Director of Commercial, Marketing & Communications
Job Description Reports to Chief Executive Officer
Location Cricket Ireland Headquarters / Hybrid Working Contract Full-time, permanent Working pattern Flexibility required, including evenings, weekends and match days as necessary
Purpose of the role
The Director of Commercial, Marketing & Communications is a member of Cricket Ireland’s management team and leads an integrated portfolio covering commercial development, marketing, brand, communications, digital, fan engagement, broadcast and content production.
The role gives equal strategic importance to growing sustainable revenues, strengthening Cricket Ireland’s brand and reputation, building audiences and participation, communicating effectively with stakeholders, and delivering high-quality broadcast and content across international and domestic cricket.
Broadcast and production are central to the role. Cricket’s volume, duration and scheduling create distinctive production, distribution, rights, content and partner-delivery requirements. The Director will provide strategic oversight of this area and ensure that broadcast activity supports audiences, reputation, participation and commercial value.
The Director will lead a small multidisciplinary team and will work through clear priorities, effective delegation and coordinated use of agencies, production partners, broadcasters, consultants and suppliers. The role is accountable for setting direction, integrating the functions and ensuring delivery, rather than personally undertaking every activity within the portfolio.
Key responsibilities
Integrated Strategy and Leadership
•Develop and deliver an integrated commercial, marketing, communications, broadcast and content strategy aligned with Cricket Ireland’s strategic objectives.
•Set clear priorities, objectives, budgets and measures for the portfolio, balancing growth ambitions with available resources.
•Advise the CEO, management team and Board on opportunities, performance, reputation, audiences, broadcast and commercial matters.
•Ensure the functions work together so that campaigns, content, partnerships, match promotion, broadcast and communications reinforce one another.
Commercial, Sponsorship and Partnerships
•Lead sustainable income growth across sponsorship, partnerships, ticketing, hospitality, merchandising, licensing, media and digital opportunities.
•Maximise the value of existing partnerships and develop credible propositions and products for new partners.
•Oversee major commercial negotiations, contracts, partner activation and sponsorship fulfilment.
•Maintain appropriate commercial forecasting, pipeline management, budgeting and performance reporting.
Broadcast, Production and Content
•Set the strategic direction for Cricket Ireland’s broadcast, production and content activity across international and domestic cricket.
•Oversee the planning and delivery of broadcast and live-stream production, working with rights holders, broadcasters, production companies, venues and internal colleagues.
•Ensure appropriate production standards, editorial approach, distribution, scheduling, technical planning and contractual delivery.
•Lead the development and management of broadcast, media and digital rights opportunities in conjunction with relevant advisers and partners.
•Build an integrated content approach that serves broadcast audiences, digital channels, supporters, participants, media and commercial partners.
•Ensure broadcast and production plans are realistic, cost-conscious and aligned with fixture, venue and operational requirements.
Marketing, Brand, Communications and Audience Growth
•Lead Cricket Ireland’s overarching brand, marketing, communications and audience strategy across international cricket, domestic competitions, participation programmes and wider organisational priorities.
•Develop and deliver integrated campaigns that strengthen the Cricket Ireland brand and grow awareness, attendance, viewership, participation and fan engagement.
•Lead corporate communications, media relations, stakeholder communications and public affairs, ensuring clear, timely and consistent communication across all audiences.
•Protect and enhance Cricket Ireland’s brand and reputation, overseeing issues and crisis communications and acting as a senior organisational spokesperson where appropriate.
•Oversee Cricket Ireland’s digital ecosystem, including website, social media, digital content and emerging platforms, driving audience growth, engagement and effective content distribution.
•Ensure a coherent and compelling audience and brand proposition across match-day, broadcast, digital, social, media and partner channels.
•Use audience insight, data and performance metrics to improve targeting, supporter journeys, campaign effectiveness, channel performance and return on investment.
•Develop appropriate digital and audience-led commercial opportunities, ensuring commercial activity strengthens rather than compromises brand and audience priorities.
•Ensure marketing and communications effectively support Cricket Ireland’s organisational, sporting, audience and commercial objectives, maintaining the appropriate balance across each.
People, Resources and Delivery
•Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, translating strategy into focused and achievable work plans.
•Create a collaborative culture with clear accountability, effective delegation and shared priorities.
•Commission and manage agencies, production partners, consultants and suppliers where specialist capacity is required.
•Manage departmental budgets, contracts and resources and ensure compliance with relevant governance, legal and contractual obligations.
•Work closely with cricket operations, competitions, participation, finance, people and operations colleagues to coordinate delivery.
Experience and knowledge
Essential
•Senior commercially focused leadership experience across a combination of commercial, marketing, communications, broadcast, media, content or audience functions.
•A strong record of setting strategy and delivering results in a high-profile, multi-stakeholder environment.
•Demonstrable understanding of sponsorship and partnerships, brand and marketing, communications and reputation, and broadcast or content production.
•Experience of leading a multidisciplinary team and delivering through colleagues, agencies, production partners and specialist suppliers.
•Experience of managing budgets, contracts, competing priorities and organisational risk.
•Ability to operate credibly with a Board, senior colleagues, broadcasters, media, partners and external stakeholders.
Desirable
•Extensive relationship network across the Irish business and commercial community, with a proven ability to build and leverage senior-level relationships to create sponsorship, strategic partnership and revenue-generating opportunities.
•Experience in sport, media, entertainment or another rights-led and audience-focused environment.
•Understanding of the particular broadcast, production and content demands associated with cricket.
•Experience of digital audience development, data-led marketing or media and digital rights.
Skills and approach
•An integrated leader who gives balanced attention to commercial, marketing, communications, broadcast and content priorities.
•Strong strategic judgement with the ability to convert ambition into a focused and deliverable programme of work.
•Commercially astute, with sound negotiation, financial and partnership-management skills.
•An excellent communicator who can manage reputation, influence stakeholders and make complex issues clear.
•Audience-focused, creative and informed by evidence and insight.
•A collaborative people leader who delegates well, develops capability and makes effective use of limited resources.
•Calm and decisive in a fast-moving public and sporting environment.
Qualifications
A relevant degree or equivalent professional experience in business, marketing, communications, media, broadcast, sport management or a related field.
Indicative success measures
Specific annual objectives and measures will be agreed with the CEO, reflecting organisational priorities and available resources. They are expected to include:
•Delivery of agreed commercial income, partnership and activation objectives.
•Growth in brand reach, audience engagement, attendance, viewership and participation support.
•Effective delivery of marketing and communications priorities and the protection of organisational reputation.
•Quality, reach, reliability and value of broadcast, production and content output.
•Delivery of agreed media, broadcast and digital rights objectives.
•Effective financial, contractual and risk management.
•Delivery of an integrated departmental plan through a focused, capable and well-supported team.
Remuneration
The Director of Commercial, Marketing & Communications role will be established within a salary range of €100,000–€125,000 per annum with usual benefits to include pension, health etc to form part of the remuneration package.
Why join Cricket Ireland?
This is an opportunity to shape how Cricket Ireland grows revenues, builds its brand, communicates with its stakeholders and brings the game to audiences. The Director will connect commercial partnerships, marketing, communications, broadcast and content into one clear strategy, helping cricket across Ireland to grow its reach, relevance and long-term sustainability.
Applications
To apply, please submit an up-to-date CV together with a cover letter outlining your interest in the role and demonstrating how your skills, experience and qualifications meet the requirements of the position.
Applications should be submitted by clicking on the link: Vacancies – Cricket Ireland
Closing date for applications: Monday, 2 November 2026
All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.