With SPARC's $3 million investment confirmed a week ago, the New Zealand Rugby League is launching the next stage of its strategic and structural reform by advertising for general managers for five of the seven newly-created zones.

Advertisements will be published nationally tomorrow for general managers for all but the Auckland and Wellington zones.

"With the announcement of SPARC's contribution confirmed last week, we now have the confidence to move ahead with our national 'Game Plan' and develop the sport within the zones," said NZRL chief executive Jim Doyle.

"The zonal general managers will be expected to have a hands-on role with the primary objective of developing rugby league in their geographic area."

Doyle said the successful applicants would need an appreciation of the strategic issues facing sport and the potential rugby league has to add value to the communities it serves.

The Auckland district's general manager Pat Carthy will support the Auckland zone through this transition while Wellington already has Jason Hemson in place as its general manager.

General managers are being sought for Northern (North Harbour/Northland), Counties Manukau (Manukau/Papkura/Franklin), Upper Central (Waikato/Bay of Plenty/Coastline/Gisborne), Mid Central (Taranaki/Manawatu/Hawke's Bay) and Southern (Tasman/West Coast, Canterbury/Otago/Southland).