Essendon Football Club has a reputation as a leader in the Australian sports industry and we are committed to our vision of being recognised as the most respected, inclusive and successful sporting club in the country, consistently setting the benchmark both on and off the field. We currently have a fantastic opportunity for a Head of Community to ‘Don the Sash’ and join our Marketing Team based at our club headquarters in Melbourne Airport.
The Opportunity
As the Head of Community, you will play a key leadership role both in the community and across the Club being accountable for developing and managing the Club’s community engagement strategy and successful delivery of programs to social and corporate outcomes. Managing a diverse team of community engagement professionals, you will set the strategic direction of the club’s significant community investment and provide strong leadership and coaching to your team to ensure the on-going successful delivery of programs while also nurturing and managing the needs of staff and external stakeholders.
You will identify and advocate the opportunities that will enable Essendon to continue to maintain and grow its industry-leading community engagement activities, including the local support of Melbourne’s diverse north-west population, along with but not limited to the remote Indigenous partnerships within communities in the Tiwi Islands and Wadeye.
A community role with commercial accountabilities, you will generate revenue and secure new partnerships with the support of the Club’s commercial partnerships team. Essential for the sustainability and growth of the club’s community operations, your ability to leverage existing partnerships, create new relationships and commercially capitalise upon club activities are key competencies.
What We’re Looking For
To be considered for the role, candidates must possess and address the following essential skills and experience:
- Minimum 5 years experience relevant to the position, ideally in community or commercial program delivery and management;
- Demonstrated ability to manage a number of programs simultaneously, ensuring outcomes are met
- Demonstrated ability to identify, nurture and secure new sustainable revenue opportunities to support operational sustainability and growth;
- Advanced internal and external stakeholder relationship management, including all levels of Government, Charity Partners, Executives and the like;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, coupled with highly developed negotiation and influencing skills;
- Commercial and financial acumen with a proven track record of managing budgets and commercialising initiatives;
- Ability to work flexibly across 7 days during the football season;
- A current Victorian Driver’s Licence; and
- Permanent Residency in Australia, or appropriate visa to work permanently.
Other Skills and Experience which would be desirable include:
- Tertiary qualified in Sports Administration/Business, Education or Community Services;
- Successful track record of working collaboratively with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, ideally delivering health, education and employment programs;
- Building and activating Reconciliation Action Plans [RAP];
- Track record of providing strategic leadership and direction to entrepreneurial mindset and ability to synthesize; and
- Building external brand equity and awareness through media channels.
To Apply
If you thrive on working in a fast paced, continuously evolving environment with a passionate and dedicated team of high achieving professionals, learning and gaining valuable experience, we’d love to hear from you!
To apply, please email a cover letter along with your resume to recruitment@essendonfc.com.au.
Position description is available by request.
Applications close 5pm, Sunday 26 April 2015
Please note that this role will be subject to background checks.
People who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander with community engagement
or sporting industry experience are encouraged to apply.
