Careers at the St Kilda Football Club represent a unique opportunity to work in a dynamic culture, where we recognise every individual impacts team success. It’s a place where we lift, support, and challenge each other to be greater. And in that pursuit of greatness, we embrace the grit our journey requires.

The timing and potential of this opportunity is unprecedented. Last year was the year of exploration in our AFL program, and the year our AFLW team inspired with their most successful season yet. In 2024 we start in earnest the build towards our second and subsequent premierships.

Within our cultural DNA is the ability to harness the power of collaboration, diversity and effort to impact what matters to our football Club. While on-field performance is the Club’s absolute priority, we recognise the important role we play in the community and embrace our responsibility to promote mental fitness through the Danny Frawley Centre, social inclusion via the Healthy Futures Hub and continue our long-standing commitments to First Nations people and gender equality.  

We understand who we represent, and the privileged position we hold as custodians of a football club built on more than 150 years of history. 

We are seeking an enthusiastic, values driven and innovative Head of Events & Game Day to join our Marketing, Communications & Events Team on a 12 month fixed term full time contract with the possibility of an ongoing permanent placement.

About the role

This leadership role is responsible for the overall management and service delivery of St Kilda Football Club’s major events and game day program. It provides strategic leadership across the Events & Game Day team to ultimately exceed sponsors, partners’ and members’ expectations and guarantee retention along with producing innovative and profitable Club events capturing our brand essence.

This role ensures great collaboration and strong stakeholder management with multiple sectors internally and externally to ensure business outcomes are met.

This role is responsible for the strategic and operational planning and execution of game day on-field presentation and the in-stadium experience. It is the principal point of contact for all external and internal stakeholders relating to events and game day delivery, playing a critical internal leadership role to engage, motivate, communicate, and coordinate staff to help in delivering a distinctive and differentiated event experience.

Key Accountabilities:

Event Management

• Plan and optimise the events strategy for each year in collaboration with the Club’s overall objectives and Sponsor / Partners key deliverables.
• Lead the events and game day program offering, ensuring execution and outcomes align and support the overall Club’s commercial objectives.
• Ensure all event and game day activities are developed in collaboration with key stakeholders for agreed vision, briefing requirements and deliverables, and executed within required budget, timelines and to high quality standards.
• Ensure strong communication methods are maintained with all key stakeholders, both internal and external, for quality excellence in event management.
• Demonstrate strong leadership as part of the Extended Leadership Team, modelling the Club’s values and behaviours both within the department, across the Club and with external stakeholders.
• Ensure the Club’s values and culture are consistent and aligned with the events and game day program offering and champion a culture of customer and fan engagement for all events across the Club.
• Champion inclusivity and accessibility of best practice across the whole event calendar.

Game Day Execution

• Plan and optimise the game day program strategy for each year in collaboration with the Club’s overall objectives, Marketing strategy and Sponsor / Partners key deliverables.
• Collaborate with Commercial team stakeholders to plan and align partners and sponsors game day activations and deliverables in both AFL and AFLW seasons.
• Apply commercial and financial acumen and creativity to identify, nurture and secure sustainable revenue opportunities to support for operational sustainability and growth of event initiatives.
• Oversee, support and provide guidance on game day overlay ensuring all components are delivered effectively, professionally, within budget and contributing to the Club’s overall objectives. 
• Strategically align to Club objectives in planning and providing operational support of the game day offerings for AFLW seasons at RSEA Park ensuring fan engagement and experience is priority.
• Ensure strong communication methods are maintained with all key stakeholders, both internal and external, for quality excellence in game day management.
• Ensure support staff for game day activities are optimised and suitably prepared for to support activities effectively.
• Maintain a comprehensive knowledge of all AFL and other sporting organisation event and game day programs to continually push ahead of the trends.
• Ensure objectives of game day special projects and brand activations are met and outcomes successful.

People and Operational Management

• Demonstrate strong leadership within the team to optimise team’s performance and outputs, ensuring regular communication and feedback to build and maintain a high performing team.
• Ensure effective communication methods are maintained with all key stakeholders to ensure information is shared in a timely and effective manner.
• Lead and monitor team workload planning to ensure quality excellence is upheld and make corrective decisions when required.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with Club CEO, President, Directors, Executives and Extended Leadership Team.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with senior stakeholders across the corporate groups and Coterie group committees.
• Develop and maintain strong networks across the sporting industry to leverage support and shared knowledge where required.
• Continual review of current trends across the sporting industry to ensure the event and game day offerings are innovative, relevant, and current.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with external suppliers (Stadiums, catering/AV companies, MC’s, entertainment contacts, etc) to optimise our opportunities and offerings.

About you

• Demonstrated experience with building strong stakeholder relationships both internally and externally, and the ability to influence and negotiate with people at all levels.
• Commercial and financial acumen with a proven track record of managing budgets and commercialising initiatives.
• Strategic thinking and planning, including the ability to analyse data, identify key opportunities or issues, develop, evaluate, and execute on proactive solutions to meet business objectives.
• Strong decision-making skills, including the ability to consult and gather information, consider creative solutions and alternatives, communicate decisions and review outcomes in a timely manner.
• Advanced interpersonal and communication skills, including a commitment to open, honest, two-way and frequent communication, coaching, and mentoring of teams.
• Sound knowledge of all Microsoft programs and ability to manage back-end systems.
• Proven ability to be organised, multi-task and with a flair for creativity and innovation.

What you need

• Previous major event experience ideally within the sport industry.  
• Tertiary qualifications ideally in Marketing, Events or Communication.
• Demonstrated experience in leading multiple events across different locations, looking for opportunities to create lasting experiences for attendees.
• Strong experience (5 years+) in leading teams, driving collaboration, inclusion, accountability and positivity, and the ability to delegate, empower, motivate and engage employees.
• Sound knowledge of all Microsoft programs and ability to manage back end systems.
• Ability to work flexible hours across 7 days during the football season, including public holidays.
• Possess a current driver’s license.
• Valid Working with Children check or willingness to obtain one.

What we offer

• Fantastic culture of grounded people, passionate about what they do
• Hybrid working, with 3 Connect Days at RSEA Park per week and the balance worked as needed by role
• On site LINTON STREET café
• Free access to Aquatics Facilities at our Danny Frawley Centre for Health & Wellbeing
• Free parking onsite & state of the art gym access 
• Bring your Pet to Work Fridays!
• Paid Wellbeing days – time off to relax & recharge 
• 12 weeks paid Parental Leave for primary carers (2 weeks for secondary carers)  
• Discounted Saints memberships and merchandise
• Up to 40% discount on selected NEW BALANCE products
• Saints-only Linen House product pricing
• Discounted movie tickets through Hoyts
• Crown Hotels 15% discount & 20% discount on food & beverage at participating Crown restaurants

If you connect with our values, who the Saints are and where we are headed, this is a brilliant opportunity for a talented Events Leader to join us. 

Please keep reading...

Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalized folks tend to only apply when they check every box. So if you think you have what it takes, but don't necessarily meet every single point above, please still get in touch. We'd love to have a chat and see if you could be a great fit. 

To apply Click HERE

Applications should include a current CV with a cover letter that addresses why you are interested in working with St Kilda Football Club, why you would be an attribute to our culture and how your skills/experience would be attributes to the position.

Applications will close at 5pm on Wednesday, 8 May 2024. Short-listing of candidates will commence prior to the closure of this role, so please do not delay submitting your application.

The St Kilda Football Club is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds to apply. This includes, but is not limited to, those from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse and LGBTIQ communities.

We are committed to protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people and fostering a “child safe” culture. It is essential that anyone involved with the St Kilda Football Club understands their responsibility in relation to child safety and supports such an environment.