March 13, 2013 (Ottawa, ON) – Own the Podium is an innovative independent organization that was created to bring together the key partners involved in leading and funding high performance sport in Canada. The mandate of Own the Podium is to help more Canadian athletes win more medals at the Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. Own the Podium provides technical expertise and advice to national sport organziations in support of Canada’s podium performance goals.

Position: Director, Winter Sport
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
Location: Calgary, AB
Application Deadline: 15 April 2013
Term: 4 year contract, start date negotiable

Scope of Position:
Individual responsible for leading the planning and implementation of ‘excellence’ programs for targeted winter sports.

Core Competencies:
• Demonstrates a sense of direction and purpose aligned with OTP’s vision, guiding principles and goals
• Driven by excellence in all facets, strives to be leading edge in own area of expertise and embraces opportunity for continuous improvement
• Continually makes efforts to understand client needs in an inclusive, outreaching, and adaptable manner
• Behaves in an open, transparent, respectful and fair manner and demonstrates these traits through ability to develop effective relationships with diverse groups of people
• Effective at leading and building teams
• Self-monitors work to ensure quality and accuracy

Roles and Responsibilities
1. Manage and mentor the winter high-performance advisors, as they undertake their responsibilities with NSOs, CSIs, ISTs and others
2. Assist with OTP interventions with client groups when and where appropriate.
3. Manage technical specialists (i.e. video analysts) working with the winter program
4. Build working partnerships with the winter sports to ensure common vision, goals and strategies to achieve excellence in targeted sports
5. Work effectively with Sport Canada, the COC,CPC, CSC/CSIs, IST staff and others to accomplish various tasks
6. Contribute to the establishment of annual business plans and be accountable for implementing these plans.
7. Work effectively with and under the direction of the CEO and with colleagues in other parts of the program, and specifically with the summer OTP program to ensure common approaches, policies and unified leadership for high-performance sport
8. Ensure staff reporting to the Director are fully integrated into sport science, medicine, research, technology, coaching and other OTP initiatives, and promote these opportunities to client groups
9. Formulate funding recommendations; lead the annual and other reviews of the winter sports (and assist with CSI and CSC reviews) to identify priorities that will produce podium results.
10. With others, develop new policies and programs that will assist achieving excellence at the Olympic and Paralympic Games
11. Promote excellence in Canadian sport and contribute to national communications strategies and programs to do so.
12. Undertake program evaluations during Games, training camps and competitions
13. Undertake intelligence gathering on international issues, trends, results etc.

Qualifications
• University Degree or College Diploma.
• Over ten years of experience working at a senior level in the Canadian high-performance sport system.
• Computer Skills and knowledge of the MS Office Suite is required
• Bilingualism is a preferred asset

Compensation
The compensation package will be based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Application Process
Apply in confidence by sending your cover letter resume by Monday, 15 April 2013 to careers@ownthepodium.org or by mail to:

Own the Podium
Attention: Director, Planning & Operations
Suite 120, 700 Industrial Avenue
Ottawa, ON K1G 0Y9

We thank all applicants for their interest; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

November 08, 2012 (Saskatoon, SK) – The Canadian Olympic Foundation is proud to partner for another year of successful Gold Medal Plates fundraising events. The cross-country series of fundraisers continued tonight at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon.

“The money raised here tonight helps make athletes’ Olympic dreams a reality,” said Saskatoon native and 2008 Olympians Kelsie Hendry. “All the athletes here tonight are very proud to support such an important event. It is so good to see Saskatoon come out to support Canadian athletes.”

“Not only does Gold Medal Plates bring first-class events across the country, but it benefits our Olympic heroes,” said Canadian Olympic Foundation Chair and Canadian Olympic Committee President Marcel Aubut. “These events help us build the Canadian Olympic Foundation into Canada’s leading philanthropic organization, funding sport and high performance athletes.”

Canadian Olympians Adam van Koeverden (Canoe-Kayak), Kyle Shewfelt (Gymnastics), Kaylyn Kyle (Soccer), Kelsie Hendry (Athletics), Jacki Nichol (Sotball), Brian Gyetko (Tennis), Michelle Cameron Coulter (Synchronized Swimming), Al Coulter (Volleyball), Viola Yanik (Wrestling), Cyprian Enweani (Athletics), Mike Robertson (Snowboard), Jeff Christie (Luge), Ian Cockerline (Luge), Craig Mackay (Speed Skating), Chandra Crawford (Cross Country Skiing), Rosannagh Crawford (Biathlon), Brendan Green (Biathlon), Marie-Ève Marleau (Diving), Jason Parker (Speed Skating), Nicole Cargill (Synchronized Swimming), Herb Pinder (Ice Hockey), Marcia Gudereit (Curling), Janice Betker (Curling), Joan McCusker (Curling), Nathan Gafuik (Gymnastics), socialized with guests.

This year’s event featured chefs Robin Andreas (Sheraton Cavalier Hotel), Derek Cotton (Bliss Restaurant), Darren Craddock (Riverside Country Club), Kevin Dahlsjo (Two by Dahlsjo), Klarke Dergousoff (Amy’s on Second), Brent Lloyd (Simple Chef), Moe Mathieu (White Birch Catering), Trevor Robertson (Radisson Hotel) and Dan Walker (Weczeria Food & Wine), competing to represent Saskatoon at the Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna in February.

Net proceeds from the event support high performance athletes through programs such as Own the Podium.

March 30, 2012 (Ottawa, ON) – Canada’s sporting heroes remain hungry to deliver a return on the Government of Canada’s continued investment in high-performance sport following Thursday’s budget announcement that ensured the Harper Government’s ongoing commitment to driving podium performances.

“The Government of Canada continues to lead the way in creating a new culture for winning, which Canada’s athletes and coaches fully support,” said Anne Merklinger, chief executive officer, Own the Podium. “This commitment reinforces the Canadian Government’s leadership in delivering the resources athletes need to climb onto the podium at Olympic, Paralympic and major international competitions.”

Own the Podium, which has been a driving force behind Canada’s continued evolution into a world-leading sport nation, is funded nearly exclusively by the Government of Canada. Originally launched in 2005 as a national initiative, Own the Podium is designed to provide medal-potential athletes with additional resources and high-performance programming to help them achieve podium success.

Canada’s 50 per cent increase in the Summer Olympic medal count from Athens to Beijing is in large part attributable to the Government of Canada’s leadership, according to one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians – two-time Olympic medallist in triathlon, Simon Whitfield.

“We simply could not have achieved what we did without the tremendous financial support from the Government of Canada’s investment in Own the Podium,” said Whitfield, who electrified the nation with his silver-medal triathlon triumph in Beijing. “From camp funding and staff support, to the heat chamber, and our satellite setup at the actual Games that included our own wonder chef Cosmo, OTP’s funding ensures we have the optimal conditions to excel.”

After five years of record investment, Own the Podium became a household name following the nation’s overwhelming success at the 2010 Games where Canadian athletes achieved their goals of finishing number one overall with an historic 14 Olympic gold medals, and in the top-three of the overall Paralympic medal count with 10 gold, including three by cross-country skier Brian McKeever.

“Before our program had access to Government funding through OTP, we were amateurs guessing our way through the results while competing in high performance sport,” said McKeever – a 10-time Paralympic medallist, who became the first winter-sport athlete to qualify for both the Olympics and Paralympics in 2010. “OTP is responsible for growing the program by developing young athletes, and also increasing the level of our team to where we now have every athlete hitting the start line with a focus on winning.”

Building on the success of 2010, Own the Podium’s $36 million annual investment in summer athletes has positioned Whitfield and his fellow Canadian Summer Olympians to accomplish the nation’s ambitious goal of finishing in the top 12 when the world meets in London for the 2012 Olympic Summer Games. Canada also has a goal of finishing in the top-eight in gold medal count at the 2012 Paralympics. Meanwhile, the $20 million of annual funding for winter sport programs has squarely placed Canada as the nation to beat at the 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Sochi, Russia; Canadian performances on the snow and ice this winter have elevated the nation’s ranking to number one with 35 medals – including 17 gold – in World Championship competition so far this season. Canada’s Paralympic athletes are also focused on finishing in the top-three in the gold-medal count at the 2014 Games.

“The Government of Canada has played a critical role towards ensuring Canadian athletes are amongst the world’s best through their support of the Own the Podium program,” said Merklinger. “Through Government support, Canada’s summer- and winter-sport athletes have come a long way in their pursuit of excellence. The support announced today sends a strong message that the Government of Canada believes in our athletes and coaches, and their performances on the world stage matter to Canadians. We are encouraged Mr. Harper has taken a lead in ensuring this success will continue well into the future, which in turn inspires a healthier and more active Canada.”

March 21, 2012 (Ottawa, ON) – Own the Podium in Ottawa is seeking a qualified candidate to fill the contract position of Performance Advisor of Sport Science and Medicine. The application deadline is April 4, 2012. Read on for more details.

Job Description:
Position: HPA, Sport Science and Medicine (Summer Sports)
Reports to: Director, Sport Science, Medicine and Innovation
Location: Ottawa, ON
Application Deadline: 4 April 2012
Term: 4 year contract, start date negotiable

About Own the Podium
Own the Podium (OTP) is an innovative and collaborative initiative without precedent in Canadian sport. It was created to bring together the key parties involved in leading and funding excellence in Canadian sport, with specific emphasis on achieving excellence at Summer and Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Scope of Position:
The position’s central mandate is to provide expertise, assistance and leadership to targeted Olympic and Paralympic summer sports in the ongoing implementation and assessment of an integrated sport science and medicine program. The individual will also assist in establishing service contracts between Canadian Sport Centres (CSC’s) and OTP, and National Sport Organizations (NSO’s) and CSC’s. In addition, the individual will assist with managing summer applied sport research projects. The position will report to the Director of Sport Science, Medicine and Innovation for Own the Podium, and will work collaboratively with the Director of Summer Sport, OTP High Performance Advisors , CSC’s, and technology and research specialists.

The ideal candidate will have extensive applied experience and success in sport science and sport medicine programming along with significant experience in leadership positions in Canadian or international sport systems. The successful candidate will have worked successfully and extensively within the Olympic and/or Paralympic sport environment.

Core Competencies:
– Demonstrates a sense of direction and purpose aligned with the vision, guiding principles and goals of OTP;
– Targets gold level performance striving to be ‘leading edge’ in own area of expertise seeking opportunities to improve systems and products;
– Continually makes efforts to understand client needs in an inclusive, outreaching, adaptable manner
– Behaves in an honest, respectful, trustworthy, fair manner maintaining consistency in words and actions honoring commitments;
– Self-monitors work to ensure quality and accuracy raising the standards for quality;
– Dynamic, collaborative and creative leader, with an ability to lead program design and implementation while building effective partnerships with educational institutions and sport organizations;
– Detail-oriented, dependable, self-confident, independent and budget minded;
– Understanding, recognition and respect for the roles and responsibilities of the NSO’s and CSC’s in the delivery of their high performance programs and service.

Roles and Responsibilities
1. Work in collaboration with OTP High Performance Advisors (HPA’s) to ensure that the targeted summer Olympic and Paralympic sports have an optimal integrated Sport Science/Sport Medicine (SS/SM) plan
2. Work in collaboration with Canadian Sport Centres to assist targeted NSO’s to receive quality services based on solid IST plans, and to establish service agreements between NSO’s and either OTP or CSCs.
3. Provide expertise and mentoring to targeted sports in the area of sport science, sports medicine, innovation, and the planning and periodization of training.
4. In collaboration with the OTP Director of SS/SM/I, contribute to the development of a national plan to enhance SS/SM and technology programming and services for targeted sports, which aligns with CSC initiatives.
5. Work with the OTP Director of SS/SM/I to promote the development, implementation and evaluation of a strong network of SS/SM professionals both within the CSC network and external to CSC’s.
6. Participate as a member in the National Sport Science Advisory Committee.

Qualifications
– University graduate degree in a sport science field with preference for a doctoral degree education.
– Over ten years experience with a proven record of success as a senior leader in the Canadian sport system and/or other successful international sport systems.
– Previous experience working at a multi-sport organization is an asset.
– Significant successful experience in the design and implementation of sport science/medicine services to high performance athletes in preparation for performance success at Olympic and Paralympic Games.
– Computer skills and knowledge of the MS Office Suite is required.
– Bilingualism is a preferred asset.

Compensation
The compensation package will be based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Application Process
Apply in confidence by sending your cover letter resume by Wednesday, 4 April to careers@ownthepodium.org or by mail to:

Own the Podium
Re: HPA, Sport Science and Medicine (Summer Sports)
Suite 1207, 150 Isabella Street
Ottawa, ON K1S 1V7

We thank all applicants for their interest; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

November 08, 2011 (Ottawa, ON) – Own the Podium is seeking a new CEO. The deadline to apply for this position is December 7, 2011. As Canadians, we see ourselves as self-effacing, polite and compassionate. And it’s exactly those qualities that made us such wonderful hosts for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. But, during those Games, Canadians also showed the world another side of our national spirit… a loud and proud love of seeing our country win against the best in the world. Own the Podium was created to support Canada’s highest potential Olympic and Paralympic athletes. It succeeded not only in medal count, but also by showing the power of extraordinary athletic performance as a tool to inspire and contribute to nation-building. Own the Podium is a celebration of Canada’s can-do attitude and growing determination to compete and to win on the international stage.

Own the Podium is aimed at Olympic and Paralympic success through singularity of purpose by being performance driven, athlete focused, and coach led supported by science and leading edge technologies. As the new C.E.O., you will add your inspirational leadership to our accomplished team as it works with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Committees, the Federal Government and Canada’s high performance sports system to identify and support our highest potential athletes. With an ambitious ten year strategic plan in place, your mission is all about partnership. Collaborating with all of the components of Canada’s sport system, leading a lean and focused organization, you will provide Canada even more opportunities to share those wonderful moments when we have the chance to love our country out loud.

A team captain leads by example… through listening… by performing when the stakes are highest… and through an unflinching focus on the goal. With your passion for sports, and your ability to infuse diverse partners with the desire to pursue a shared quest, you will earn the C on your sweater.

To explore this opportunity, please contact Elizabeth Abraham or Kyle Mitchell in Vancouver (604) 685-0261 or Michelle Richard in Ottawa (613) 749-9909 or submit your resume online at: www.odgersberndtson.ca/en/careers/10421

Type of Position: Full Time – Employee

Contact Information:
Elizabeth Abraham
Own The Podium
Ottawa , ON, Canada
Tel. 604-685-0261
www.odgersberndtson.ca/en/careers/10421

March 30, 2011 – There are several job opportunities available with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Canadian Olympic Committee, and Own the Podium. Read on and click the corresponding links for more details about each posting.

Canadian Paralympic Committee
– Director, Sport
– Senior Coordinator, Development Pathways
– Senior Coordinator, Recruitment Programs

Canadian Olympic Committee
– Senior Coordinator, Education Programs

Own the Podium
– Manager, Finance and Administration
– Administrative Coordinator

February 14, 2011 – February 12, 2011 will marked one year to the day of the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The Ceremony, which was dedicated to the memory of the Georgian luge athlete Nodar Kumaritashvili, who had tragically died in a training accident that morning, introduced the world to a city and a country ready to open their arms and welcome the world and the best winter athletes for 16 days of top-level sporting competition and a party that would go down in the annals of Canadian history. This weekend, events will be held across the country to commemorate the start of those Games, including a special breakfast event for the fabulous “blue jacket” volunteers.

With a record 82 National Olympic Committees (NOC) taking part in the Vancouver Games, the 16 days of sport that followed the Opening Ceremony were always going to be competitive and draw world-wide interest. So it was no surprise that 26 different NOCs ended-up winning medals and that the Games drew in record-breaking audience numbers. Perhaps for the home crowd, the greatest exploit of the Games was Team Canada’s record 14 gold medals, including Canada’s first on home soil and in ice hockey. This had been made possible in part thanks to the “Own The Podium” programme, which provided funding to Canadian athletes striving for victory and is being continued and expanded due to its success last year.

Looking After The Environment
The Vancouver Games were about more than just great sport, however. They were also about leaving a sustainable legacy to the city, region and country. Environmental sustainability was a key element of the Vancouver 2010 Organising Committee’s (VANOC) strategy, with an ambitious carbon management programme put in place; sporting venues that were all built to according to Canada’s green-building standards; new public transport infrastructure created to take people out of their cars; and a successful Games-time drive to get people onto public transport that continues to bear its fruits even now. From its award-winning venues to its effect on people’s transport habits, the Vancouver Games undoubtedly set new global standards for environmental sustainability at a sporting event.

Creating Better Futures
The Games also played an inspirational role for more than just those watching on TV or who were in the stadium. VANOC worked with their partners to ensure that disadvantaged sectors of society also profited from the Games, with initiatives like the Vancouver 2010 Fabrication Shop providing carpentry training and work experience for disadvantaged young people, indigenous people, single mothers and immigrants. A separate programme saw local philanthropic florists June Strandberg and Margitta Schulz lead a group of 23 women in producing the 1,750 Victory Ceremony bouquets for the Games. Many of the women had experienced violence in their lives, were single parents, or were recovering from drug and alcohol abuse. Today, these trainees have a stronger skill set, greater confidence and the opportunity to gain further employment as a result of their experience while working on the Games. But the social legacy of the Games was more than just training: the temporary accommodation from the Whistler Olympic Village was sent to six communities in British Columbia to provide 156 permanent, affordable homes for elderly, homeless, and low-income residents.

Investments For Today And Tomorrow
As a catalyst for development, the Games have also played a role in the Canadian economy, with Games venues that will be used by local communities and elite sport for years to come, and a new notoriety that has allowed greater investment in the region. The Metro Vancouver Commerce Olympic Business Program, for example, has generated CAD 306 million in economic impacts in under a year, well over the CAD 50 million that was expected by February 2012. This initiative has also led to the creation of 2,500 jobs in the lower mainland of British Columbia. On the back of the Games, Canada has also moved to the number one spot in the FutureBrands’ Country Brand Index and seen a 10 percent jump in visitors to the country. With even just these few points in mind, there is no doubt that the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games were a great success both on and off the field of play.