Travel and Operations Lead
Date: 7 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 Travel and Operations Lead, you will help deliver the travel, logistics and operational activity that keeps the AFL and AFLW seasons moving safely, reliably and cost-effectively.
Based at AFL House and working closely with the Head of Operations Delivery, you will combine hands-on coordination with leadership of defined workstreams across season travel, major events, stakeholder movements and the broader operations calendar.
You will work across clubs, internal AFL teams, travel providers and suppliers to maintain service continuity, manage delivery risks and create practical improvements that support the game.
What you’ll own
You will coordinate complex travel and operational activity from planning through to delivery, ensuring stakeholders have clear information, suppliers meet agreed requirements and issues are addressed early.
You’ll add value through:
- Leading AFL and AFLW season travel and operations planning with clubs, internal stakeholders and travel providers
- Coordinating accommodation, ground transport, freight, equipment movements and associated supplier arrangements
- Managing day-to-day relationships with airlines, accommodation providers, travel agencies, ground transport operators and logistics suppliers
- Leading defined operational and project workstreams for AFL Finals, Gather Round, Sir Doug Nicholls Round and other major events
- Maintaining delivery timelines, action trackers, issue logs, decision records, briefing notes and status reports
- Monitoring travel policy compliance, budgets, forecasts, purchase orders and invoices, with early escalation of emerging cost pressures
- Preparing clear operational updates, checklists and briefing materials to support planning and decision-making
- Coordinating practical requirements across rosters, resources, venues, suppliers and the annual operations calendar
- Identifying operational risks, service issues, supplier gaps and dependencies, and presenting practical options for resolution
- Providing timely and reliable travel and operations support to clubs and internal stakeholders, particularly during peak delivery periods
- Improving operational processes, supplier performance, reporting, commercial outcomes and stakeholder experience
- Using technology and AI to improve routine work, reporting, coordination and delivery efficiency
What you’ll bring
- Demonstrated experience coordinating travel, logistics, events, operations or complex service delivery in a fast-moving environment
- Strong organisational and project coordination capability, including the ability to manage timelines, actions, issues and reporting
- Experience supporting operational delivery across events, programmes, travel, logistics, suppliers and stakeholder communications
- Practical financial capability across budget coordination, forecasting, invoice tracking, reporting and cost management
- Experience managing suppliers and monitoring service delivery, performance, standards and issue resolution
- Sound judgement and practical problem-solving capability when responding to operational risks, changing priorities and detailed logistics
- Clear written and verbal communication skills, supported by strong attention to detail
- The ability to maintain accurate documentation and reliably follow through on delivery commitments
- A collaborative and service-focused approach when working with clubs, colleagues and external partners
- The initiative to identify improvements while maintaining safe, consistent and cost-effective operational outcomes
- A commitment to teamwork, integrity, fairness and doing what is right for the game
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 5 October 2026.