City of Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
* Ben offers the unusual combination of extensive practical experience in delivering sport for development programmes and in-depth academic reflection. He exhibits Gramsci’s advice to radicals – to combine optimism of the will with pessimism (or at least scepticism) of the intellect. Such informed reflection makes for good practice and informed theory. * (Professor Fred Coalter, Visiting Professor at Free University of Brussels and Leeds Beckett University) - I combine leadership experience with development expertise to drive sustainable change - I am an expert in designing, delivering, managing and evaluating sport for development initiatives - I boast public and private sector experience, including with civil society actors and non-profits - I offer technical expertise to international, national and local actors to develop policies and programs - I hold the first PhD by publication in sport and development in Africa and published/presented widely - I have expertise in leadership, strategy, fundraising, partnerships, MEL, research and programs
• Executive responsibility and leadership for sportanddev • Board management, engagement and reporting • Leading the operating team, including HR & recruitment • Financial management, forecasting and analysis • Fundraising, partnerships and donor reporting • Leading sportanddev’s overall strategy and planning. • Overseeing monitoring and evaluation and research • Positioning sportanddev and its Steering Board in the current policy landscape • Representing sportanddev at important events, presenting the initiative and advocating for the role of the platform in the global sport and development sector • Leading the massive open online course (MOOC) Sport for Sustainable Development: Designing Effective Policies and Programmes The course is developed and managed by sportanddev, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Australian government. It has attracted over 8,500 learners from 197 countries and counting (Nov 2024). It is available in English | French | Spanish | Arabic
I am supporting the UNESCO Research Chair as a member of the Scientific Committee. The Chair focuses on sport, physical activity and physical education initiatives that foster the SDGs in the following four areas: (1) Gender & Equity, (2) Environment and Nature, Climate Change and the Outdoors, (3) Health and Education and (4) Peace & Social Cohesion.
I provide specialist consulting services in sport for development and peace. I work/have worked with a global range of clients including: - The International Platform on Sport and Development (www.sportanddev.org) - The Commonwealth Secretariat - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) - Laureus Sport for Good Foundation - Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) - Impact InFocus Consulting - Sonke Gender Justice * I provide services in strategy, policy, business and partnership development, M&E, research and technical support, all linked to strengthening policies and programmes in sport and development. I have supported, and continue to support, projects at a local, national and international level. These include the following: - Senior consultant at the international platform on sport and development, overseeing partnerships, business development and priority projects - Development of a sport policy measurement framework and model indicators with data collection tools to measure the contribute of sport to the Sustainable Development Goals, a priority action of the Kazan Action Plan (coordinated by the Commonwealth Secretariat). - A systematic review to examine critical factors that impact on the reported efficacy and potential to scale youth-focused Sport for Development interventions in South Africa - The development of a learning platform, key performance indicators and life skills content for the FIFA Football for Schools initiative, working with the FIFA Foundation and UNESCO. - Contributed to the development, management & evaluation of a sport-based youth crime prevention programme created by UNODC. Authored a report, analyzing data from 11 countries piloting the programme, with recommendations for the use of sport in youth crime prevention.
- Responsible for all programmes across South Africa - Financial Management of all programmes and operations - Programme design, management and monitoring and evaluation
- Full oversight of a R45milion/year organisation - Governance, Board liaison and management - Fundraising, Business Development - Partnership and Stakeholder Management - Programme Leadership, Strategy and Analysis - Research and Monitoring and Evaluation - HR and Operational Management
- Managing Monitoring & Evaluation for Grassroot Soccer South Africa - Research and Development oversight for Grassroot Soccer South Africa - Strategic Planning, Policy, Advocacy and Business Development - Programme Design, Planning, Implementation and Review - Overseeing Data Collection, Analysis and Evaluations (internal & external) - Reporting on Grants to USAID, FIFA, NIKE, Barclays and others - Partnership Development and Management and Alignment
- Lead Consultant for Interdisciplinary Centre of Excellence for Sport Sciences & Development (ICESSD) - Responsible for two high-profile projects for the Caribbean Sport and Development Agency - Communications Consultancy – developing a communication strategies, tools and templates - Monitoring & Evaluation Consultancy – developing M&E frameworks & reporting systems - Responsible for the delivery of both consultancies, including reports and blueprint documents