dreamwork_
Home · Sporting and Safety Manager

Lead the rules, safety, sporting and development programmes that keep New Zealand motorsport safe, fair and moving forward.

  • Senior leadership opportunity in New Zealand motorsport

  • Lead major rules, safety and sporting transformation programmes

  • Influence the future of the sport nationally and internationally

Help shape the future of motorsport in New Zealand

This is a rare opportunity to take a leading role in one of New Zealand’s most dynamic sporting environments.

MotorSport New Zealand is looking for an experienced and credible Safety and Sporting Manager to lead the systems, people and programmes that keep New Zealand motorsport safe, fair and easy to deliver.

As a member of the MotorSport New Zealand Leadership Team, you will lead our Safety and Sporting Department and have a direct influence on the future direction of the sport. You will oversee the rules and regulatory framework, safety advancement, championship and series development, officials development, operational service delivery and several major programmes of change.

This is not simply an administrative or compliance position. It is a broad senior leadership role for someone who can combine deep motorsport knowledge with sound judgement, strong people leadership, exceptional attention to detail and the ability to turn complex issues into practical improvements.

About MotorSport New Zealand

MotorSport New Zealand is the sole authority appointed by the FIA to regulate and promote motorsport in New Zealand.

Our mission is to enable our community to see, experience and love motorsport. We are a small, committed team, which means every role has the opportunity to make a visible difference to the sport, its participants and its future.

The opportunity

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and leading a team of three, plus contractors and subject-matter experts, you will be accountable for the performance and development of the Safety and Sporting function.

Your role will include:

  • Maintaining a robust, contemporary and trusted national sporting framework.

  • Leading the multi-year Rules Transformation Programme.

  • Hands on developing and publishing regulations across championships and accredited series.

  • Driving practical safety improvements across clubs, venues and events.

  • Overseeing the governance and advancement of Safety Systems, including quality insights from post event reporting.

  • Leading the Officials Development Programme.

  • Improving the experience of clubs and event organisers through better processes, tools and service standards for event permitting in particular.

  • Managing important relationships with the FIA, Toyota, Heads of Disciplines, Permit Issuing Stewards, commissions, committees, clubs and event organisers.

  • Providing clear operational, CEO and Board reporting.

  • Leading post-incident reviews and judiciary functions.

You will own the work programme, people leadership and cost centre management for the Safety and Sporting Team. You will ensure priorities are clear, workloads remain realistic, new initiatives are properly assessed and the team consistently delivers a high standard of service.

What you will bring

We are looking for someone with strong experience in motorsport, sporting administration, regulation, governance, assurance or a similarly complex operating environment.

To succeed, you will bring:

  • Strong knowledge of motorsport and the systems required to support safe, fair and consistent competition

  • Experience leading and developing a team or operational function

  • Sound, evidence-based judgement and the confidence to make balanced decisions

  • Experience working with rules, regulations, committees, formal governance processes or technical frameworks

  • The ability to lead complex programmes involving multiple stakeholders

  • Exceptional attention to detail, particularly where safety, rules or regulatory integrity are involved

  • Strong planning, prioritisation and follow-through

  • The ability to build trusted relationships and bring people with you through change

  • A practical, service-oriented approach that keeps clubs and event organisers front of mind

  • Confidence providing advice and reporting to senior leaders, boards, committees and external stakeholders.

Experience developing regulations, standards, guidelines, assurance frameworks or verification programmes would be valuable. Experience working with national or international sporting bodies, federated organisations or commercial partners would also be an advantage.

The person we are looking for

You will be credible within the motorsport community, but you will also be willing to challenge how things have traditionally been done.

You will be equally comfortable discussing regulatory detail, supporting an event organiser, leading a serious incident review, guiding a committee, developing your team or presenting a clear recommendation to the Board.

Most importantly, you will be someone who:

  • Takes ownership

  • Makes balanced decisions based on evidence

  • Can distinguish what is urgent from what is simply important

  • Brings structure and clarity to complex work

  • Builds trust

  • Has an enablement mindset

  • Wants to make motorsport safer, fairer and easier for the people who deliver it.

Why join us?

This role offers the opportunity to:

  • Hold a genuine senior leadership position within New Zealand motorsport

  • Lead several of the sport’s most important transformation programmes

  • Work closely with the FIA and key national stakeholders

  • Build capability across officials, clubs and event organisers

  • Help create a more modern, responsive and club-centred organisation

Ready to take the lead?

If you have the motorsport knowledge, leadership experience and drive to help shape the next chapter of New Zealand motorsport, we would like to hear from you.

Applications close 5pm Tuesday 17 Nov. Please submit your CV and a cover letter to [email protected]