Careers

• Parental Leave - Primary Carer 12 weeks paid leave, Secondary Carer 2 weeks paid leave.
• Diversity Leave - 1 Day Leave to celebrate any Cultural and/or religious event. Purchase Leave - Purchase up to 4 weeks of extra leave.
• Mental Health Leave - 3 Days Paid Leave for any type of Mental Health Leave. Elders Care Leave - 3 Days Paid Leave to care for elderly parents.
• Grandparents Leave - 1 Day Paid Leave upon arrival of a grandchild.

• Mental Health - EAP Acacia & AIS Mental Health Referral Network. Annual Flu Vaccinations - Free Flu Vaccines for all individuals on a yearly basis.
• Fresh Fruit & Breakfast Supplied in Office each week.

• Study and Development - Learning and Development Pathways for staff, including access to Go1 Learning Management System.
• Tertiary Study - Study assistance for staff to develop their skills and knowledge to extend individual competence and organisational effectiveness.

• Lakeside Chat - Every 6 weeks coffee catch up with CEO, a GM and staff. Wellbeing & Inclusion Calendar - Identifying significant days throughout the year. Quarterly Newsletter "The Inside Track - Inform staff on what's happening at AA. Monthly All Staff Meetings
• Puma Discount - 40% off full-priced Puma Products Online.
• HelloFresh Partnership - Discount for staff on YouFoodz, HelloFresh and Everyplate ready meals.

• V.I.B.E - Valuing Individuals & Building Excellence - Peer-to-peer recognition program aligned to Australian Athletics Values and Behaviours. Staff achievements and actions are recognised by their colleagues through nominations.

Australian Athletics is stepping into its most exciting chapter in a generation. With a home Olympics on the horizon in Brisbane 2032, a world-class cohort of athletes capturing global attention, and a sport with deep cultural and community reach, there has never been a better time to shape the commercial and strategic future of athletics in this country.

The Head of Partnerships & Strategic Growth is a newly created senior leadership role responsible for driving the long-term strategic direction of Australian Athletics, managing and growing its partnership portfolio, and leading innovation and government relations activity. Reporting to the GM of Strategy, Sport Delivery and Commercial Operations, this role ensures the organisation's strategic ambitions are translated into practical, high-impact programs and partnerships.

Unlike a traditional commercial sales role, this position is focused on strategic value creation, applying strong commercial acumen to build the depth and quality of Australian Athletics' partnerships, develop new ideas that advance the sport, manage government funding relationships, and lead a team to deliver excellence in partner servicing, activation and retention.

This is a hands-on role for a commercially sharp, strategically minded leader who thrives in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, someone equally comfortable shaping strategy, negotiating with government, and coaching a team to deliver world-class partner experiences. You'll need to be willing to roll up your sleeves, lead from the front, and stay close to the detail while keeping sight of the bigger picture.

Australian Athletics is stepping into its most exciting chapter in a generation. With a home Olympics on the horizon in Brisbane 2032, a world-class cohort of athletes capturing global attention, and a sport with deep cultural and community reach, there has never been a better time to shape the commercial and strategic future of athletics in this country.

The Head of Commercial Partnerships & Strategic Growth is a newly created senior leadership role responsible for driving the long-term strategic direction of Australian Athletics, managing and growing its partnership portfolio, and leading innovation and government relations activity. Reporting to the GM of Strategy, Sport Delivery and Commercial Operations, this role ensures the organisation's strategic ambitions are translated into practical, high-impact programs and partnerships.

Unlike a traditional commercial sales role, this position is focused on strategic value creation, applying strong commercial acumen to build the depth and quality of Australian Athletics' partnerships, develop new ideas that advance the sport, manage government funding relationships, and lead a team to deliver excellence in partner servicing, activation and retention.

This is a hands-on role for a commercially sharp, strategically minded leader who thrives in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, someone equally comfortable shaping strategy, negotiating with government, and coaching a team to deliver world-class partner experiences. You'll need to be willing to roll up your sleeves, lead from the front, and stay close to the detail while keeping sight of the bigger picture.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate the following essential attributes:

• Ability to operate with initiative, self-direction and proactivity, identifying opportunities, solving problems and driving work forward without needing to be directed.
• Ability to operate with integrity and maintain confidentiality when dealing with sensitive information.
• A track record of successfully managing high-value strategic partnerships, including rights delivery, retention, upsell, activation delivery and stakeholder servicing.
• A keen commitment to clean sport and abiding by AA’s National Integrity Framework, including the Anti-Doping Policy, Safeguarding Children and Young Persons Policy, and Code of Conduct.
• A valid Working with Children Check and Police Check (or ability to obtain).

IDEALLY YOU WILL HAVE

• A degree in business, sport management, communications, public policy or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Proven experience in a senior strategy, partnerships or stakeholder engagement role, ideally within sport, government or a complex multi-stakeholder environment.
• Experience managing or working alongside outsourced commercial or sales agencies, including briefing, performance oversight and deal handover processes.
• Experience in government relations, including developing funding submissions, managing grant acquittals and maintaining effective relationships with government bodies.
• Demonstrated experience leading and developing high-performing teams.
• High-level communication, presentation and proposal development skills, with the ability to tailor messaging for diverse audiences.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with experience managing budgets and reporting against strategic KPIs.
• Familiarity with the structure and governance of Australian sport, particularly the relationship between national and state bodies.

NEXT STEPS

Click the ‘Apply’ button, review the position description, follow the prompts, and submit your CV and Cover Letter.

Applications close: Sunday 31 May 2026, 11.59pm AEDT

To be eligible to apply for this position you must be an Australian/New Zealand citizen or hold Permanent Residency.

At Australian Athletics, we offer career opportunities for people who share our ambition and passion for sport. We are committed to offering fulfilling careers and the chance to grow as we grow. We would love you to be part of our journey.