WRU - Welsh Rugby Union
WRU Group Chair
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Shape the future of Welsh rugby in one of the most significant leadership roles in sport in Wales.
Location: Wales (with regular national presence)
Salary: Competitive
Application: Submit your CV and Cover Letter via this link: https://www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe132530
We are utilising the support of GatenbySanderson to manage this recruitment process. Please do not apply via our careers page, as your application may not be considered.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) is seeking to appoint an Independent Chair to lead the Board through a pivotal period of transformation - shaping the future of the game across both the professional and community landscape, while fostering trust, strengthening performance and ensuring long-term sustainability.
Established in 1881, the WRU is the governing body for rugby union in Wales and one of the founding unions of World Rugby. It is both custodian of a proud national sport and operator of a modern, commercially driven organisation; responsible for national teams, the professional game, community rugby, and the iconic Principality Stadium.
The organisation is navigating a complex and evolving environment - balancing the transition of the professional game towards a more sustainable model, accelerating the growth of the women’s game, strengthening commercial performance, and embedding a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture across the entire system.
As Independent Chair, you will play a central role in guiding this next chapter. You will lead a committed and evolving Board, ensuring clarity of purpose, effective governance, and robust strategic oversight, while supporting and constructively challenging the executive to deliver meaningful, lasting change.
Rugby in Wales is an integral part of Welsh identity, culture and public life, making this a role that requires resilience, sound judgement and the ability to operate effectively in a highly visible environment. Working in close partnership with the Chief Executive, you will help create the conditions for the executive team to lead successfully, providing support, challenge and strategic direction to help drive the organisation forward. Operating within a passionate and complex stakeholder landscape, you will engage with professional clubs, community representatives, players, supporters, partners and government, building trust, navigating sensitive issues and ensuring the WRU acts in the best interests of the whole game in Wales.
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Who We Are Looking For
We are seeking an experienced and credible leader who brings:
- significant independent Chair-level experience
- a strong understanding of governance and Board effectiveness within complex organisations
- experience of leading through change, ideally within a high-profile or stakeholder-rich environment
- commercial awareness and financial acumen, with an understanding of the importance of sustainable business models within sport
- the ability to build trust and credibility with a wide range of stakeholders, including in situations requiring careful navigation and judgement
- excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and credibility across diverse stakeholders, and represent the WRU effectively when appropriate
- exceptional personal integrity, resilience and sound judgement, with the ability to navigate complexity, and manage sensitive issues with confidence and discretion
- a strong commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion, and player welfare
A passion for Welsh rugby and an appreciation of its cultural significance will be essential in this role.
Why this role matters
This is more than a governance appointment. It is an opportunity to shape the future of a national sport at a moment that truly matters.
You will help ensure Welsh rugby is not only sustainable and competitive, but inclusive, values-led and trusted - delivering success from grassroots through to the international stage, and strengthening its place at the heart of Welsh life.
For an informal and confidential conversation, please reach out to our retained consultancy team at GatenbySanderson:
- Will McAlpine - (will.mcalpine@gatenbysanderson.com)
- Rebecca Hopkin - (rebecca.hopkin@gatenbysanderson.com)
- Peter Buffoni – (peter.buffoni@gatenbysanderson.com)
Closing date for applications: Monday 3rd August (9:00am)
Our Values
The WRU Group are committed to developing a culture whereby all employees are equally valued and respected. Our aims, together with our vision and mission, are underpinned by our core values and beliefs which embrace: Integrity, Excellence, Success, Courage, Family & Humour.
Inclusion At The WRU
The WRU Group are committed to building diverse, high-performing and engaged teams across Welsh Rugby. We are ambitious about providing a people first culture where everyone can belong, be heard and respected. We are happy to talk to you about our Crys I Bawb EDI Strategy (2024-2029) and you can also read more about our commitment in our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
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Cyfle i lywio dyfodol rygbi Cymru yn un o'r rolau arwain mwyaf arwyddocaol ym maes chwaraeon yng Nghymru.
Lleoliad: Cymru (gyda phresenoldeb cenedlaethol rheolaidd)
Cyflog: Cystadleuol
Cais: Cyflwynwch eich CV a’ch Llythyr Cais drwy’r ddolen hon: https://www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe132530
Rydym yn defnyddio cymorth GatenbySanderson i reoli’r broses recriwtio hon. Peidiwch â gwneud cais drwy ein tudalen gyrfaoedd, gan ei bod yn bosibl na fydd eich cais yn cael ei ystyried.
Mae Undeb Rygbi Cymru (URC) yn awyddus i benodi Cadeirydd Annibynnol i arwain y Bwrdd drwy gyfnod allweddol o drawsnewid – gan lywio dyfodol y gêm broffesiynol a'r gêm gymunedol, a meithrin ymddiriedaeth, atgyfnerthu perfformiad a sicrhau cynaliadwyedd hirdymor ar yr un pryd.
URC, a sefydlwyd yn 1881, yw corff llywodraethu rygbi'r undeb yng Nghymru, ac mae'n un o sylfaenwyr World Rugby. Mae'n gofalu am gamp sy'n destun balchder cenedlaethol ac yn gweithredu sefydliad masnachol modern; gyda chyfrifoldeb am dimau cenedlaethol, y gêm broffesiynol, rygbi cymunedol, a lleoliad eiconig Stadiwm Principality.
Mae'r sefydliad yn gweithredu mewn amgylchedd cymhleth sy'n datblygu – gan daro cydbwysedd rhwng symud y gêm broffesiynol tuag at fodel mwy cynaliadwy, cyflymu twf gêm y menywod, atgyfnerthu perfformiad masnachol, a gwreiddio diwylliant o fod yn gadarnhaol ac yn gynhwysol a pherfformio ar lefel uchel ym mhob rhan o'r system.
Fel Cadeirydd Annibynnol, byddwch yn cyflawni rôl ganolog o ran arwain y bennod nesaf hon. Byddwch yn arwain Bwrdd ymroddedig sy'n datblygu, gan sicrhau eglurder ynghylch diben, trefniadau llywodraethu effeithiol, a goruchwyliaeth strategol gadarn, yn ogystal â chefnogi'r tîm gweithredol a'i herio mewn modd adeiladol i sicrhau newid ystyrlon a pharhaol.
Mae rygbi yng Nghymru yn rhan annatod o hunaniaeth, diwylliant a bywyd cyhoeddus Cymreig, sy'n golygu bod hon yn rôl sy'n gofyn am wydnwch, crebwyll cadarn a'r gallu i weithredu'n effeithiol mewn amgylchedd hynod weladwy. Byddwch yn cydweithio mewn partneriaeth agos â'r Prif Weithredwr er mwyn helpu i greu'r amodau i'r tîm gweithredol arwain yn llwyddiannus, gan gynnig cymorth, her a chyfeiriad strategol er mwyn helpu i symud y sefydliad yn ei flaen. Gan weithredu o fewn tirwedd rhanddeiliaid gymhleth a llawn brwdfrydedd, byddwch yn ymgysylltu â chlybia
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