Event & Festival Sponsorship Advisor

City of Adelaide; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 121,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12% Superannuation

Job summary

City of Adelaide, through the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), seeks an Event & Festival Sponsorship Advisor to lead the sponsorship program for medium to large events. You’ll oversee funding decisions, governance and agreements, delivering value and accountability for city investments.

In this role you’ll provide financial oversight, build relationships with sector partners, and mentor the Sponsorship and Partnership Coordinator to strengthen governance and outcomes.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience managing sponsorship/funding programs with sponsorship negotiation and driving commercial, marketing and promotional outcomes.
• Proven experience preparing accurate financial, operational and performance reporting.
• Experience assessing funding applications, developing recommendations and overseeing agreements to ensure funding decisions align with policies and objectives.
• Experience overseeing sponsorship agreements, including monitoring deliverables and contractual obligations.
• Experience building relationships across events sector, government agencies and public/private organisations.
• Experience collaborating with marketing teams to maximize sponsorship value and branding outcomes.
• Demonstrated leadership capability, developing team capability and fostering accountability and continuous improvement.
• Strong customer service focus with timely, reliable expert advice and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead the management and delivery of City of Adelaide's Medium to Large Events and Festivals Sponsorship Program.
• Oversee funding allocations, budgets and commitments, and ensure governance and accountability of expenditure.
• Negotiate sponsorships and identify commercial opportunities while ensuring value for money.
• Provide expert advice to AEDA Board, Council and stakeholders with clear financial and program insights.
• Develop and supervise the Sponsorship and Partnership Coordinator and build cross-sector relationships.

Job description

• Leadership role within an incredible team
• $121,482 + 12% superannuation

About the Opportunity

Adelaide has a lot to celebrate, from major events that bring our city to life to festivals that attract visitors, support local businesses and create memorable experiences for our community. As the Event & Festival Sponsorship Advisor with the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), you'll play a pivotal role in supporting Adelaide's event landscape while ensuring the City of Adelaide's significant investment in events and festivals is managed responsibly, transparently and effectively.

You'll lead the management and delivery of the City of Adelaide's Medium to Large Events and Festivals Sponsorship Program, overseeing a substantial pool of funding and ensuring investment decisions, sponsorship agreements and program expenditure are underpinned by robust governance, sound financial management and clear accountability.

This is a role where financial stewardship, exceptional attention to detail and strong reporting capabilities are essential. You'll be responsible for overseeing funding allocations, monitoring budgets and commitments, managing contractual obligations, assessing program performance and ensuring accurate, timely and transparent reporting.

Working closely with the Event and Festivals industry sector and event organisers, other government agencies and internal stakeholders, you'll assess sponsorship applications, negotiate agreements, identify commercial and cross-promotional opportunities, and ensure sponsorships deliver value for money and align with the City's strategic priorities. You'll provide expert advice and evidence-based recommendations to the AEDA Board, Council and key stakeholders, translating financial and program information into clear insights that support informed decision-making.

Alongside your financial and program management responsibilities, you'll lead and develop the Sponsorship and Partnership Coordinator, build productive relationships across the events and festivals sector, and identify opportunities to continually strengthen the program's governance, processes and outcomes.

This is an opportunity for a strategic and commercially minded professional who combines strong relationship management and sponsorship expertise with a disciplined approach to financial management, governance and accountability.

Working Rights - Eligibility

We welcome applications from candidates with valid Australian work rights, including those holding a visa with sufficient and appropriate work rights for the position. Australian citizenship is not required; however, visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

About You

You are an experienced funding program or sponsorship professional with strong commercial acumen, sound financial management capabilities and a commitment to the highest standards of governance and accountability. You understand the responsibilities associated with managing significant funding allocations and can balance strategic outcomes and stakeholder relationships with rigorous financial oversight and attention to detail.

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Demonstrated experience managing significant sponsorship or funding programs including sponsorship negotiation, leveraging partnerships and driving commercial, marketing and promotional outcomes.
• Proven experience preparing accurate, timely and comprehensive financial, operational and performance reporting.
• Demonstrated experience in assessing funding applications, developing recommendations and overseeing agreements to ensure funding decisions aligned with internal policies and strategic objectives.
• Experience overseeing sponsorship agreements, including monitoring deliverables, managing contractual obligations and ensuring appropriate acquittal and accountability processes.
• Experience building effective relationships across the events and festivals sector, government agencies, and public and private sector organisations, including State Government.
• Experience working collaboratively with marketing colleagues to maximise sponsorship value, achieve branding outcomes and support promotional opportunities.
• Demonstrated leadership capability, including developing team capability, improving processes and fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• A strong commitment to internal and external customer service, demonstrated through the provision of timely, reliable and expert advice, sound judgement and effective stakeholder engagement.

About Us

Located in the geographic heart of Kaurna Country, the City of Adelaide celebrates its cultural heritage and unique natural surrounds. We continually adapt to the changing needs of our community and a dynamic global landscape, investing in city improvements and future planning to create a liveable city where future generations can continue to live authentic and meaningful lives.

This is an exciting opportunity to join our team and be a bigger part of our amazing city!

AEDA works with businesses, industry groups, the State Government and other organisations to deliver programs designed to stimulate the city's economic growth. AEDA has responsibility for investment attraction, growing our visitor economy, residential growth, marketing the city as a whole and promoting Rundle Mall as Adelaide's premier shopping destination.

At the City of Adelaide, we thrive in an environment that is welcoming, inclusive and safe, and celebrates difference. We value and embrace our diverse perspectives and recognise the value diversity has in fuelling innovation and enabling brilliant experiences for our diverse community.

Applications close at 11.59pm, 15 November 2026.

Please be advised this is a full-time, permanent opportunity with a starting salary at Level 7 Classification commencing at $121,482 + 12% superannuation. From the first full pay period in January 2027, the remuneration for this position will be $125,734 + 12% superannuation.

As part of the recruitment process, candidates will be required to undertake a National Police Check.

We continue to work hard to ensure our recruitment process is safe for people of diverse backgrounds.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment process and supportive workplace. Our commitment to inclusivity means we welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disabilities, and candidates from a range of lived experiences. If you require assistance with our recruitment process, please connect with our People Services team on (08) 333 or via email at @cityofadelaide.com.au . Please note, applications received via this email address will not be considered.