Operations & Cricket Manager - ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 (FTC until July 2026)

PURPOSE

The ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup is the biennial global tournament for Women’s T20 international (T20I) cricket. The 2026 event will be the 10th edition of the tournament and is due to be hosted by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), delivered in partnership with the International Cricket Council (ICC). It will be the first time the event has returned to England & Wales since the inaugural tournament in 2009 – which England Women won on home soil.

Ambitions for the tournament are high. Within a fast moving women’s sport landscape, our aim is not only to deliver the biggest women’s cricket event in history, but to use it as a moment to redefine the standard for women’s cricket attendances, reformulate revenue streams, and retune mindsets about what cricket is and who it is for. A moment in time to deliver long-term behaviour change for the whole sport and to secure the commercial future of women’s cricket domestically and internationally.

Joining the team behind the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is a chance to be part of a landmark moment in sporting history. This is your opportunity to collaborate with passionate individuals, deliver an exceptional sporting experience for players and fans, and leave a lasting impact on the future of women’s cricket.

WHO WE ARE

The England and Wales Cricket Board is the national governing body for all cricket in England and Wales, supporting the game at every level – from grassroots to professional.

We believe cricket is a force for good that can have an enduring impact on everyone’s lives and we have an ambitious strategy to inspire a generation to say ‘cricket is a game for me’. It provides great entertainment. It teaches important skills, both physical and social. It can help inclusion and social cohesion, bringing communities together.

The ECB welcomes applications from all backgrounds to ensure we deliver our Inspiring Generations strategy and fulfil our purpose to connect communities and improve lives through cricket.

OUR VALUES

• Run on respect. We ensure our game is based on fairness, respect and decency.
• Embrace enjoyment. We make sure everyone finds fun in the game.
• Build belonging. We actively include so everyone can find a place in the game.
• Progress with purpose. We stay open to change to keep the game moving forward.

YOU’LL LOVE THIS JOB IF

• You have passion for major event delivery
• You have excellent organisational and project management skills
• You are detail and outcome focussed, with an eye for innovation and seeking efficient and cost-effective ways to deliver.
• You are a clear communicator that establishes strong professional relationships with stakeholders, both internal and external, and seeks to resolve arising issues in line with wider objectives.
• You have a strong understanding of the women’s professional game and are passionate about this tournament accelerating the growth of women’s cricket.
• You can work to tight deadlines and remain calm under pressure.

YOU’LL BE DOING

Event Support & Delivery

• Champion the needs of competing teams, ensuring a professional and high-performance environment is delivered across all touchpoints.
• Lead and develop new talent, line managing an event executive within the cricket and venue operations pillar, reporting into the Senior Operations and Cricket Manager.
• Support the wider strategy and planning for tournament delivery, contributing insights and operational expertise.
• Help ensure the tournament delivers lasting impact and supports the growth of the women’s professional game.
• This role requires flexibility and will include weekend work and longer hours where necessary.

Operational Management - Planning & Execution

• Lead the development and execution of operational plans, with strong focus on integrating ICC’s commercial partners. Ensure world class delivery of all global partnership rights and large-scale activations across host venues, aligned with the overall strategic objectives for the tournament.
• Support match day delivery across venues by coordinating key stakeholders, sponsors, cross functional teams, schedules, match management and logistics.
• Collaborate with the WT20WC26 ticketing team and host venue commercial teams to meet all ICC partner hospitality and commercial requirements, balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders.
• Collaborate with other departments across ECB & ICC to ensure that commercial activations enhance fan experience and align with the overall tournament strategy.
• Responsible for the operational delivery of the tournament’s brand vision and clean venue requirements.

Stakeholder Management

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with the ICC sponsorship team, global sponsors, host venues, suppliers and service providers.
• Act as a primary point of contact for day-to-day commercial operations delivery with key partners, acting as the venue point of contact for all commercial operations for the tournament.
• Establish strong relationships with the tournament leadership team, host and training venues, cross functional areas and key suppliers to ensure excellent delivery of the tournament.

Financial & Resource Management

• Support the development and tracking of operational budgets for all elements of commercial delivery.
• Help manage supplier contracts and ensure services are delivered to agreed standards.

Review, Learning & Continuous Improvement

• Contribute to post-tournament debriefs, gathering lessons learned and identifying improvements for future events.
• Assist in compiling a comprehensive report covering operational successes, challenges, and key outcomes.

YOU’LL HAVE

Qualifications & Experience

• Experience supporting operational delivery in major events in sport.
• Experience of managing high profile sponsors and delivering commercial rights to a high standard.
• An understanding of global event delivery.
• Proven ability to coordinate multiple workstreams, deliver under pressure, and meet tight deadlines.
• Strong planning, coordination, and administrative skills.
• Experience in managing multiple team schedules and complex team logistics schedules.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder relationship skills.
• Knowledge of or passion for women’s cricket and an understanding of its wider context is highly desirable.
• Proven experience of delivering inclusive match day experiences at live events.
• Financial acumen with experience supporting budget management and procurement processes.
• Knowledge of compliance, health & safety, and risk protocols in live event environments.

YOU’LL RECEIVE

• Competitive salary
• Holiday - 25 days a year
• Volunteering – 2 days a year
• Pension - Non-contributory pension
• Private medical insurance
• Employee health cash-back plan
• Long-term sickness insurance
• Life assurance - four times your annual basic salary
• Enhanced family leave and pay
• OpenBlend - an innovative coaching and performance management tool
• People Academy - a range of programmes and initiatives to help you develop and reach your potential
• Employee Assistance Programme - 24/7 confidential access to expert services including counselling, wellbeing, and independent legal and financial advice
• 30% Castore discount
• Cycle 2 Work Scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Preferential access to tickets to England and The Hundred games
• Opportunities to be a part of and be involved in our Employee Resource groups: Women in Cricket Employee Network, Race in Cricket Employee Network, Social Equality in Cricket Employee Network, Cricketability Employee Network (formerly called the Disability in Cricket Employee Network) and LGBTQ+ Community in Cricket Employee Network