Club Development Manager, VIC

Rugby Australia; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Rugby Australia is seeking a Club Development Manager to drive the Community Rugby Club Development initiative across Victoria, in partnership with Rugby Victoria. You will engage clubs, build capacity, and deliver strategic plans that foster inclusive environments for all players and members.

In this role, you will implement the national strategy, develop resources with stakeholders, and support governance and financial procedures to ensure efficient club operations.

Qualifications

• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building capabilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication for strategic directions and presentations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Self-starter with proactive attitude and initiative.
• Ability to mobilise teams to act strategically.
• Outstanding interpersonal skills and experience managing people.
• Ability to handle sensitive issues with tact and discretion.
• Experience delivering practical community programs and projects.
• Working knowledge of Community Rugby standards and opportunities.
• Experience managing infrastructure, facilities or grants projects.

Responsibilities

• Implement Rugby Australia’s Community Rugby Club Development strategy in Victoria.
• Develop strategic plans with Club Development Committee members.
• Support governance, financial procedures and operational efficiencies for clubs.
• Deliver project action plans and reporting methods for Legacy projects.
• Foster influential relationships with Rugby Australia, Rugby Victoria and key stakeholders.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Communication

Project management

Self-starter

Strategic thinking

Interpersonal skills

Issue resolution

Program delivery

Rugby/community rugby knowledge

Infrastructure/grants experience

Education

Sport management/Development degree

Working with Children Check (Victoria)

Job description

Over the next 4 years, Australian rugby will have an unprecedented opportunity to grow the game, fuelled by a series of international rugby events including the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia, 2028 Olympics and 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.

The future of Rugby Australia is bright, and this is your opportunity to join the team.

Rugby Australia is seeking a Club Development Manager to support the Community Rugby Club Development initiative, in partnership with Rugby Victoria and as part of the Rugby World Cup Legacy strategy.

The role will deliver the Club Development initiative into Community Rugby Clubs of Victoria and engage and build relationships with key stakeholders to sustainably build the capability and capacity of Rugby clubs in Australia.

Key Accountabilities

• To implement Rugby Australia’s Community Rugby Club Development strategy in consultation with key stakeholders
• Contribute to the evolution of the Club Development strategy and accompanying resources
• In partnership with Community Rugby Club Committee members, build strategic plans that aim to enhance the capability and capacity of the organisation to create welcoming and inclusive environments for all members
• As agreed, contribute to Rugby Victoria’s Community Rugby strategy in a way that builds connections in clubs to enhance the delivery of the Club Development project
• Support Rugby Victoria Clubs with achieving governance compliance, financial procedures, and operational efficiencies.

Operations

• Develop, implement, and iterate project action plans for all participating Clubs engaged in the Club Development project
• Deliver and assist with the development of presentations, analysis, liaison, reporting methods, project tracking and evaluations that drive outcomes related to Community Rugby Legacy projects and Rugby Victoria’s strategic objectives
• Provide appropriate and timely performance feedback to relevant stakeholders including the Senior Manager, Club Development, Head of Community Legacy Projects, General Manager of Community Rugby, and GM – Community Rugby at Rugby Victoria.
• Assist Rugby Victoria and Community Rugby Clubs with their infrastructure and facility plans

Relationship Management

• Foster a working environment that inspires rugby in Victoria and Community Rugby Clubs to grow and succeed
• Build influential and collaborative relationships with a range of Community Rugby Clubs, as well as their affiliates and Rugby Victoria, to enhance the strategic goals of the Club Development strategy
• Engage and build relationships with key stakeholders including but not limited to Member Unions, Community Rugby Clubs, council and government bodies and internal staff (including other Club Development Managers) to improve the ability of Rugby Australia and Rugby Victoria to execute the objectives of the Club Development strategy (including volunteer management, facility development, affiliation and competition compliance)

Capabilities, Experience & Qualification Requirements

Capabilities

• Excellent stakeholder management skills with a demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders
• Strong communication skills with a written and verbal ability to develop and deliver presentations on strategic and operational direction
• Demonstrated project management skills, including an ability to analyse, plan, monitor, evaluate and prioritise
• Self-starter with a proactive attitude
• Demonstrated ability to think, plan and mobilise others to act strategically
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with proven experience managing people
• Ability to resolve sensitive and critical issues internally and externally
• Ability to deliver practical programs and projects
• Working knowledge of Community Rugby standards, expectations and opportunities
• Experience managing or supporting infrastructure, facilities or grants projects

Experience

• Previous experience managing complex projects involving multiple stakeholders
• Previous position held in a local sporting organisation or local government council
• Experience in sport, ideally at the community level

Qualification Requirements

• Appropriate tertiary degree (i.e., sport management or sport development)
• Valid Working with Children Check in Victoria