Job Opportunities

Job Title: County Pitch Advisor

The Derbyshire Cricket Foundation (DCF) is looking to recruit additional County Pitch Advisors (CPAs) to offer a coordinated advisory service to cricket clubs and to support and develop volunteer ground staff within the recreational game. We are looking for CPA’s who could predominantly help support clubs in the north of the county including North Derbyshire, Chesterfield, Bolsover and the High Peak.

Roles & Responsibilities

• To undertake basic advisory assessments at clubs including visual inspections and the production of short reports.
• To undertake Performance Quality Standards (PQS) assessments for squares and outfields, along with the production of a detailed report using approved templates.
• To use the Pitch Power App to engage with clubs and produce reports to support their ground’s development.
• To respond to any urgent issues within the club network or a request from the League where concerns have been raised about the quality of a pitch or outfield.
• To monitor the developments of any facilities on which recommendations are being implemented.
• To support initiatives from DCF, the Grounds Maintenance Association (GMA) and the Derbyshire Cricket Grounds Association (DCGA) aimed at recruiting and developing volunteers and improving the standard of playing surfaces.

Attributes & Requirements

• Access to a vehicle and available to visit sites across the county on request.
• Be able to demonstrate a high degree of knowledge in grounds management – desirable qualification GMA Level 3 (although this can be achieved through the training process. A free training event will be held on 29th and 30th January 2025 at Solihull Sports and Social Club).
• Have a confident but open-minded personality and good communication and listening skills.
• The ability to use Microsoft Office and a strong knowledge of IT is essential together with the ability to produce detailed PQS related reports, capturing on site images, including them in reports and sending reports via email.
• Capable and willing to give practical demonstrations and presentations to ground staff on basic skills such as pitch preparation and end of season renovation.
• To provide impartial advice when recommending goods and services from various suppliers or contractors

Training

• County Pitch Advisors will be given the necessary training and mentoring from the GMA to conduct industry-approved Performance Quality Standard assessments.
• Training on the Pitch Power App will also be made available to CPAs.
• Access to further Continuing Professional Development as appropriate on an annual basis.

Fees and renumeration

• The fees payable to a County Pitch Advisor are managed locally by the DCF and are subject to specific circumstances and travel costs.
• The scheme is not run at a profit and fees paid are to cover the CPA’s time and any associated costs including travel and reporting.

The services available are:

1. Email & Telephone Support (Free)
For general enquires and advice.

2. Grassroots assessments – Site Visit with verbal report (£50)
To discuss your pitch issues and offering verbal guidance & advice on-site for either your square or outfield

3. Grassroots assessments – Site visit with written report (£100)
To discuss more significant issues or ground development advice, to conduct an inspection/assessment of the Square or Outfield, followed by the production of a short written report including suggested actions.

4. Detailed Performance Quality Standard Assessment (PQS) (£150)
This is a full and all-encompassing inspection/assessment followed by a comprehensive written report covering and detailing all matters pertaining to the square, outfield and equipmen

Derbyshire Cricket Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practice across our services and are committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and the ECB requirements to ensure that all children participating in Cricket have a safe, positive and fun experience, whatever their level of involvement.

At the Derbyshire Cricket Foundation (DCF) we are committed to ensuring that cricket is accessible, safe, and welcoming to all, and to the principles of equality of opportunity. We aim to ensure that no individual is discriminated against on the grounds of any of the protected characteristics outlined in the Equality Act, 2010; age, gender, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, disability, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, religion/belief or sexual orientation. In line with these commitments we will seek to recruit a diverse workforce of high quality, high performing individuals who have the specific competencies (qualifications/knowledge, skills, experience and behaviours) required for defined roles which will support achievement of our mission, strategy, and business plan. All applicants will have equality of opportunity during our selection processes, and decisions will solely be based on an individual’s ability to meet the requirements of the role. All applying candidates will be required to complete the DCF Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.

Application Process and closing date

If you are interested in applying for a County Pitch Advisor role, please complete the short Expression of Interest survey https://forms.office.com/e/JSLxNxH7Ad . The closing date for applications is Friday 6th December, however we reserve to right to engage individuals who meet the requirements at any point before that date.

For more information or an informal discussion, please contact either:

Tom Coxhead, Derbyshire Cricket Foundation, Club and Community Cricket Officer

Tom.Coxhead@dcfcricket.com

07530 040923

Or Andy Welsby, Grounds Management Association, Regional Pitch Advisor (North & Midlands)

awelsby@thegma.org.uk

07706 353178