Partnerships Account Manager
Date: 15 Sept 2026
Location: Melbourne, Victoria, AU
Company: Australian Football League
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
As Partnerships Account Manager, you will help bring AFL and AFLW partnerships to life, creating value for our partners while supporting the continued growth and impact of Australia’s game.
Based in Melbourne and reporting to the Senior Account Manager, you will manage designated partner relationships and support the delivery of major AFL partnerships. You will build a strong understanding of each partner’s business and objectives, then collaborate across the AFL to deliver sponsorship, marketing, media, public relations and promotional outcomes.
This role includes after-hours or weekend hosting duties from time to time.
What you’ll own
You will support strong, productive partner relationships and ensure agreed rights, benefits and commercial objectives are delivered with care and consistency.
You’ll add value through:
- Managing identified AFL and AFLW partner relationships from day-to-day delivery through to reporting
- Ensuring the AFL fulfils its contractual responsibilities to designated partners
- Monitoring contractual benefits and identifying ways for partners to use them effectively
- Developing ideas and joint marketing programmes that support mutually beneficial outcomes for partners and the AFL
- Working with AFL Digital and Sales teams to deliver relevant leverage and integration opportunities
- Maintaining clear, timely communication between the AFL and each partner
- Producing presentations that support partner sales, delivery and reporting
- Supporting budget management through the designated finance system
- Coordinating partnership requirements including ticketing and hospitality inventory, work-in-progress documentation, player appearances and merchandise funds
- Supporting the Senior Account Manager and the broader Corporate Partner Group to deliver major partner initiatives
What you’ll bring
- Three to five years’ experience across sales, marketing, sponsorship management, digital, media or an agency environment
- An understanding of, or experience delivering, commercial media and marketing initiatives
- Strong written, verbal and presentation skills
- Demonstrated customer service and relationship management capability
- The ability to understand partner objectives and translate them into practical, mutually beneficial outcomes
- Confidence working across multiple teams and priorities in a collaborative environment
- Initiative, sound judgement and a focus on delivering agreed outcomes
- Competence across a range of computer programmes
- A team-focused approach and willingness to support shared priorities
- An understanding of the AFL competition is desirable
- A relevant tertiary degree or diploma is desirable
- Availability to undertake after-hours or weekend hosting duties from time to time
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 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 28 September 2026.