The winning brand
* They must be passionate about the club; sports management & development
* As well as building the capacity of visionary, valued-based change-makers
* In the areas of health, education, legal, marketing, finance, sports and clergy
By Duncan Mlanjira
Nyasa Big Bullets Football Club Limited is inviting its supporters and stakeholders to apply for posts which the team is intending to recruit as independent non-executive directors to serve on its Board of Directors.
A public statement from the limited company, said the main Board shall provide the independent non-executive directors with leadership, governance and management oversight of the football club.
The club says “this is an extraordinary opportunity for Nyasa Big Bullets supporters who are passionate about the club; sports management & development and building the capacity of visionary, valued-based change-makers in the areas of health, education, legal, marketing, finance, sports and clergy.
The statement says the desired skills, knowledge and attributes of ideal candidates wishing to apply should include:
* Relevant qualification, expertise and experience in the areas of health, education, legal, marketing, finance, sports and clergy;
* Executive leadership and accomplishments in civil society, private sector, non-profit sector and public sector;
* Ability to contribute to championing and selling the club’s vision, values and purpose and ensuring it has the resources to achieve its goals;
* Integrity, credibility and a passion to achieve the club’s goals;
* Experience in resource mobilization, business and club’s partnership management;
* Ability to provide a challenging and supportive role to the Executive Director and other senior team members whilst adding value to the direction, decision making and performance of the organization;
* Ability to build team cohesion and coordination with fellow board members and executive directors;
* Savvy diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships and persuading, facilitating and building consensus among group individuals;
* Open mindedness and willingness to engage with a wide stakeholder groups including supporters at all levels and with diverse national, regional and professional backgrounds; and
* Sound judgement, analysis and decision-making skills.
Interested individuals are advised to submit their applications and CVs with reference by April 8, 2022 to:
Chief Executive Officer
Nyasa Big Bullets Football Club Limited
10 Mahatma Gandhi Road
P.O. Box 1814
Blantyre
Email: ceo@nyasabigbullets.com
“Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews and Nyasa Big Bullets Football Club Limited reserves the right not to make any appointments to its Board of Directors,” said the invitation.
This is part of the club’s commercialization drive which was enhanced last year when the limited company appointed its new CEO, Suzgo Nyirenda — who was tasked to formulate a robust strategic plan that will outline how best the club will earn its successful brand.
When he was being unveiled, Nyirenda had said Nyasa Big Bullets would develop its own business plan as well as the team’s technical and youth development plans and to add on a women’s football team to the franchise.
The new CEO had also announced plans for the limited company to set up its own television station, saying “time has come that all Bullets games should be streamlined live before launching our own Nyasa Big Bullets FC TV”.
Nyirenda is a former Football Association of Malawi (FAM) general secretary — who also served as deputy CEO for Confederation of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) from 2016 to 2021.
At his unveiling, done by the club’s president Conrad Buckle at a colourful ceremony held at College of Medicine Sports Complex in Blantyre, Nyirenda had having their own TV Station “is possible and if there are any doubts, you have a CEO who will do it because I am determined”.
“My objective is to turn the club’s fortunes around and be recognised as a great brand — not only in the country but on the African continent as well.
“If there are any doubts, you have a CEO who is determined to do it. I realize it’s not easy but with the team and the staff I have — and with the support of the Board and the supporters — we will make it.”
He had given confidence to the Board and supporters that working as FAM GS and deputy CEO for COSAFA gave him an “impetus to understand the needs in football — and commercialization in particular — in line with club licensing requirements”.
“We can grow our businesses exponentially if we partner and realize our mutual gains by maintaining the club’s competitive edge.
“The huge following of this club — in and beyond Malawi — is unprecedented. The brand itself is very enormous. The rich history of Nyasa Big Bullets in terms of its successes in competitions and championships cannot go unnoticed.”
Amongst the strategies Nyirenda and the Board are doing is to have a nationwide registration of the team’s supporters to create verified numbers with which they can use to support the business together with their partners.