Sophie Dunning

Sport Competitions Manager at Nottingham Trent University

Greater Leicester Area

About

I am an experienced Programme Manager with a decade of delivery across the sports sector, beginning my career within a National Governing Body before moving into Higher Education. Highly organised, efficient and process‑driven, I bring strong operational oversight to every environment I work in - from managing substantial budgets and ensuring regulatory compliance to building systems that support long‑term sustainability. I take pride in being reliable, detail‑focused and able to bring clarity and structure to complex programmes. Alongside my operational work, I am a Level 3 Personal Development and Lifestyle Practitioner, currently providing 1:1 holistic support to student‑athletes. This dual perspective allows me to champion both performance and people. I am currently working towards my PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner qualification to enhance and formalise my approach to programme and project delivery - building on my existing experience in planning, managing and successfully delivering outcomes in dynamic environments.

Experience

  • Nottingham Trent University (Greater Nottingham)
    • Sport Competitions Manager
      Oct 2023 - Present · 2 yrs 10 mos

      As Sport Competitions Manager at NTU, I lead the university’s BUCS competition programme in line with NTU's aspiration to remain a top 10 institution for sport. I ensure full compliance with BUCS and NGB regulations while overseeing all weekly fixture operations, logistics and events. I manage a £200k competitions budget, line manage the BUCS Competitions Assistant and officials, and represent NTU within the BUCS community as the East Midlands Competitions Representative. Alongside programme leadership, I oversee NTU’s Clean Sport education and deliver 1:1 Personal Development and Lifestyle support for student‑athletes, combining operational oversight with holistic athlete care.

    • Sports Coordinator
      Sep 2019 - Oct 2023 · 4 yrs 2 mos

      As Sports Coordinator at NTU, I managed key logistics across the university’s competition programme, coordinating venues, transport, accommodation and match officials to support around 1,000 fixtures each season. I worked closely with team captains to ensure full regulatory compliance, built strong relationships with suppliers and internal partners, and facilitated the entry of hundreds of students into BUCS and NGB events. This role strengthened my operational planning, stakeholder management and delivery under pressure.

  • British Triathlon Federation (Loughborough)
    • England Talent Programme Coordinator
      Mar 2017 - Sep 2019 · 2 yrs 7 mos

      I coordinated national‑level logistics for England Talent training camps and international races, attending events as team manager and welfare support. I oversaw entry processes for elite domestic and GBR Junior international competitions, acted as the primary contact for athletes and parents, and served as Clean Sport and Safeguarding Lead. I also managed NGB responsibilities for TASS, SportsAid and Backing The Best, supported the Elite Multisport Programme, and delivered the pathway rebrand to England Next Generation.

    • Performance Programme Administrator
      May 2016 - Mar 2017 · 11 mos

      I provided administrative support to Olympic and Paralympic Performance Programmes, coordinating staff travel, meetings, performance processes and coach conferences. I supported logistics for competitions and training camps, managed ITU race entries, and oversaw elite kit distribution.

  • Level 2 Trampoline Coach at Edgbarrow Trampoline Club, Sheffield International Venues & Leeds University Union
    Sep 2010 - May 2016 · 5 yrs 9 mos

  • Athlete and Coach Support Internship at Leeds Triathlon Centre
    Jul 2014 - Jul 2015 · 1 yr 1 mo