About Us

Our sustainability strategy propels us to be the kindest sport on the planet with a positive carbon footprint and amplification of causes that are good for people and the planet.  Our focus is to be a champion of sustainability for our oceans and waterways and improve the well-being of Australians through the power and joy of swimming

Swimming Australia is committed to working with our States, Clubs and Stakeholders to grow structured and recreational swimming across Australia and maintain our position as the biggest participation sport in the country.

While we have had considerable success through our high performance programs over the last two cycles, now is the time to ensure our strategic focus builds our business acumen to set us up to capitalise on the benefits a home Olympic and Paralympic Games brings. You can read more about our strategic plan below.

Swimming Australia Strategic Plan

Swimming is Australia’s most successful Olympic and Paralympic sport, generating almost 50% of Australia’s medals.

Nine of Australia’s top 10 Olympic medal winners are swimmers.

This is the result of a world-class high performance system, a national footprint of eight High Performance Hubs and a heightened focus on technology and innovation.

Six of the top 10 fan moments from Tokyo 2020 were Swimming events. Emma McKeon, Ariarne Titmus, Cate and Bronte Campbell are all in the top 10 most marketed female athletes. We have a proud and active Dolphin Alumni Network, including household names of Kieren Perkins, Grant Hackett, Susie O’Neill, Libby Trickett and Ellie Cole. In 2022, we introduced a Hall of Fame to pay homage to our greats and Dawn Fraser, Shane Gould and Ian Thorpe were amongst the inaugural inductees.

Swimming is also Australia’s largest participation sport. Ausplay data reveals there are 5.34m organised swimmers, with over 50% growth in the last 10 years. We are a sport for life and our community spans from 6 month old learn to swimmers to 100 year old masters swimmers. Our GoSwim Learn to Swim program teaches over 100,000 kids per annum and our Junior Excellence program inspires the next generation of talented swimmers and coaches.

By donating to the Swimming Australia Foundation your donation can be targeted at any one of our 3 pillars:

1. Performance
2. Participation
3. Planet

A donation to our performance pillar will help elevate the performance system towards 2032 and support our athletes to be the best they can be.

A donation to our participation pillar will support our learn to swim and drowning prevention programs. It will also support disadvantaged youth to have access to learn to swim environments. Other programs funded under this pillar include our Deadly Little Dolphins Program and Multicultural programs.

A donation to our planet pillar will provide support to our water warriors environmental leadership programs and also our health and wellbeing programs.

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Swimming Australia Constitution

Swimming Australia currently has the below employment opportunities in market:

Para-Swimming Development Manager

We are looking for a Para Swimming Development Manager to play a pivotal role in building foundational entry points and creating inclusive environments to increase the number of people with a disability actively swimming and being classified at the national level.

Details here

Appointed Director – Swimming Australia

Who we are

Swimming Australia Limited (SA) is the peak governing body of Australia’s most successful Olympic and Paralympic sport. With almost 80,000 registered members in 1,000 clubs and more than 5 million active swimmers nationwide, swimming is Australia’s largest participation sport.

As the national governing body for the sport, we have a clear purpose: Inspire Australia Through Swimming.

While we are proud of our achievements, we have a bold strategic plan to ensure future success. To deliver on this strategy, we foster a high-performing culture throughout our business and want to work with people who are not only excited about our ambitions, but aligned to our values – Courage, Unity and Excellence.

Following the successful Olympic and Paralympic campaigns at the Paris 2024 Games, it is the perfect time to join Swimming Australia. We are firmly focused on our goals to ensure success in Los Angeles (2028) and excitingly, a home Games in Brisbane 2032.

The Board

The Board of Directors is constitutionally composed of 5 elected Directors, 4 appointed Directors, a World Aquatics ex-officio director and an Athletes Director.

The Board is guided and informed by a Board Skills Matrix. The Swimming Australia Constitution outlines Director obligations and responsibilities which is detailed in the Board Charter.

The role: Appointed Director

Swimming Australia Limited is seeking two (2) appointed Directors to join its Board. Following a skills gap analysis, we aim to enhance our governance capabilities with candidates who bring strong leadership experience and expertise in key strategic areas.

Essential Requirements

Candidates must demonstrate:

• Previous Directorship Experience in organisations with sophisticated, contemporary corporate governance structures, including governance policies, risk management, and regulatory compliance.
• The ability to contribute to the organisation’s strategic direction and governance at a high level, ensuring best-practice leadership and oversight.

Key Capabilities Sought

In addition to meeting the core requirements, candidates should bring expertise in one or more of the following areas to complement the existing Board:

Appointed Director One

• Risk Management & Compliance – Experience in implementing and overseeing organisation-wide processes for risk management (including cyber risks) and regulatory compliance.

Appointed Director Two

• Technology, Digital, and Customer Experience – Expertise in digital transformation, cybersecurity, IT innovation, and customer insights to enhance stakeholder engagement and service delivery.

Desirable Capabilities (Highly Regarded but Not Essential)

While not mandatory, the following skills and experience in both vacant Appointed Director positions would be advantageous:

• Knowledge of Sporting Organisations and/or Swimming – Understanding of the sporting landscape and its governance.
• Public and Not-for-Profit Sector Leadership – Proven experience in senior roles within the public or not-for-profit sector, providing insights into strategy, operations, funding models, and performance improvement

This role presents an exciting opportunity to contribute to the governance and future success of one of Australia’s leading sports.

Successful candidates will be joining the board of a high performing organisation that operates at the peak of our sport internationally.

For details on the Key Selection Criteria, qualifications and knowledge required for the position, read the Position Description.

Term and Eligibility

Appointments will be for a three (3) year term (subject to renewal) and are on a voluntary basis. All candidates must provide their Director Identification Number (DIN) as part of their application and be willing to complete both a police check and working with children check.

How to apply

Swimming Australia is committed to diversity and creating equal opportunities for women in sports governance. Women are encouraged to apply at this time.

Interested candidates are to read the Position Description prior to submitting an expression of interest which must include a resume and cover letter to recruitment@swimming.org.au.

Applications close 2 March 2025.