Simon Kirkland
simon.kirkland@sportstructures.com
Phone: 0845 241 7195
Mobile: 07766 768 474
Profile
Simon Kirkland gained a Bachelor of Education specialising in Physical Education before putting that into practice teaching for six years in Birmingham . He then took up the challenge of managing an inner-city dual-use centre in Birmingham where he developed imaginative club development programmes. In 1991 he was appointed as Birmingham City Council’s Sports Development Officer for Young People.
Following a two year period managing Sport and Leisure in an area of Birmingham he was appointed, in February 1998, as the English Basketball Association’s first National Development Manager. After a three-month period he was invited to become Chief Executive Officer. After over four years Simon left England Basketball in 2002 to initiate Sport Structures Limited.
Role
Simon manages the company, its staff and also seeks new business. He directly leads many of the projects within the company. Simon has responsibility for governance and leadership and has in depth knowledge of strategic planning, workforce, equality and coach development. Simon ensure that all of those involved in the organisation are aware of its commitment to high quality services in a framework of striving for equality.
Simon is a Senior Tutor for Running Sport/SCUK and has considerable experience in delivering workshops at executive board level. He has designed bespoke workshops for NGBs, local authorities and other sporting organisations. Simon has authored a number of national workshops including sports coach UK’s Equity in your coaching, RFU’s Volunteer Coordinator workshop, runningsports Valuing Sports Volunteers, Role of Volunteer Coordinator and Action planning for Clubs.
Simon is a member of the Birmingham Sport and Physical Activity Board from his charmanship of the Birmingham Spoerts Advisory Council. He is chair of the Workforce and Skills forum which has led to his appointment on the Black Country Sports Board.
Experience
Simon has a broad background and experience in governance, strategic sports planning, sports development, facility management, ethics and equal opportunities, education and training. He is nationally recognised in sports development, Governing Body management, for working with medium and small Governing Bodies and disadvantaged groups. Simon has presented key note papers at National Sport Development Conferences in the home countries of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland as well as internationally in Hong Kong, and Turkey.
Whilst in the Sport Development section of Birmingham City Council he was part of the construction of citywide strategies for Young People and Ethnic Minorities. This also influenced the design and development of sport specific strategies at a Regional and National level in three sports. As a facility manager, and later within the sport development team, he developed an innovative programme for accredited club development – the Community Sports Club project. This was the first of its kind, it preceded ClubMark and was recognised in the House of Commons as an example of good practice.
As Chief Executive of the English Basketball Association he was involved in policy construction and strategic planning and delivery which included the clarification of the Regional and County structures. The new regional professional and voluntary structure enabled Basketball to respond to the needs of the sport within the resources available.
Simon led a cross sport planning group for the construction of England Basketball’s national facility plan. He identified clear objectives and built in levels of criteria which set a framework for addressing social as well as the sporting objectives. In his last year as CEO he led the fundamental review of Basketball, which initiated a new re-focussed strategic plan to improve the sport and the communities it touches.
He also addressed some clear conflicts of interest within the sport which led to improved integrity both internally and externally to the sport. Many staffing issues existed and these were addressed which led to the achievement of a much improved “Fit for purpose” audit and the achievement of Investors in People.
In working closely with Sport England and other Government agencies the sport was successful in gaining greater resources in part through application to become part of Active Sport, the only sport at the time outside of the world-class programme. However he was also successful in the growth of the commercial side of the sport with the development of the “Ball-Hall” concept, approved suppliers and a merchandising arm along with the overall management of commercial contracts with the likes of Sunny Delight, Sainsbury’s, Nike, addidas and the RAF. All of these involved complex bidding and negotiating processes.
He left the English Basketball Association in the summer of 2002 to initiate his own business in the area of sports consultancy. In the years as a Sports Consultant he has led numerous projects in supporting NGBs, local authorities and national sports organisations in their national development, governance, policy and strategic planning, sports equity and ethics, facility development, workforce and volunteer planning. . The Sport Structures group now has four strands to its functions, Consultancy, Recruitment (including www.jobswithballs.com), coaches (including the management of a large element of the Inspiration 2012 programme) and the newly launched Ugly Bug World children’s franchise.
