Job Title:
Head of Strategic Development
Department:
Strategic Development
Location:
Dundalk HQ / Ireland Remote, UK Remote
Who We Are:
BoyleSports is the largest independently owned bookmaker in Ireland.
We're on a mission to create a world-class betting and gaming experience that excites and entertains our customers each and every time they play. With a 'Customer First' approach in everything we do, our customers can bank on a great experience, more value and wider betting content than our market rivals.
Founded in 1982 by John Boyle, the business has grown to include over 375 shops across Ireland and the UK, a best-in-class betting app and an online gaming platform available across a number of international markets.
Over the past few years, key milestones in the growth of the company include a move into the UK market with the acquisition of a group of shops in the Midlands in 2019, the purchase of 33 William Hill shops in Northern Ireland in 2020.
Role Purpose:
The Head of Strategic Development plays a pivotal role in shaping BOYLE Sports' long- term growth and value creation agenda. The role leads the Strategic Development function, responsible for identifying, shaping, and preparing initiatives that drive business growth, strengthen competitiveness, and enhance overall business value.
Working closely with the Director of Business Development and Transformation, this position translates strategic ambitions into actionable initiatives — including new market opportunities, business model innovations, digital and retail synergies, partnerships, and technology platform evolution.
The role leads a team currently comprising of:
* Strategic Development Manager
* Business Analyst
Together, the team will build and maintain a robust pipeline of strategic initiatives and ensure these are supported by strong commercial and operational insight.
Key Responsibilities:
* Shape and lead BOYLE Sports' strategic development agenda, focusing on long-term growth, innovation, and competitiveness.
* Identify, assess, and prepare high-impact initiatives that contribute to business expansion, market positioning, and operational excellence.
* Partner with senior leadership to prioritise and shape initiatives aligned with corporate goals and transformation priorities.
* Develop business cases and strategic recommendations for new initiatives, partnerships, market entries, or capability builds.
* Oversee preparation of initiatives for execution, ensuring scope, objectives, and outcomes are clearly defined before handover to delivery teams.
* Lead and mentor the Strategic Development team, fostering analytical excellence, commercial thinking, and proactive collaboration.
* Facilitate cross-functional collaboration across departments to validate assumptions, assess feasibility, and ensure alignment.
* Develop and maintain the strategic initiative pipeline, tracking progress and interdependencies.
* Embed structured governance and reporting, including business case documentation, performance metrics, and post-initiative evaluation.
* Use data and insights to inform prioritisation and evaluate the impact of strategic initiatives.
* Ensure transparent communication with all stakeholders, keeping key contributors and sponsors informed even if not directly in the working group.
* Promote a culture of forward-looking, opportunity-driven thinking across the organisation.
Specialist Skills and Experience Required:
* Bachelor's degree (MBA or equivalent qualification advantageous).
* 7–10 years' experience in strategy development, corporate development, or business transformation, ideally within digital or retail sectors.
* Proven experience in identifying and shaping growth and strategic opportunity initiatives.
* Strong financial and commercial acumen, with the ability to build compelling business cases.
* Excellent leadership and people management skills, with a record of building and guiding high-performing teams.
* Strong stakeholder management and communication capabilities, including senior-level engagement.
* Analytical, structured, and solution-oriented mindset.
* Experience in multi-site and cross-functional environments, working collaboratively with both internal teams and external partners.
* Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate strategic concepts clearly.