s the role of SBGB to add-value to the skateboarding community so that skateboarding continues to grow and thrive, with better and more spaces to skate, whilst providing best practise support so that skateboarding can take place in a fun and safe environment.

Strategy

SBGB is four years into a twelve year strategy, which outlines the role we want to play to support the growth of skateboarding across all levels, from skateboarding in local communities up to the Olympics.

SBGB’s purpose is to provide skateboarders the opportunity to “Skate More, Skate Better” ensuring we are skater-focused in everything that we do as we aim to lead, support, empower and facilitate. It is the role of Skateboard GB to add value to the skateboarding community so that skateboarding continues to grow and thrive, with better and more spaces to skate, whilst providing best practice support so that skateboarding can take place in a fun and safe environment.

The Strategic Plan is based on four key pillars (Skate More, Skate Better, Skateable Spaces and Connect) which focus on three distinct phases (Building, Refining and Transforming).

Phase One: Building Phase (November 2021 – March 2025)
The Building Phase focused on establishing the systems, programs, people, and culture needed to transform skateboarding from grassroots to world-class performance. During this period, SBGB worked to build purpose, capability and capacity, add value, support growth, and foster community, ensuring skateboarding is able to thrive and expand.

Phase Two: Refining Phase (April 2025 – March 2029)
The Refining Phase will build upon the strong foundations laid during the Building Phase. This phase focuses on transitioning from rapid growth and start-up dynamics to a period of consolidation, strategic focus, and managed growth.

Phase Three: Transforming (April 2029 – March 2033)
Building on the work on the previous two phases, the Transforming Phase will see skateboarding as the UK’s highest participation culturally sensitive lifestyle sport; led by a well governed, world-class, financially sustainable NGB.

2025 and beyond
The success of our four pillars depends on a strong organisation and its people. A well-structured organisation, with effective planning, leadership, governance, processes, policies, and financial management, is essential, particularly when entrusted with public funding.

SBGB’s greatest asset is its people, who are key to achieving our objectives and fulfilling our role. Prioritising staff development through training, coaching, and mentoring, while promoting job satisfaction, motivation, and a sense of being valued and supported, is vital to our success.

To reflect this, the strategic plan has been updated with clear “internal enablers” called Organisation and People, that emphasise the crucial role of the organisation and its people in driving success.

The Skateboard GB Board

The Board is responsible for five key areas:

1. Strategy: The Board sets the organisation’s vision, values and standards and ensures that its obligations to the membership are understood and met. Directors also set the strategic aims and ensure that the necessary human and financial resources are in place for the organisation to meet its objectives.
2. Organisation Performance: Directors should scrutinise the performance of Executive Directors/Senior Management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitor the reporting of performance.
3. Risk: Directors should provide leadership of the organisation within a framework of prudent and effective controls, which enable risk to be assessed and managed. Directors should ensure they are satisfied with the integrity of financial information and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible.
4. People: Directors should be aware of the interests of all stakeholders and should have a prime role in appointing and reviewing the performance of the Executive Management Team. Directors should work in partnership with the Chief Executive to enable the employees to achieve the aims of the organisation, and to optimise the relationship between the Board and the staff; and the organisation and its key stakeholders.
5. Governance: Directors should ensure that the organisation complies with its governing document (i.e. Articles of Association), company law and other relevant legislation/regulations, including the Code for Sports Governance.

Board Composition

The Board consists of 12x Directors:

Elected Directors

Elected Directors are elected from and by their home nation membership following a nominations process.

Elected Directors serve a three-years term, before they must seek re-election. They may serve up to three terms.

Corporate Directors

Corporate Directors are nominated by the Corporate Members (Skateboard Scotland and Skateboard:NI).

Corporate Directors must be members of SBGB. They serve a three-years term, before their re-appointment, or otherwise, is confirmed by the Corporate Member. They may serve up to three terms.

Appointed Directors

Appointed Directors are appointed into their role through an open and transparent recruitment process.

Independent NEDs cannot be members of Skateboard GB. The Chair may be a member.

Appointed Directors serve a three-years term, before they must seek re-appointment. They may serve up to three terms.

Ex Officio Directors

The CEO is the only Ex Officio director, and will remain a Director of the organisation whilst employed as CEO.

Time commitment

INEDs are expected to commit approximately 10 days per year.

The Senior INED is expected to engage in more regular and ad-hoc phone calls, catch-ups, panels and reviews, with a total time commitment up to 20 days per year.

All directors are expected to attend 4-5 Board meetings per year (usually held in an afternoon), an annual Board and Staff day, the AGM, relevant Committee meetings and any required inductions, CPD and training required to fulfil their role as an SBGB director. Directors are expected to allocate appropriate time to prepare for meetings.

We encourage Directors to attend Board meetings in person, however meetings are usually ‘hybrid’ with an option to dial in. Occasionally (usually one per year) we hold an in-person only meeting.

It is desired that Directors attend Skateboard GB events, such as the National Championships, and maintain relevant qualifications, attend stakeholder networking and events within the sector or otherwise.

In addition, the Performance INED expected to remain informed of relevant policy, news and events within the sector.

Remuneration

The role in unremunerated, but reasonable expenses will be paid in accordance with SBGB’s Expenses Policy.