General Manager

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Are you ready to shape the next era of women’s professional hockey? We’re looking for a visionary General Manager for **PWHL Vancouver**to steer our new team with bold leadership, strategic thinking, and a deep passion for empowering athletes on and off the ice. As the driving force behind our hockey team operations, you will play a pivotal role in growing the game, amplifying women’s voices in sports, and delivering an electrifying experience for players, staff, fans and partners alike.

The General Manager will serve on the team’s senior leadership group and be responsible for the management and coordination of all hockey operations, including on
- and off-ice requirements, and building a positive team culture on the ground. The major responsibilities will include: development and implementation of a strategic hockey operations plan, player scouting and recruitment, player acquisition, trades, player contract negotiations, player development, medical and performance, equipment, and overall oversight of the team’s hockey operations department and budget. The role oversees the Head Coach and works closely with the team’s Business Operations Director to promote a cohesive and effective senior leadership group.

Additionally, the General Manager will collaborate with the organization's business team to help build the league’s and team’s commercial assets, including media and marketing initiatives, to help build a best-in-class organization.

**KEY RESPONSIBILITIES**
- Develop and ensure an inclusive, collaborative and positive working environment, working closely with both the hockey operations and business departments.
- Lead and develop all hockey operations areas for the team, including direct oversight of coaching, scouting and recruitment, player acquisition, player development, medical and performance, analytics, equipment and other hockey operations matters.
- Serve as the main point of contact and the liaison with the league office for all hockey matters and player transactions.
- Build, set, communicate and execute an effective long-term strategy to drive the team’s on-ice success, and provide consistent feedback / reporting to league ownership and organizational stakeholders.
- Build and communicate strategies, core operating processes and procedures to enhance hockey operations.
- Lead, manage and develop a talented staff across the key hockey operations areas.
- Support the Head Coach and their staff. Help develop and cultivate the staff to grow and learn, thus fostering a pipeline of young employees to aspire to become leaders within the organization.
- Build and lead player recruitment, contract negotiations and salary cap management strategies in collaboration with Head Coach and organizational leadership.
- Express curiosity around next and best practices around hockey operations functions to identify areas to pursue competitive advantage and drive innovation within the organization.
- Maintain a current understanding of all league rules, including the CBA and ensure the organization adheres to all league rules, regulations, and policies.
- Collaborate with the league and players association and team representatives.
- Oversee and lead the fiscal resource allocation across the hockey operations arm
- Actively support the wider community, commercial and revenue generating projects undertaken by the organization by collaborating with the head of business on all sales, marketing, communications, community, finance, facilities, people, and information technology.
- Ensure player safety standards and best practices are always maintained.
- Demonstrate a clear understanding of the hockey landscape and the regional sports landscape to inform senior leadership and ownership of any changes on the horizon.
- Serve as a strong communicator within and outside of the organization.
- Serve as an ambassador on behalf of the organization in the hockey community.
- Other duties as assigned.

**DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS**
- 7+ years of leadership and management experience; working within elite sports and with elite athletes preferred.
- Credible reputation in the game for identifying and attracting talented hockey players.
- Ability to evaluate hockey talent and potential and utilize data and analytics in the talent identification process.
- Experience with hockey analytics and data science, including the ability to interpret statistical metrics and leverage data-driven insights to inform player evaluation, roster construction, and strategic decision-making.
- Experience managing multiple functions within an organization.
- Proven technical and tactical hockey experience and competency; former playing and/or coaching experience a plus.
- Effective communicator, comfortable providing direct feedback, and experience leading and communicating within high pace and pressure environments.
- Ability to proactively synthesize information and communicate sophisticated insights to guide solution
- orientated decisions.
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