Yorkshire Cricket Board

County Pitch Advisors work with County Cricket Boards (CCBs) and the Grounds Management Association (GMA) in developing and delivering advice and support to ground staff locally & raising the profile of ground staff within the sport.

Roles & Responsibilities

• To undertake Performance Quality Standards (PQS) assessments and/or detailed pitch assessments for squares and outfields, along with the production of a detailed report and related documentation using Pitch Power.
• To promote and work within the CCB’s facilities strategy in conjunction with the CCB lead for grounds management.
• To support initiatives from the CCB and/or the ECB to promote ground managers and improve the quality of playing surfaces, including working with leagues to develop knowledge and expertise and presenting at workshops.

Attributes & Requirements

Essential

• Be able to demonstrate that the relevant level of experience and expertise has been acquired as a full-time grounds manager over a minimum 3 years.
• Have a confident but open-minded personality and have good communication and listening skills.
• The ability to use IT is essential and use the Pitch Power assessment tool.
• The ability to produce detailed Pitch Power reports, capturing on site images, including them in reports and sending reports accordingly.
• Be able to communicate updates and create a log of all visits in conjunction with CCB.
• Able to commit to the CCB for an initial period of 5 years on casual basis. Be available to the county for a minimum of the next 5 years, with agreement from your employer.
• Happy to take up the appointment in the pursuance of supporting and advising recreational ground managers and operating within the CCB structures and policies.

Desirable

• Attained at least a Level 3 standard or relevant industry qualification.
• Attend CCB workshops both Face to face and online.
• Capable and willing to give practical demonstrations and presentations to ground staff on basic skills such as pitch preparation and end of season renovation.

Fees

The fees payable to a County Pitch Advisor are managed locally by Yorkshire Cricket Board and are subject to specific circumstances and travel costs. Please note the scheme is not run at a profit and fees paid are to cover the CPA’s time and associated costs.

Price for reports is as follows:

1. Detailed Pitch Power assessment (Square, Outfield, Equipment) - £150 plus mileage @45ppm

(A site visit can take 2-3 hours)

Training

• All CPA’s must be able to assess playing facilities using a nationally accepted standards & set of criteria (GMA Performance Quality Standards), using the Pitch Power app.
• CPA’s will get full training to be able to do this, as well as ongoing mentoring from their relevant Regional Pitch Advisor (RPA).
• There will also be opportunities to attend training courses to fill gaps in knowledge on an annual basis.

Extra things to note

• We are ideally looking for two candidates based in the South and West Yorkshire of the county to complement our CPA offering in the north.
• Some industry qualification is desirable, but not always essential. A good ground staff pedigree will be essential, along with effective personal, communication & IT skills.
• CPA’s must be able to provide impartial advice when recommending goods and services from various suppliers or contractors.

If you are interested in this County Pitch Advisor position, please complete the form by clicking here.

and send your CV or if you have any questions about the role, to Richard Wilkinson r.wilkinson@yorkshirecb.com

Deadline for applications is Friday 14th December

The successful candidates will need to be available on 29th & 30th January 2025 for face-to-face training.