Head of Talent Management and Insight

The role is accountable for defining and delivering an integrated Player Intelligence System and national player pipeline, bringing together expert judgement, scouting, data science, AI and human factors to build a holistic and longitudinal understanding of player performance, potential and progression.

Through modern player trajectory modelling, agentic workflows and evidence-led decision-making, the role will continually improve Welsh rugby’s ability to identify, retain, develop and accelerate future international players, providing coaches and executive leaders with the intelligence to make better player and talent decisions.

• Demonstrable experience of developing and implementing strategy across complex, multidisciplinary performance systems.

• Deep understanding of talent identification, talent development and player progression, including the complexity, uncertainty and non-linear nature of predicting future performance.

• Strong understanding of modern data science, predictive modelling and longitudinal player analysis, with the ability to translate technical approaches into meaningful performance questions and decisions.

• Strong understanding of artificial intelligence, automation and agentic systems, with the ability to identify where these technologies can transform scouting, intelligence and performance workflows.

• Excellent understanding of scouting, player assessment and expert judgement, and the ability to integrate qualitative and quantitative evidence rather than privileging either in isolation.

• Demonstrable ability to turn complex information into clear, decision-ready insight for coaches, performance leaders and senior executives.

• Strong understanding of evidence-led decision-making, including uncertainty, bias, validation, calibration and the limitations of predictive information.

• Experience of designing or improving player intelligence, talent management, data or performance systems that connect information across multiple environments
  

• Design and lead an integrated national player pipeline, connecting how Welsh rugby unearths, identifies, understands, tracks and accelerates the development of players from the pathway through to senior international rugby.

• Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, incorporating rugby AI, data/talent science and human factors expertise to create a more complete understanding of player performance, potential and development.

• Lead the talent contribution to What It Takes to Win and Welsh Rugby DNA, ensuring the characteristics and capabilities of the Future Welsh Player inform identification, development, selection/recruitment and succession planning.

• Work collaboratively across departments to create a genuinely trans-disciplinary view of the player by combining expert observation, coaching judgement, performance data, physical development, behavioural insight, maturation, opportunity and other relevant evidence.

• Develop a strategy and operational plan for a national and international talent intelligence and scouting network, connecting scouts, coaches, clubs and trusted talent contacts to systematically gather, challenge and share intelligence on current and emerging Welsh-qualified players.

• Establish and continually develop a world-leading scouting and Talent ID capability, creating consistent approaches to player observation, assessment, profiling and intelligence gathering, while ensuring the system actively searches for emerging talent, alternative perspectives and players who may otherwise remain unseen.

• Lead the development of modern player trajectory and potential modelling, using data science, longitudinal analysis and predictive techniques to understand development pathways, changing trajectories and probability of progression.

• Provide coaches and senior leaders with clear, decision-ready intelligence on player depth, future potential, development priorities, emerging opportunities and strategic risks across the national player population.

• Build a continuous learning system and agentic AI capability, automating key workflows while connecting evidence, decisions, interventions and outcomes to understand what genuinely predicts and accelerates future international performance and continually improves talent development.

• Maintain a future focus across talent science, AI and data, applying emerging approaches to accelerate the accuracy and depth of player insight and creates a sustainable competitive advantage for Welsh rugby

• Support WRU coach development activities through agreed workshops, mentoring and educational programmes.

• Act as an outstanding ambassador for Welsh Rugby, representing the organisation with integrity, collaboration and professionalism.

• Carry out duties in support of the WRU Strategic Mission, Purpose and Values.

Mae'r rôl yn gyfrifol am ddiffinio a chyflenwi System Deallusrwydd Chwaraewr integredig a llwybr cenedlaethol o chwaraewyr, gan ddwyn ynghyd barn arbenigol, sgowtio, gwyddor data, AI a ffactorau dynol i adeiladu dealltwriaeth gyfannol a hirdymor o berfformiad, potensial a dilyniant chwaraewyr.

Trwy fodelu trywydd modern i chwaraewyr, llifoedd gwaith agentig a gwneud penderfyniadau ar sail tystiolaeth, bydd y rôl yn gwella gallu rygbi Cymru i adnabod, cadw, datblygu a chyflymu chwaraewyr rhyngwladol y dyfodol, gan roi'r deallusrwydd i hyfforddwyr ac arweinwyr gweithredol wneud penderfyniadau gwell am chwaraewyr a thalent.

Cyflog: Cystadleuol

• Profiad amlwg o ddatblygu a gweithredu strategaeth ar draws systemau perfformiad cymhleth ac amlddisgyblaeth.

• Dealltwriaeth ddofn o adnabod talent, datblygu talent a dilyniant chwaraewyr, gan gynnwys cymhlethdod, ansicrwydd a natur aflinol rhagweld perfformiad yn y dyfodol.

• Dealltwriaeth gadarn o wyddor data modern, modelu rhagfynegol a dadansoddiad hirdymor chwaraewyr, gyda'r gallu i drawsnewid dulliau technegol yn gwestiynau a phenderfyniadau perfformiad ystyrlon.

• Dealltwriaeth gref o ddeallusrwydd artiffisial, awtomatiaeth a systemau agentig, gyda'r gallu i nodi ble gall y technolegau hyn drawsnewid llifoedd gwaith sgowtio, deallusrwydd a pherfformiad.

• Dealltwriaeth ragorol o sgowtio, asesu chwaraewyr a barn arbenigol, a'r gallu i integreiddio tystiolaeth ansoddol a meintiol yn hytrach na breintio'r naill neu'r llall ar ei ben ei hun.

• Gallu amlwg i droi gwybodaeth gymhleth yn ddealltwriaeth glir, barod am benderfyniadau ar gyfer hyfforddwyr, arweinwyr perfformiad ac uwch weithredwyr.

• Dealltwriaeth gref o benderfyniadau wedi'u harwain gan dystiolaeth, gan gynnwys ansicrwydd, rhagfarn, dilysu, graddnodi a chyfyngiadau gwybodaeth ragfynegi.

• Profiad o gynllunio neu wella dealltwriaeth chwaraewyr, rheoli talent, systemau data neu berfformiad sy'n cysylltu gwybodaeth ar draws amgylcheddau lluosog

• Cynllunio ac arwain llwybr chwaraewyr cenedlaethol integredig, gan gysylltu sut mae rygbi Cymru yn darganfod, yn adnabod, yn deall, yn olrhain ac yn cyflymu datblygiad chwaraewyr o'r llwybr hyd at rygbi rhyngwladol hŷn.

• Arwain a datblygu tîm aml-ddisgyblaethol, gan wreiddio AI rygbi, gwyddor data/talent ac arbenigedd am ffactorau dynol i greu dealltwriaeth fwy cyflawn o berfformiad chwaraewyr, eu potensial a'u datblygiad.

• Arwain cyfraniad talent i What It Takes to Win a DNA Rygbi Cymru, gan sicrhau bod nodweddion a galluoedd Chwaraewyr Cymru'r Dyfodol yn hysbysu adnabod, datblygu, dethol/recriwtio a chynllunio olyniaeth.

• Gweithio'n gydweithredol ar draws adrannau i greu golwg cwbl draws-ddisgyblaethol o'r chwaraewyr trwy gyfuno arsylwi arbenigol, barn hyfforddi, data perfformiad, datblygiad corfforol, mewnwelediad ymddygiadol, aeddfedu, cyfle a thystiolaeth berthnasol arall.

• Datblygu strategaeth a chynllun gweithredol ar gyfer rhwydwaith deallusrwydd a sgowtiaid talent cenedlaethol a rhyngwladol, gan gysylltu sgowtwyr, hyfforddwyr, clybiau a chysylltiadau talent dibynadwy er mwyn casglu, herio a rhannu gwybodaeth yn systematig am chwaraewyr sy'n gymwys i chwarae i Gymru ar hyn o bryd neu sy'n dod i'r amlwg.

• Sefydlu a datblygu'n gyson gallu sgowtio a Chanfod Talent blaenllaw, gan greu dulliau cyson i arsylwi ar chwaraewyr, eu hasesu, eu proffilio a chasglu gwybodaeth amdanynt, wrth sicrhau bod y system yn ymroi i chwilio am dalent newydd, safbwyntiau amgen a chwaraewyr a allai barhau'n anweledig.

• Arwain datblygu llwybr chwaraewr modern a modelu potensial, gan ddefnyddio gwyddor data, dadansoddiad hir-dymor a thechnegau rhagfynegi i ddeall llwybrau datblygu, trywydd sy'n newid a'r siawns o ddilyniant.

• Rhoi deallusrwydd clir, er mwyn gallu gwneud penderfyniadau i hyfforddwyr ac uwch arweinwyr am ddyfnder chwaraewyr, potensial yn y dyfodol, blaenoriaethau datblygu, cyfleoedd sy'n codi a risgiau strategol ledled y boblogaeth chwaraewyr cenedlaethol.

• Adeiladu system ddysgu barhaus a gallu AI agentig, gan awtomeiddio llifoedd gwaith allweddol wrth gysylltu tystiolaeth, penderfyniadau, ymyriadau a chanlyniadau i ddeall beth sy'n rhagweld ac yn cyflymu perfformiad rhyngwladol go iawn yn y dyfodol ac yn gwella datblygu talent yn gyson.

• Cadw ffocws ar y dyfodol ar draws gwyddor talent, AI a data, gan gymhwyso dulliau newydd o gyflymu cywirdeb a dyfnder mewnwelediad chwaraewyr ac yn creu manteision cystadleuol cynaliadwy ar gyfer rygbi Cymru

• Cefnogi gweithgareddau datblygu hyfforddwr URC trwy weithdai y cytunwyd arnynt, mentora a rhaglenni addysgol.

• Gweithredu fel llysgennad rhagorol i Rygbi Cymru, gan gynrychioli'r sefydliad gyda gonestrwydd, cydweithrediad a phroffesiynoldeb.

• Ymgymryd â dyletswyddau i gefnogi Cenhadaeth Strategol, Pwrpas a Gwerthoedd URC.