Communications & Campaigns Lead

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 across the country through football. 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 Communications & Campaigns Lead plays an important role in driving national participation growth across community football by delivering integrated marketing communications campaigns that connect more people to the game. Working across initiatives including AFL Schools, AFL Nines and new game format launches, the role helps grow awareness, engagement and participation through impactful campaigns and audience-led communications.

This role is a 12-Month Maximum Term Contract.

As part of the Game Development Brand and Engagement Team, you will lead the planning, delivery and reporting of multi-channel campaigns across paid and owned platforms. Working closely with internal teams, creative partners and stakeholders across the business, you will help bring the AFL’s PLAY brand to life and support participation growth outcomes nationally.

Based at AFL House in Docklands, this is a full-time role operating in a hybrid working environment.

What you’ll own

You’ll help deliver campaigns and communications that strengthen participation pathways and connect communities to football experiences across the country.

You’ll add value through:

• Supporting the planning and delivery of national marketing communications strategies aligned to participation growth objectives
• Leading integrated campaign development and execution for AFL Schools, AFL Nines, new game formats and PLAY brand initiatives
• Developing campaign briefs and managing delivery across creative, production, media buying and digital marketing partners
• Writing clear, engaging marketing copy for advertising, web content, EDMs, events and campaign collateral
• Collaborating with Brand and Engagement team members to ensure campaign assets align with AFL brand strategy and guidelines
• Implementing campaign messaging across paid ATL and BTL channels while supporting alignment across owned channels
• Monitoring and optimising campaign performance, including audience targeting, retargeting and keyword search activity
• Analysing campaign performance metrics and providing insights and recommendations to improve effectiveness and engagement
• Building strong working relationships with internal stakeholders, state participation teams, agencies and commercial partners
• Applying marketing best practice, audience insights and market trends to campaign planning and delivery
• Supporting broader engagement initiatives and contributing to team projects that drive participation growth outcomes

What you’ll bring

• Experience developing and executing go-to-market strategies for new products, programs or initiatives
• Demonstrated experience delivering integrated marketing communications campaigns across multiple channels
• Strong understanding of campaign planning, implementation, optimisation and reporting
• Experience working with creative agencies, production partners, media buying and digital marketing teams
• Capability in writing engaging and audience-focused marketing copy across a range of channels and formats
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams and external partners
• Confidence using data and campaign insights to inform recommendations and improve performance outcomes
• Understanding of audience targeting, retargeting and digital advertising principles
• Knowledge of marketing theory and best practice, with the ability to apply it in practical campaign delivery
• Tertiary qualifications in marketing, media, advertising or a related discipline, or equivalent experience
• Understanding of local football, coaching, umpiring and volunteering environments, or willingness to build knowledge quickly
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment

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

Everyone has a place here

Our game brings people together, and we want our workplace to do the same.

We are committed to building a culture of belonging and 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.

Whether you’re a footy fan or new to our game, we welcome everyone to apply. We know great candidates don’t always tick every box – if this role excites you, we encourage you to apply, even if your experience doesn’t perfectly match the job description.

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 17 June 2026