Melbourne CEO Gary Pert and (inset) Clare Pettyfor. Pictures: AFL Photos

MELBOURNE has poached back Collingwood's general manager of football operations Clare Pettyfor just a fortnight into the 2024 season.

Pettyfor moved to the Magpies at the end of 2022 to work with Graham Wright in the football department at the AIA Centre, after more than a decade working in communications at Brisbane, Hawthorn and Melbourne.

Demons CEO Gary Pert is understood to have driven this appointment after working with Pettyfor during her previous stint at the Dees as general manager of media and communications between 2021 and 2022.

Pettyfor will join Melbourne at the end of the month in the newly created role as chief communications officer, where she will oversee media, content, brand and marketing. She will also return to a seat on the executive team.

Graham Wright speaks with media during the Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period on October 9, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

After working previously with Wright during her six-year stint at the Hawks, Pettyfor was set to increase her responsibilities in the football department this year with the seasoned administrator on a sabbatical this home and away season.

But following an off-season of scrutiny on the Demons, Pettyfor will now return to boost the communications department.

Collingwood's head of women's football, Jess Burger, will be elevated to the executive team at the Magpies in the interim and lead the AFLW program.

Head of football operations, Tom Gastin, will support acting head of football Brendon Bolton.