Middlesex Tennis Inclusive Tennis and Padel Lead


This new position is aimed at building on the strong foundations we have already laid to progress our approach in inclusive tennis and padel to a new level. This role has the opportunity to take us from good to great in this important area of our work!
We have set an ambitious 3-year target to identify and support a network of at least 40 Middlesex Venues – our clubs and our parks - to provide an inclusive offer, delivering a measurable approach to attract and sustain a new range of players, coaches, volunteers, and officials into our sport.
The role will be split into two areas:
1.Implementing a range of approaches to provide support to our venues to become more inclusive and acting as lead contact for our collaborative work with partners such as the Queen’s Club Foundation.
2.To work with our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Trustee to ensure that our approach to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion across our governance and day to day culture is exemplary, progressive and meaningful.
Venue Support Responsibilities
This role will be responsible for the implementation and ongoing development of our support to our venues that include the following:
•Working with the Middlesex Tennis Manager and Inclusive Tennis Consultant, deploy the 4 Inclusive Tennis Mentors to provide expert support to Middlesex Tennis venues to deliver inclusive tennis and padel on court offers:
-Agree and coordinate their work programmes
-Help build a team atmosphere, so they work optimally together
-Showcase their skills and expertise, so that there is a steady demand for their support and advice from our venues
-Create a community interest group of venues wishing to develop their disability and inclusive offering
-Source mentoring and other developmental skills support for them, when required
-Identify and share best practice from Middlesex and beyond
•Implementation of the John James Disability Inclusion Awards presented by Dan Maskell Tennis Trust and Middlesex Tennis to identify and grant fund 3 Middlesex venues per annum who are doing great things around disability inclusion programmes and want to build on and develop their work.
•Rolling out of up to 20 Middlesex Venue Diversity and Inclusion grants per annum for venues wishing to start an inclusive tennis/padel programme, providing them with mentor support and grant funding around small-scale facility adaptations e.g. equipment, and coach education.
•Working in partnership with the LTA to implement and build programmes such as ‘Open Court’ into our approaches.
•Acting as the key contact for the Inclusive Tennis/Padel London Borough flagship project - Hammersmith & Fulham – in partnership with the Queen’s Club Foundation. Themes will include children with autism, children living on vulnerable housing estates known to the council to be in need, women and girls’ asylum and refugees, homeless adults, and visually impaired adults. This work will also include activation around the WTA and ATP summer events.
•Supporting the flagship County Championships that includes a partnership with Surrey Tennis and other potential local partners to stage diversity and inclusion events.
•Providing support for identified inclusive performance players of all ages to reach their performance goals – utilising the Middlesex Tennis Foundation if required.
•Supporting our Sponsorship and Content Manager to raise funding to sustain our Inclusive Tennis and Padel offer.
•Supporting our Communications Officer to amplify our work.
•Monitor progress and submit regular progress reports and updates.
•Provide a central point of contact for all inclusion related enquiries.
•Monitor the hours of the Inclusive Tennis Consultant.
•Work in partnership with the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Trustee to complete and implement the LTA County EDI plan.
This role will work with the support of a world-renowned specialist in Inclusive Tennis – Mark Bullock - who is contracted annually to provide a set number of hours to support this role with coach and player education and development, advocacy, and ongoing high-level advice in the inclusive tennis/padel space. There will also be an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Trustee who will act as a critical friend and sounding board.
Middlesex Tennis is a registered charity that takes responsibility for the administration and development of tennis and padel throughout the County, from those just thinking of taking up the sports to tournament players of all levels. The County Association affiliates to the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and upholds their rules and regulations. We work closely with the LTA to implement their vision of ‘Tennis Opened Up’ and support their mission to transform communities through tennis and padel to make them welcoming, enjoyable and inspiring to everyone.
The Middlesex Tennis Management Board is comprised of a group of volunteers, all of whom have a particular interest in tennis and padel and specialist skills relevant to the organisation and its work. Each Board Member is now a trustee as we have recently achieved charitable status. Middlesex Tennis has a small team of salaried staff that work with the Management Board and other volunteers.
We constantly strive to improve and broaden the services we offer so that we give support and service of the highest quality to all those involved with tennis and padel within the County.
Middlesex Tennis has a rich track record in our approach to Inclusive Tennis. In term of our values, we are committed to providing progressive solutions to ensure tennis and padel is welcoming and accessible to everyone no matter their background. In partnership with Surrey Tennis, we are the first county to include inclusive events in our County Championships. There are examples of good practice in many of our venues across the county – wheelchair tennis, tennis for children and young people with autism, tennis for children and young people with special educational needs, visually impaired tennis, and so on. We have also supported and contributed to the development of players who compete on the international stage.
We commission a world renowned consultant in Inclusive Tennis to help us lead the way, and we deploy 4 Inclusion Mentors – Middlesex Tennis - Venue Inclusion Mentors – to support venues on their day to day provision of inclusive tennis and padel. Although inclusive tennis and padel primarily sits within our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objective, our work also links into our Performance, Competition and Workforce objectives.
·Strong communication and relationship building skills with tennis/padel community, disability and inclusive organisations, funding partners, etc.
·A passion for and proven experience in organising and overseeing the creation and delivery of inclusive sport programmes, ideally in tennis.
·Have a thorough understanding and knowledge of community and volunteer run clubs and park venues.
·Proven team player with an ability to build lasting and sustainable partnerships.
·A self-starter with excellent time management and organisational skills with a proven ability to work to deadlines and provide reports to Trustees and sponsors.
·Experience in grant giving and client care for applicant partners.
·Knowledge of the sports industry, particularly tennis, is advantageous.
How to apply
To apply please email your CV together with a covering letter detailing your suitability for the role to the Middlesex County Office county.office@middlesextennis.org.uk by midnight on 16th February 2025.
Middlesex Tennis through its vision ‘Tennis Opened Up in Middlesex’, is committed to creating a diverse environment where all colleagues and trustees feel included and a strong sense of belonging. We are proud to actively invite applications from all candidates who meet the essential criteria and can work in the UK. We commit that everyone will receive equal consideration for employment irrespective of your ethnicity, religion, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, age, any disability, marital or civil partnership status, and pregnancy or maternity status.
We particularly welcome applications from:
•People from ethnically diverse communities
•Deaf and disabled people
•Members of the LGBTQ+ community
•People with lived experience of the UK's many and varied communities