High Performance Lead Job description

High Performance Lead

British Powerlifting International Programme
Role type: Paid role, either employed or subcontracted depending on final organisational requirements
Time commitment: Approximately 2 days per week / 14–16 hours per week on average, annualised across the international calendar
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Working with: International Head Coaches, CEO, Recruitment and Volunteer Manager, Safeguarding, Anti-Doping, Disciplinary, Technical, Finance and relevant partners
Purpose: To lead, manage and professionalise one coherent British Powerlifting International Programme

About the role
British Powerlifting is seeking a High Performance Lead to provide strategic leadership, people management and programme oversight for the British Powerlifting International Programme.
This is a strategic and management-focused role. The postholder will not be expected to personally coach every international athlete or manage every operational detail of international competition delivery. Instead, they will lead the system: supporting Head Coaches, improving consistency, strengthening governance and helping British Powerlifting operate as one connected international programme.

Why
British Powerlifting has a large and developing international programme across Classic, Equipped, Bench, Sub-Junior, Junior, Open and Masters teams. The programme has strong athletes and committed coaches, but now needs clearer structure, stronger Head Coach support, more consistent athlete communication and better shared standards across teams.
The High Performance Lead will take responsibility for the international programme management currently sitting with the CEO, while working closely with the CEO on long-term strategy and implementation.

What you will be responsible for

• Leading the strategic development and implementation of the British Powerlifting International Programme.
• Managing, supporting and reviewing International Head Coaches.
• Creating one coherent international programme across all teams, rather than separate disconnected squads.
• Agreeing clear expectations, goals and standards for each international team.
• Improving pre-event communication, first-time international lifter guidance, competition-day role clarity and post-event debriefs.
• Supporting transparent and consistent selection processes, including conflict-of-interest awareness and appropriate documentation.
• Working with relevant British Powerlifting leads to embed safeguarding, anti-doping, coaching licence, disciplinary and technical requirements into international team practice.
• Supporting the development of the international coaching pathway, including assistant and developing coaches.
• Advising the CEO and Finance Officer on international programme priorities, resource needs and budget planning.
• Maintaining regular contact with relevant external performance leads and comparable sports to learn from best practice and bring useful ideas back into British Powerlifting.
• Building collaborative links with Para Bench and British Weightlifting where there are shared opportunities around performance practice, coach development, pathway learning, athlete support or programme structure.
• Providing concise updates to the CEO and, where required, supporting Board-level reporting.

What we are aiming for

• Head Coaches feel better supported, clearer on expectations and more accountable for delivery.
• Athletes receive clearer and more consistent information before, during and after international competitions.
• International teams use shared standards, templates and processes while retaining appropriate team-specific expertise.
• Selection processes are better documented, more transparent and more consistently applied.
• Safeguarding, anti-doping, coaching licence and disciplinary risks are escalated appropriately and managed through the right British Powerlifting route.
• The international programme operates more like one British Powerlifting team, with stronger learning between Classic, Equipped, Bench and age-group teams.
• The CEO is no longer the default manager for routine Head Coach and international programme issues.

What this role is not
To keep the role realistic at approximately two days per week, the High Performance Lead will not normally be expected to:

• personally coach all international athletes;
• attend every international competition;
• personally administer all travel, hotel, accreditation or expenses tasks;
• act as the Safeguarding Lead, Anti-Doping Lead or Disciplinary Committee;
• personally select every international team without a clear selection process;
• replace Head Coaches in their leadership of individual teams;
• be constantly available to every athlete, coach or volunteer.

We are looking for someone who has

• experience managing coaches, volunteers, staff or multidisciplinary teams;
• strong understanding of powerlifting and international competition demands;
• credibility with coaches and athletes, with the ability to lead through influence as well as structure;
• experience in performance planning, athlete pathway development, coach development or high-performance environments;
• excellent people management, communication and conflict-resolution skills;
• understanding of governance, selection integrity, safeguarding, anti-doping and athlete welfare responsibilities;
• the ability to turn strategy into simple, practical systems that volunteers and coaches can use;
• confidence working with the CEO, Board members, Head Coaches, subcommittees and external partners.

Desirable experience
international coaching, team management or performance leadership experience;

• experience in a National Governing Body, membership body or volunteer-led sport environment;
• knowledge of equipped powerlifting and the development needs of equipped lifters and coaches;
• experience working with selection panels, performance committees or athlete pathway structures;
• existing relationships with relevant performance leads, para sport environments, weightlifting or strength sport networks.

First priorities
In the first phase, the successful candidate will be expected to meet with the CEO and current International Head Coaches, review current international programme issues and produce a simple action plan. Early priorities are likely to include Head Coach expectations, international lifter communication, first-time lifter support, competition-day role clarity, post-event debriefs, selection process assurance and cross-team learning.