Managing Director

Managing director - Oval Insights

About Oval Insights

Oval is the world’s foremost rugby data and analytics business working with the biggest rights holders in the sport. Combining the sport’s most extensive database and unique predictive models with the expertise of our diverse team of data scientists, engineers and analysts, Oval provides unrivalled analysis and insight to our clients. Our partners include World Rugby, Six Nations, the Nations Championship, EPCR, Prem and the URC, as well as a wide range of broadcasters, unions and clubs around the world.

With ambitious plans for growth, we are looking to recruit an experienced leader to deliver our next stage of growth. 

Job description

Reporting to the Oval board, the successful candidate will lead the operational, commercial and strategic operations of the company with overall responsibility for generating revenue from our data capabilities.

This represents a unique opportunity for the right candidate to lead a fast-growing business in the sports data industry. The right candidate will thrive off responsibility and an entrepreneurial work environment. Oval prides itself on being a great place to work, with hard-working, collaborative and friendly team players who understand the value of developing great relationships with internal stakeholders as well as with our customers and partners.

Responsibilities

Commercial

• Initiate new sales opportunities and manage relationships with our key commercial rightsholder partners 
• Oversee and accelerate our commercial plans in betting 
• Lead on the budgeting process
• Maintain competitor awareness and market analysis across the sports data landscape, including relevant industry sectors

Management

• Direct line management of staff
• Set the standard for team culture and arrange intra-business workshops and catch-ups

Strategy

• Define strategy across revenue verticals
• Regular pipeline and sales reporting/monitoring against plans and budgets
• Communicate sales performance and present to all senior internal stakeholders at executive and board levels
• Accurate revenue forecasting of existing and new products
• Assist with setting, managing, and monitoring financial targets 
• Maintain supplier and third party partnerships
• Prepare and deliver presentations and pitches to top-tier clients
• Work with product team to drive product innovation aligned to industry and client requirements

Requirements

• Minimum of five years’ experience in a senior management and/or sales leadership role, preferably within a related industry
• Working knowledge and interest in the application of sports data in the context of sports betting, media and performance
• Commercially focused high achiever, with an ability to influence and negotiate at an advanced level
• Confident, particularly when presenting to senior stakeholders and external partners
• Excellent communication skills with proven experience articulating complex business and product solutions
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Ability to travel abroad on occasion where the role demands 

Desirable

• An entrepreneurial mindset with experience in, or aptitude for, a start-up environment
• A knowledge and understanding of the sports betting landscape 

Benefits

• Competitive salary and incentives scheme aligned to company growth objectives
• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• Hybrid role which will include some time spent in our offices in London and Leeds 
• Company pension scheme
• Company life assurance
• Flexible Employee Benefits

About Oval

Oval is a leading sports data and analytics company in rugby. Working with the world’s biggest broadcasters, professional teams and rightsholders, we simplify complex data to engage a broad and diverse audience and tell better stories about the sport we love.

Oval is a joint venture between Ellipse and Prospect Sport.

Ellipse is a leading sports data analytics company working in cricket, tennis, rugby, horse racing and football, serving some of the biggest rightsholders in global sport. Prospect provides analytical solutions that inform decision making from the field through to the boardroom. 

Equality & diversity

Oval is committed to building an open and inclusive culture that supports personal development and learning. Oval believes in the principle of equal opportunity in employment and its employment policies for recruitment, training, development and promotion despite any differences based on individual grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic and national origin, disability or gender reassignment.