The MacRobertson Shield is the premier association croquet tournament in the world. It is held every four years with teams from England, Australia, USA and New Zealand competing. Croquet NZ has a proud history of sporting achievement in the MacRobertson Shield. The build up for the next series (England, 24 July – 9th August 2026), will start with the appointment of a Team Manager for the 2026 campaign.
The Role:
The role of the Team Manager is to manage the planning, preparation and support of the MacRobertson Shield Campaign and is focussed around, but not limited to the three key stages outlined below:
Stage 1: Planning & preparation.
- Dates: December 2024 – July 2026
- What: Working closely with the Chief Executive (budgeting, administration, organisation), the Sport Development Officer (High performance pathways, individual performance plans, squad goals/objectives) and the AC Selectors (player updates, availability & performance reviews). Liaison with other MacRobertson Shield teams.
- Where: Various locations throughout NZ including, but not limited to, the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 NZ Open and AC Invitations plus additional squad training weekends.
Stage 2: Participation.
- Dates: 17th July – 12th August 2026 (+/- 1-3 days)
- What: MacRobertson Shield Tournament. Logistics and support for the six players during a warmup match and during the event. Communication with CNZ and team updates during the series. Liaison with hosts and other MacRobertson Shield teams.
- Where: London and Southwick, England
Stage 3: Review/Handover
- Dates: August – September 2026
- What: Review + handover to CNZ Chief Executive, Sport Development Officer and AC Selectors.
- Where: NZ
A time commitment of between 2-10 hours per week could be expected during Stage 1, approximately 70 hours per week in Stage 2 and between 20-40 hours for Stage 3.
The Successful Candidate
In addition to having a solid understanding and knowledge of all aspects of croquet at the most advanced levels of AC, the successful applicant will be an energetic, highly enthusiastic person with outstanding management, administrative, organisational, and sports leadership skills. Strong interpersonal and communication skills will be required to drive and enhance the performance of the players in both the build up to the NZ team selection, during the team’s preparation and during the MacRobertson Shield series.
Remuneration:
This is a volunteer position, though all fair and reasonable costs associated with managing the team will be covered by CNZ (as agreed and approved in advance by the Chief Executive).
To Apply
For further information or to apply please email the CNZ Chief Executive Stefan Horrer at croquet@croquet.org.nz. Applications must include a cover letter and CV including two referees.
Applications close at 5pm on Friday 15 November 2024.
Interviews will take place within two weeks of the application closing date, with the appointment expected to be made around 30 November.
