Head of Technology Programs and Services

National Rugby League; Sydney; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

National Rugby League is seeking a strategic Head of Technology Programs and Services to lead the technology portfolio, major programs and governance. You will translate business priorities into clear technology roadmaps and delivery programs while partnering with Product and business leaders.

The role is a senior leadership position at the intersection of strategy, technology and business delivery, requiring executive collaboration, risk management and a focus on service performance and vendor

Qualifications

• 8+ years of technology leadership experience.
• Proven governance of significant technology investments and programs.
• Strong ability to build and lead high‑performing teams.
• Experience translating business priorities into technology roadmaps.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technology portfolio, roadmap, investment planning and prioritisation activities.
• Oversee major technology programs, managing scope, budgets, timelines, risks and dependencies.
• Partner with Product and business leaders to translate priorities into delivery plans.
• Lead portfolio governance, investment decisions and executive reporting across technology.
• Set technology direction across software, data, integration and services while guiding engineers.
• Oversee service performance, lifecycle, resilience and operational sustainability.
• Manage budgets, forecasts, suppliers and strategic vendor relationships.
• Build organisational capability through workforce planning and leadership development.
• Champion AI, automation and modern delivery approaches with governance.

Skills

Technology leadership

Portfolio governance

Program management

Budget management

Vendor management

Stakeholder engagement

AI and automation

Workforce planning

Succession planning

Strategic planning

Job description

Head of Technology Programs and Services

Rugby League is Australia’s most entertaining and community driven sport. Rugby League broadcasts have grown to be the most watched programs on Australian television. The NRL Telstra Premiership is the closest elite sporting competition in the country and the State of Origin series between New South Wales and Queensland is Australian sport’s greatest rivalry.

We're looking for a Head of Technology Programs and Services to join our Technology Team and help shape the future of Rugby League. If you're a strategic technology leader who enjoys turning business priorities into successful technology outcomes, we'd love to hear from you.

About the role:

As the Head of Technology Programs and Services, you will lead the NRL's technology portfolio and major technology programs, ensuring technology investment is aligned to business priorities and delivered effectively. You will be responsible for portfolio governance, program oversight, technology services, workforce planning, commercial management, and strategic vendor partnerships.

This is a senior leadership role that sits at the intersection of strategy, technology and business delivery. Working closely with Product, business leaders and Technology teams, you will translate business priorities into clear technology roadmaps, investment plans and delivery programs while ensuring strong governance, risk management and service performance.

In the role you will:

• Lead the NRL's technology portfolio, roadmap, investment planning and prioritisation activities.
• Provide executive oversight of major technology programs, ensuring effective management of scope, budget, timelines, risks and dependencies.
• Partner with Product and business leaders to translate strategic priorities into achievable technology programs and delivery plans.
• Lead portfolio governance, investment decision-making and executive reporting across the technology function.
• Set technology direction across software, data, integration and technology services while empowering technical leaders to own detailed design and engineering decisions.
• Oversee technology service performance, lifecycle management, resilience and operational sustainability.
• Manage technology budgets, forecasts, suppliers and strategic vendor relationships.
• Build organisational capability through workforce planning, leadership development and succession planning.
• Champion the practical use of AI, automation and modern ways of working to improve organisational capability and efficiency.
• Maintain oversight of technology, delivery, commercial and operational risks across the portfolio.

Ideally you will have:

• 8+ years' experience in technology leadership roles, including experience leading technology portfolios, major programs or multidisciplinary technology teams.
• Demonstrated experience governing significant technology investments, organisational change initiatives and executive-level decision-making.
• Strong leadership experience with a track record of developing teams, leaders and organisational capability.
• Experience establishing portfolio strategy, investment priorities, governance frameworks and benefits realisation approaches.
• Proven experience managing large-scale programs involving complex budgets, resources, risks and dependencies.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets, vendors, offshore providers and strategic technology partners.
• A strong understanding of modern technology environments, including software, data, integration and digital service delivery.
• Experience driving innovation through AI, automation and modern delivery approaches while maintaining appropriate governance controls.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to influence and communicate effectively at executive level.
• Strong judgement, decision-making capability and the ability to balance competing priorities in complex environments.

Whilst we look for experience, we also look for people who share the same beliefs as our organisation – we are UNITED, POSITIVE, INCLUSIVE & DISCIPLINED. Should you meet most of the criteria and share our beliefs, please apply.

The NRL is a child-safe organisation committed to providing a safe place for all children to learn and have fun. We have strong recruitment procedures to make sure the safest and most suitable people work with us and require all applicants to undergo an extensive screening process prior to appointment, a process that will include, but is not limited to comprehensive reference checks, an identity check, “Working with Children” checks and/or national criminal history checks.