Head of Youth & Amateur Products

Job description

Head of Youth & Amateur Products About Hawk-Eye Innovations Hawk-Eye Innovations, a Sony Sports Technology company, is the technology behind sport's biggest moments. From electronic line calling at Wimbledon and the US Open, to VAR, Goal-Line Technology and Semi-Automated Offside in football, ball tracking in cricket, the TMO in rugby, replay in the NFL, NHL and NBA, and Statcast in MLB, when the world's biggest events need to make the right call, capture the perfect angle, or unlock the next layer of insight, they trust Hawk-Eye. Since 2001 we've been making sport fairer, safer, more engaging and better informed, fusing computer vision, AI and broadcast craft across 25 sports in 100+ countries. Pioneering. Inspiring. Innovating in sport, from the field to the fan. Role Overview Hawk-Eye's technology has defined elite sport for over two decades. Now, we are embarking on one of the most exciting strategic opportunities in our history: bringing that same world-class capability to the amateur sports market. As Head of Youth & Amateur Products, you will be the driving force behind this mission. This is a rare opportunity to build a new business unit from the ground up, leveraging Hawk-Eye's existing IP, data infrastructure, and brand credibility to unlock a new audience. You will lead across strategy, product development, commercial, and operations, with full P&L accountability and significant headroom to build a team around you. This is a senior entrepreneurial leadership role. You will have the backing of a world-class technology organisation, the expertise from the most successful sports technology officiating company, freedom to operate, and the commercial mandate to deliver meaningful growth. Key Responsibilities Strategy & Market Development - Define and own the long-term vision and strategic roadmap for the Youth and Amateur business unit. - Identify key sports markets and amateur segments with the greatest opportunity for Hawk-Eye technology adoption. - Conduct market research and competitive analysis to inform strategic decisions and prioritise investment. - Develop and manage business cases for new market entry and product expansion. - Work closely with senior leadership to align Youth & Amateur strategy with wider Hawk-Eye and Sony Sports business objectives. - Monitor industry trends and emerging technologies to ensure Hawk-Eye remains ahead of the competitive curve in amateur sports tech. Product Development - Lead end-to-end development of new Youth & Amateur products; built from the ground up for amateur, grassroots, and recreational markets. - Translate complex, professional-grade technology into accessible, scalable, and affordable solutions without compromising on quality. - Define product requirements, user stories, and success metrics in collaboration with engineering and design teams. - Oversee the full product lifecycle: concept, prototyping, testing, launch, and continuous iteration. - Ensure products meet high standards of usability, performance, and reliability appropriate for consumer and semi-professional markets. - Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the product team. Commercial - Own the commercial strategy for Youth & Amateur, including pricing models, go-to-market planning, and revenue targets. - Identify and develop partnerships with sporting bodies, clubs, leagues, and retail or digital distribution channels in target markets. - Lead commercial negotiations and manage key stakeholder relationships. - Drive customer acquisition, retention, and growth strategies across amateur sports markets globally. - Collaborate with marketing to develop compelling campaigns and differentiated brand positioning for Youth & Amateur products. - Report on commercial performance against plan, providing clear insight and strategic recommendations to leadership. - Deliver growth expectations and ROI as defined within the agreed business plan. Operations & Team Building - Build and manage the operational infrastructure required to support the Youth & Amateurbusiness unit at scale. - Recruit, develop, and lead a high-performing cross-functional team across product, engineering, commercial, and operations. - Establish processes and frameworks for efficient product delivery, team collaboration, and performance management. - Manage budgets, resources, and timelines to ensure delivery against strategic milestones. - Work cross-functionally with Hawk-Eye's existing technology, engineering, and operations teams to leverage internal capabilities. - Identify and manage third-party vendors, partners, and suppliers as required. - Implement robust reporting mechanisms to track operational performance and drive accountability. About You You are an entrepreneurial senior leader with a track record of building businesses or business units from early-stage through to commercial scale. You combine strategic clarity with hands-on delivery, and you are motivated by the chance to bring transformative technology to a market that has never had access to it. - Proven senior leadership experience, ideally within sports technology, consumer technology, or a related B2C or B2B2C industry. - Demonstrated track record of building and scaling products or business units; ideally from a standing start. - Strong strategic thinker with the ability to translate vision into actionable plans and commercial outcomes. - Commercially astute, with direct experience owning revenue targets and go-to-market strategies. - Solid understanding of product development processes with the ability to lead cross-functional teams through the full product lifecycle. - Experience working in or alongside amateur, grassroots, or participatory sports markets is highly desirable. - Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills; able to influence at all levels, from engineers to board. - Entrepreneurial mindset: comfortable with ambiguity, adaptable, and relentlessly driven by results. - Thrives in fast-paced, high-expectation environments where ownership and initiative are rewarded. - Genuinely passionate about sport and the power of technology to transform participation at every level. - A natural leader and talent magnet; someone who builds strong teams and creates an environment where people do their best work.