Head of Aquatics Participation

Organisation Swim England Salary £60,000 - £70,000 Location SportPark, Loughborough (minimum 2x days onsite) - with regular national travel Contract type Permanent (Full time) Closing date 14 January 2026 Interview date 23 January 2026 Job Description About UsSwim England is the recognised national governing body for swimming, artistic swimming, diving and water polo in England. We help people learn how to swim, enjoy the water safely, and maximise their potential in aquatic sport at every level — from community participation to world-class performance.Through our Community Participation and Health directorate, we work with partners across health, physical activity, regeneration and community development to grow and diversify participation, tackle inequalities and improve wellbeing through aquatics.About the RoleWe are seeking a strategic and values-led Head of Aquatics Participation and Social Impact to lead one of the most significant strands of the One Swim England strategy. This senior leadership role focuses on growing and diversifying participation in aquatics, using the power of swimming and water-based activity to tackle inequality and deliver social impact across communities.You will lead transformation across Swim England and the wider aquatic sector, shaping inclusive participation pathways and national programmes that engage new and underrepresented audiences. Working collaboratively with government, national partners, local agencies and internal teams, you will influence policy, investment and delivery models to maximise impact at scale.Key ResponsibilitiesIn this role you will:- Strategically lead the aquatics participation and social impact work strand, including objectives, delivery plans, operations and budgets.- Drive sector-wide transformation by developing new approaches to participation for diverse audiences.- Oversee the design and delivery of national programmes, projects and initiatives that expand and diversify aquatic participation.- Collaborate with government departments, national partners and agencies across health, regeneration, community development and sport for social good to influence policy and investment.- Apply systems leadership approaches, theories of change and place-based models to participation and impact.- Provide strong leadership and line management across the aquatics participation and social impact team.- Share collective accountability with the Director of Community Participation and Health and other strand leaders for directorate-wide outcomes.- Work collaboratively with other strand leaders to deliver the One Swim England strategy.- Provide collaborative leadership to National Development Managers to ensure joined-up delivery.Skills and ExperienceEssential- Knowledge of government strategy and priorities across physical activity, health and social policy.- Understanding of national structures and partners across health, sport, regeneration, community development and the third sector.- Experience leading a strategic work strand and associated programmes in a development context.- Experience measuring impact using both quantitative and qualitative methods.- Excellent written, verbal and presentation communication skills.- A collaborative leadership style, able to work laterally and vertically.- Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to provide confident, consistent leadership across complex systems.Please be advised that we cannot offer visa sponsorship and that you must have right to work in the UK to apply or be considered for this role. If you are a non-UK/EU National, you must have an appropriate working Visa to undertake employment. You must also be working within the UK to apply or be considered for this role, due to the public liability insurance Swim England holds. Swim England is committed to inclusion and embracing the spirit of all equalities legislation. As a Disability Confident Employer, we actively encourage applications from disabled people. We recognise that the diversity of our workforce is not reflective of today’s society and we are currently operating a pilot scheme whereby applicants from ethnically diverse backgrounds can opt into our guaranteed interview scheme. Candidates that have opted into the scheme will be guaranteed an interview provided that they have demonstrated, within their application, that they meet the essential criteria for the role. When emailing the CV and cover letter, applicants from ethnically diverse backgrounds are encouraged to state they wish to ‘Opt In’ to the scheme. Where possible, Swim England will always make reasonable adjustments for accessibility to anyone who requires it. If you would like any of the documentation in a different format or would like to apply in a different way please get in touch. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process, in line with the Equality Act 2010. However, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well. Swim England is also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.