British Dressage is looking to appoint a new under 21 Team veterinarian, chief selector and chef d'equipe to support and develop their Pony, Junior and Young Rider Squads and Championship Teams.
All candidates are required to be free from any conflict of interest with current or potential under 21 combinations. Additionally, all under 21 officials are required to have knowledge of the British Dressage / BEF Safeguarding Children policy and will be required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service check and attend an Equine Safeguarding course.
TEAM VETERINARIAN
British Dressage (BD) is seeking to appoint a veterinarian to support the Under 21 Dressage Squads / Teams. The role is primarily to provide veterinary advice and support to the Pony, Junior & Young Rider Dressage Squads via attendance at competitions, squad sessions and home visits. The successful candidate will have a flair for building relationships and working with the veterinarians and home teams that support the riders on the programme. The Team Veterinarian will work closely with the Under 21 Selectors and will be integral to building bespoke support programmes around each horse. As part of the U21 team, the post holder will be expected to contribute to the search for performance gains, focussing on prevention rather than rehabilitation.
The Team Vet will report to the International Teams Director and work closely with the Under 21 Chief Selectors and Chefs d’Equipe. The role also involves periods of time away from home to attend international competitions and travel with the Team horses to their relevant European Championships.
A daily fee or hourly rate is paid for services along with travel and accommodation expenses.
CHIEF SELECTOR – PONIES
Responsible to the International Teams Director, the Chief Selector for the Pony Squad plays a pivotal role in helping design the under 21 programme. The successful candidate will provide leadership to the small team of selectors and other team personnel. The role is required to develop squads and select individual rider / horse combinations or teams of rider / pony combinations to represent Great Britain at FEI competitions in line with the Pony selection policy.
The role includes attending viewing days, monitoring training throughout the winter months and results during the year. It also involves periods of time away from home to attend national and international competitions, including the European Championships. The candidate will work with the BD head office to organise training sessions and co-ordinate international competition entries.
The Chief Selector is required to communicate effectively with riders, parents and their home teams. The ideal candidate will be professional in outlook, maintain the highest degree of integrity and possess outstanding inter-personal and communication skills. Only candidates with extensive experience of international dressage will be considered.
This is a voluntary role. Travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses are paid.
SELECTOR - JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDERS
To work with the Chief Junior and Young Rider Selector and other appointed Selectors in order to develop Squads and select individual rider / horse combinations or teams of rider / horse combinations to represent Great Britain at FEI competitions in line with the Junior and Young Rider Selection Policy. U21 Selectors report directly to their relevant Chief Selector, and collectively are overseen by the Director of International Teams.
The role includes attending annual Viewing Days to select riders for the squads, squad training sessions, monitoring training throughout the winter months and results during the year. It also involves periods of time away from home to attend national and international competitions.
The small team of Junior and Young Rider Selectors work closely together and liaise with the Chefs d’Equipe. They work with BD’s head office to organise training sessions and co-ordinate international competition entries.
The ideal candidate will hold a high degree of integrity, have excellent communication skills and be an experienced professional with a background in international dressage.
This is a voluntary role. Travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses are paid.
JUNIOR & YOUNG RIDER CHEF D’EQUIPE
The role of the Chef d’Equipe is required to coordinate the representation of British riders and horses at international competitions. The Chef d’Equipe reports to the Chief Selector and works closely with the other Selectors and BD office staff in relation to travel, accommodation and other logistics to international competitions and European Championships.
At International competitions, the Chef d’Equipe is required to travel with and take responsibility for the riders, as well as providing local support for accreditation, entries, stabling and other matters with the Organising Committees. They will be responsible for coordinating the British combinations activities throughout the show to ensure the smooth preparation and execution of the competition. The Chef d’Equipe liaises closely with the Team Veterinarian to ensure the welfare of team horses.
The successful candidate will show strong leadership qualities, be an excellent communicator and have outstanding organizational and problem solving skills.
The role is voluntary, although a per diem will be paid for international travel. Travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses are paid
Applicants should send their CV and covering letter by email to Karen Ryder by Sunday 8 December 2013. Interviews for short-listed candidates will take place at the BD Head Office at Meriden Business Park, Meriden, West Midlands. More info here.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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