Board of Directors
See what vacancies there are on the Scottish Target Shooting Board of Directors:
Chair
Ken Silver
chair@scottishtargetshooting.co.uk
The Chair is an Officer of the Board and a Non-Executive Director, appointed in accordance with the Articles of Association and with direct line management responsibility for the senior staff of STS. The main responsibilities of the role are to:
Provide strategic leadership in the development of STS’s mission, vision, values and strategic plan
Act as a lead figure for and represent STS at various formal and informal functions and meetings
Ensure effective and efficient operation of the Board in fulfilling its legal and governance obligations
Support and manage the performance of senior staff against agreed objectives, including an annual appraisal
Forge partnerships with relevant agencies
Understand the views of the membership directly and through fellow directors and staff
Set the agenda, chair and plan the annual cycle of Board meetings
Monitor that decisions taken at meetings are implemented
Liaise with senior staff to keep an overview of the company’s affairs, provide support as appropriate and develop the Board
Sit on appointment, grievance and disciplinary panels as appropriate
Facilitate organisational change and development
Sport Vice Chair
Ian Thomson
About Ian
Ian Thomson spent 36 years with Continental Tyres in manufacturing, starting as a Technician at the Newbridge factory in Edinburgh in 1976 and worked his way up to Managing Director of the Company in Wigan following, three years in Sweden, by the time of his retirement. Ian was responsible for many projects all over Europe and one in the USA, enjoying his job until the last day. Ian took early retirement due to his wife’s deterioration due to Huntington’s Disease.
Ian's shooting career started at school in the Cadet Force involving both smallbore and fullbore. He focussed on smallbore after leaving school and when the school CCF disbanded he formed the Junior Club at George Watson’s College, developing it into one of the strongest Junior clubs in the country. The Former Pupils club continues to benefit from the return of pupils to Edinburgh.
Ian is currently focussing on the Scottish Junior Squad, the Scottish School’s Team and Club Instructor’s Courses, especially for Universities and Schools.
Outside of shooting, his other hobbies are golf, single malt whisky and classic cars.
Responsibilities
The Sport Vice Chair of STS leads the Sports Development Group in reviewing the generic sports development activity carried out by the company. The role also supports the Chair in ensuring the Board fulfils its strategic, governance and leadership responsibilities. Specific responsibilities include:
Set the agenda, chair, facilitate and plan the annual cycle of Sports Development Group meetings
Provide a strategic lead for staff on sports development matters
In the absence of the Chair, chair Board meetings and AGMs / EGMs
In the absence of the Chair, represent STS at various formal and informal functions and meetings
Ensure the integrity of information presented by the Sports Development Group
Understand the views of the membership directly and through fellow directors and staff
Complete any additional projects as requested by the Chair
business Vice Chair
VACANT
Responsibilities
The Business Vice Chair of STS leads the Business Management Group in reviewing the governance and corporate effectiveness of the company. The role also supports the Chair in ensuring the Board fulfils its strategic, governance and leadership responsibilities. Specific responsibilities include:
Set the agenda, chair, facilitate and plan the annual cycle of Business Management Group meetings
Provide a strategic lead for staff on governance and corporate matters to ensure it is efficient, effective and fit-for-purpose
In the absence of the Chair, represent STS at various formal and informal functions and meetings
Scrutinise the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives
Work with the Finance & Fundraising Director to ensure the integrity of financial information and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible
Complete any additional projects as requested by the Chair
Finance & Fundraising Director
Chris Silver
Responsibilities
The Finance and Fundraising Director provides strategic leadership over the company’s financial affairs, ensuring the integrity of financial information sent to the Board and, where necessary, external parties such as investors or financial institutions. The role also ensures that the Board fulfils its financial responsibilities and works with staff to set and monitor budgets. Specific responsibilities include:
Take the strategic lead on ensuring accounting and auditing systems are robust, secure and fit for purpose
Work with staff to prepare budgets and present accurate financial information at each Board meeting
Support the Business Vice Chair in leading the Business Management Group
Advise on company policies regarding capital requirements, debt and taxation
Work with the company’s appointed accountants in preparing the annual accounts
Ensure that all regulatory requirements of statutory bodies are met regarding the company's financial affairs
Understand the views of the membership directly and through fellow directors and staff
Complete any additional projects as requested by the Chair
Performance & Pathways director
Gareth McKenna
Responsibilities
The Performance and Pathways Director is to lead putting systems in place so athletes showing potential can be identified and are able to access opportunities enabling them to reach their potential. The role will also provide multiple and clear entry points regardless of age or experience and participation structures for all levels from recreational club member to high performance athletes. Specific responsibilities include:
Oversee a performance pathway enabling shooters to maximise their performance potential
Working with sportscotland’s Performance Partnership Manager to set the agenda, chair, facilitate and plan the annual cycle of the Performance Group meetings
Support staff in bringing people of all ages and abilities into the sport and retaining them
Work with the Coaching & Officials Director to ensure strategic aspirations for coaching, participation and performance align across all disciplines
Support the performance manager in managing the relationship with sportscotland’s Institute of Sport
Support the performance manager in setting and monitoring clear and consistent criteria, goals and objectives for athletes on STS programmes
Understand the views of the membership directly and through fellow directors and staff
Complete any additional projects as requested by the Chair
About David
As an independent Director, I don’t have any experience within the shooting disciplines, however I have been involved in the Olympic sport of judo for over 35 years and have served as a Director on the Judo Scottish Governing Body so believe I am well placed to serve STS.
Within judo I have been a competitor, coach, mentor and official so understand what’s needed to accomplish these roles as well as the pressures that sometimes come with them, all of which can be adopted as transferable skills into other sports.
Finally, within my day job as an IT professional, I have strong skills in the areas of Strategy and Communications, along with creating and delivering training programmes.
I am looking forward to working with STS and tackling the challenges put in front of me.
Responsibilities
The Coaching and Officials Director will lead the development of the pool of coaching and officials, growing the number and quality of both across all disciplines to meet the STS's strategic objectives of growing the sport at the grassroots level and delivering sustainable world class performances that ensure Scotland is consistently competing for medals at international events. Specific responsibilities include:
Take the strategic lead in developing pathways for coaches and officials
Take the strategic lead in developing new coaching and officiating qualifications
Support staff in delivering a CPD programme for coaches and officials that is accessible and consistent across all disciplines
Support the Sports Vice Chair in leading the Sports Development Group
Work with the Performance & Pathways Director to ensure strategic aspirations for coaching, participation and performance align across all disciplines
Forge partnerships to seek new development opportunities for coaches and officials
Understand the views of the membership directly and through fellow directors and staff
Complete any additional projects as requested by the Chair
Marketing & Communications Director
Stacy Edghill
marcoms@scottishtargetshooting.co.uk
Responsibilities
The Marketing and Communications Director provides the strategic lead in planning the promotion of STS, its event and its benefits. The role also leads the development of a communications strategy which will guide staff on communication with new and existing members and stakeholders. Specific responsibilities include:
Provide the strategic lead in developing a communication strategy for the company
Report to the Board on the effectiveness of STS’s communications
Provide support and advice to staff on specific communications issues
Provide the strategic lead in developing systems to help the company better understand the views of the membership directly and through fellow directors and staff
Complete any additional projects as requested by the Chair
Association Management Group Chairs
Responsibilities
The AMG Chair is to plan and oversee the programme of events for disciplines managed by that AMG. The role will also represent the view of STS members from the disciplines overseen by that AMG, keeping the Board informed of any developments that may impact members. Specific Responsibilities include:
Form an Association Management Group (AMG) from the membership of STS with that primary discipline
Set the agenda, chair, facilitate and plan the annual cycle of AMG meetings
Work with STS staff and the AMG to plan, budget and deliver a calendar of events and activities that meets the needs of STS members in disciplines covered by that AMG
Lead partnerships on behalf of the Board with agencies relevant to disciplines covered by that AMG to ensure the interests of STS and its members are represented
Understand the views of the membership directly and through fellow directors and staff
Completing any additional projects as requested by the Chair
Field Target Airgun AMG Chair
VACANT
Profile to appear here shortly.
About Claire
Claire is a Designer for Theatre and live events, she’s based in Glasgow and works all over the UK and internationally. She has designed many shows an events from a tiny show in a cupboard to walk through immersive events in a botanical gardens complete with life size dinosaurs. Work is never dull.
Claire has been shooting since the age of 14, starting out with smallbore at a local club, encouraged by her best friend at the time, then moving onto fullbore with the Cadets at school. There was a small hiatus when a trip around the world for a few years kept her away from ranges, but since 2008 Claire has been a regular at many Scottish Competitions, is a persistent competitor at Bisley along with competing internationally in both Canada and America.
About Scott
Scott started his career in the oil & gas industry in 2007 as an Electrical & Instrumentation Design Engineer before progressing in to Project Engineering for an offshore drilling company. Scott has worked on delivering various high valued projects from Derrick Removals to mobilisations of Modular Drilling Rigs for decommissioning projects. He has a lot of transferrable project management skills to bring to the AMG Chair position.
Scott’s shooting career started 25 years ago when in the Army Cadets shooting smallbore and fullbore for his battalion shooting team and also selected to shoot for the Great Britain Army Cadet Target Rifle Team in Canada in 2002. Most recently Scott has been shooting Gallery Rifle & Pistol for the last 13 years and has been competing with the Scottish Gallery Rifle & Pistol Team at various competitions across the UK but also competitions in Ireland and Germany. Scott has also been selected to shoot for the GB Team for the first time in 2023 and looking forward to with the international teams.
Outside of shooting Scott has a young daughter (7 yrs old) to keep him on his toes and also enjoys spending time with his wife and family.
Olympic Shotgun AMG Chair
Vacant
Profile to appear here shortly.
About David
David started as a Centre Lathe Turner progressing into the Drawing Office working on Industrial Drying Equipment in the Pharmaceutical and Food industries (he designed the Weetabix Weetos Machine and Uncle Bens 3 minute Rice). Now working as a Commercial Manager in the Construction Industry he has been involved in building stretches of the M74, working on the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Mall (the Aquarium was not his fault!), he is currently working on a 20 year Nuclear Decommissioning project.
David, who is also the Secretary for Cumberland News Rifle Club, took up Air Pistol Shooting after leaving school and has never put his gun down since. He has since also got into shooting 0.22 and Blackpowder Pistol.
David’s impressive career as athlete resulted in him achieving a number of Scottish Records (some still standing) and has represented GB and Scotland, competed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and is now a Breakthrough coach on STS Performance Programme, supporting the pistol athletes in the programme.
About James
James joined BP in 2010 as a research chemist, and now is the science team manager in Hull, where his team work on low carbon fuels and sustainable products. This includes a first-of-its-kind household waste to synthetic aviation fuel plant in the USA where he is the technology lead for BP, and this started production in January 2023. He is also heavily involved in the chemistry community outside of BP, where he is part of several Royal Society of Chemistry committees and has received several awards from the science community. Away from work, James lives in rural Yorkshire with his wife and two young children (Ailsa and Timothy), and enjoys playing golf (when time permits!).
James shooting career has taken him around the world, with the University Olympics in Bangkok (2007), the Commonwealth Championships in Delhi (2010), the Pershing team in Camp Atterbury, USA (2022) and various other European destinations, including the World Cup in Milan. His background is across prone rifle, 3-position and 10m air rifle, and has won all three of the Scottish ISSF titles during his career. Now he is more of a local shooter and is a regular at Scottish and Bisley National meetings and championships as well as local events and county teams.