Senior Event Manager - VIP & Premium Stakeholder Events

Join the team shaping the future of Australia’s game.

This is your chance to do work that has real impact, in an organisation that moves fast, aims high and plays a meaningful role in the lives of millions. Every role at the AFL helps progress the game, so more people can love it, connect with it and see what is possible through it.

The opportunity

The Senior Event Manager - VIP & Premium Stakeholder Events plays an important role in delivering premium experiences that strengthen relationships across the AFL industry, corporate partners and key stakeholders. From major hospitality experiences to high-profile AFL and AFLW functions, this role helps create moments that reflect the scale, ambition and professionalism of Australia’s game.

Based at AFL House in Melbourne and reporting to the Head of Events & Match Day, you will lead the end-to-end delivery of a portfolio of premium stakeholder events across the Men’s and Women’s competitions. You will oversee event strategy, production and guest experience while managing key stakeholder relationships, budgets, suppliers and event delivery teams.

What you’ll own

You will lead the planning and delivery of premium stakeholder experiences across the AFL and AFLW events calendar. This role balances creative event development with operational delivery, stakeholder management and people leadership.

You’ll add value through:

• Delivering end-to-end premium and VIP events including corporate hospitality functions, stakeholder events, gala dinners, welcome events and official AFL and AFLW functions
• Shaping event concepts and guest experiences that align with AFL brand standards, stakeholder expectations and event objectives
• Leading event production planning across staging, AV, styling, entertainment and show flow to deliver polished and engaging event experiences
• Managing event timelines, run sheets and delivery plans to ensure seamless execution across multiple concurrent events
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with internal stakeholders, AFL clubs, venues, suppliers, partners and agencies
• Managing event budgets, supplier performance and resource allocation to deliver events efficiently and within approved parameters
• Overseeing guestlist strategy and stakeholder experience in partnership with the CRM & Guestlist Specialist
• Supporting the integration of corporate partners and commercial objectives within premium event environments
• Leading and developing direct reports by providing day-to-day guidance, workload oversight and performance support
• Contributing to content planning, event communications and creative asset delivery where required
• Delivering post-event reporting, reconciliation and stakeholder feedback processes to support continuous improvement across the events portfolio
• Driving process improvements, operational efficiencies and consistently high delivery standards across the Events Team

What you’ll bring

• Demonstrated experience delivering end-to-end premium events and event production within a fast-paced environment
• Strong capability across event planning, logistics, production coordination and stakeholder experience delivery
• Experience managing corporate hospitality, VIP or high-profile stakeholder events
• Proven ability to manage multiple events and competing priorities while maintaining exceptional attention to detail
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to build trusted relationships across internal and external groups
• Experience managing suppliers, venues, agencies and production partners to achieve high-quality event outcomes
• Sound financial and budget management capability
• Demonstrated people leadership experience, including supporting and developing team members
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across commercial, marketing, communications, football and operational teams
• Confidence working in dynamic environments with changing priorities and delivery timelines
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach with sound judgement and accountability
• Knowledge of event venues, hospitality operations and production requirements
• Commitment to delivering inclusive, professional and high-quality stakeholder experiences

Why you’ll love being on our team

At the AFL, you will be part of a values-led team that aims high, backs each other and brings energy, care and integrity to work that matters. This is a place where people play to win, play as one team and play with passion, while always staying grounded in fairness, inclusion and respect. We work hard, support each other and create the conditions for our people to grow, perform and thrive.

What you can look forward to:

• Play The Day Your Way, our flexible approach to working life, built to support you on game day and every day
• My Development, with coaching, mentoring, on-the-job learning and formal development to help you keep building your game
• Play Well, our health and wellbeing programme designed to support a healthy body, healthy mind and healthy workplace
• My Benefits, giving you access to a range of partner offers and discounts through our AFL Corporate Partners
• AFL Silver Memberships for permanent team members, so you can enjoy the action at Marvel Stadium and the MCG with family and friends
• 6 months paid primary parental leave with no qualification period for permanent team members

Everyone has a place here

Our game brings people together, and we want our workplace to do the same. We are committed to building an environment where people feel respected, included and able to thrive, and where diversity of background, experience and perspective makes us stronger.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are encouraged to apply.

The AFL is committed to promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in our care. Please note, we undertake several screening processes to ensure this commitment is upheld, this includes ensuring the successful candidate to this position holds a valid employee Working with Children/ Vulnerable People check and a satisfactory criminal history record check.

Ready to play your part?

Applications close 29 May 2026