High Performance Manager

Victorian Institute of Sport; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

2xu gear

Friday Staff Sport

Coffee & parking

Professional development

Ergonomic workspace

Gym & pool access

Job summary

Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) seeks a High Performance Manager to lead performance programs and athlete pathways. You will coordinate operations, work with coaches, athletes and partners, and drive daily performance environments ahead of LA 2028.

The role is a full-time, maximum-term contract from January 2027 to December 2028, based in Melbourne, reporting to the Director of High Performance. Strong project and budget skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification or equivalent in related field.
• Experience coordinating high performance sport programs or athlete pathways.
• Proven ability to deliver plans into timely, standard outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead allocated VIS sport programs and athlete pathways within strategy.
• Translate program plans into priorities, milestones and reporting.
• Collaborate with coaches, athletes and partners to support daily performance environments.
• Coordinate planning, monitoring and reviews including budgets and resourcing.
• Develop operational tools, dashboards and reporting for visibility and accountability.
• Prepare Performance Committee, Board and executive reporting.

Skills

High performance sport

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

Written communication

Education

Sport management degree

Coaching qualification

Business/Operations degree

Tools

Digital reporting systems

Job description

Victorian Institute of Sport – Albert Park VIC

The Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) was set up to assist the development of Victoria’s best athletes. It was established in 1990 by the State Government as a private trustee company, with its Board of Directors appointed by the Victorian Minister for Sport.

The VIS is located at Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park. The VIS headquarters completed a renovation in February 2023, providing a brand new workspace for athletes and staff. Itis a non-residential institute, which utilises Melbourne’s outstanding sporting facilities, to allow high performance athletes to live and train in Melbourne, the sporting capital of Australia.

The VIS operates in partnership with National Sporting Organisations and State Sporting Associations to deliver high performance daily training environments (DTEs) for sports and athletes in support of the National High Performance Sport Strategy outcomes. Our facility and staff help prepare and support future and current Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth Games and World Champion athletes.

Employee Benefits:

The Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) provides a supportive work environment for you to be your best whilst supporting Victoria's best athletes. In addition, all employees have access to:

• 2xu gear to proudly represent the VIS brand
• Friday Staff Sport - to get that competitive energy out and socialise with all staff
• Heavily subsidised access to St Ali barista coffee and Albert Park parking
• Newly renovated office with ergonomic sit/stand desks and plenty of natural light & open windows
• Free access to gym, boxing classes and pool/recovery facilities

About the Victorian Institute of Sport:

The Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) was set up to assist the development of Victoria’s best athletes. It was established in 1990 by the State Government as a private trustee company, with its Board of Directors appointed by the Victorian Minister for Sport.

The VIS is located at Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park. The VIS headquarters completed a renovation in February 2023, providing a brand new workspace for athletes and staff. Itis a non-residential institute, which utilises Melbourne’s outstanding sporting facilities, to allow high performance athletes to live and train in Melbourne, the sporting capital of Australia.

The VIS operates in partnership with National Sporting Organisations and State Sporting Associations to deliver high performance daily training environments (DTEs) for sports and athletes in support of the National High Performance Sport Strategy outcomes. Our facility and staff help prepare and support future and current Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth Games and World Champion athletes.

Employee Benefits:

The Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) provides a supportive work environment for you to be your best whilst supporting Victoria's best athletes. In addition, all employees have access to:

• 2xu gear to proudly represent the VIS brand
• Friday Staff Sport - to get that competitive energy out and socialise with all staff
• Heavily subsidised access to St Ali barista coffee and Albert Park parking
• Professional development opportunities
• Newly renovated office with ergonomic sit/stand desks and plenty of natural light & open windows
• Free access to gym, boxing classes and pool/recovery facilities

About the role

The High Performance Manager plays a key operational leadership role within the VIS Performance team, helping deliver the VIS high performance strategy through to the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Reporting to the Director High Performance, the role manages an allocated portfolio of VIS sport programs and Individual Athlete Program athletes. It turns program plans into coordinated delivery, works closely with coaches, athletes, performance support staff and sport partners, and leads projects that strengthen how the VIS high performance system operates day to day.

This is a full-time, maximum-term contract from January 2027 to 31 December 2028.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Managing an allocated portfolio of VIS sport programs and, where assigned, Individual Athlete Program athletes, within the strategic direction set by the Director High Performance
• Turning program plans into clear operational priorities, milestones and reporting, and resolving or escalating delivery risks
• Working with Performance Coordinators to streamline operations and establish consistent ways of working
• Building strong working relationships with coaches, program managers, athletes, performance support staff and sport partners to support athlete-focused, coach-led daily performance environments
• Coordinating integrated planning and service delivery across disciplines for assigned programs and athletes
• Supporting program planning, monitoring and review, including performance objectives, athlete progression, risk, resourcing, budgets and partnership obligations
• Making sure athlete and program lifecycle processes are completed accurately and on time, from selection and induction through to AMS reporting, reviews, transitions and exits
• Leading or contributing to special projects that improve high performance operations, systems and service delivery
• Developing operational tools, procedures, dashboards and reporting that improve visibility and accountability across the Performance Department
• Supporting the preparation of Performance Committee, Board and executive reporting, program reviews, briefings and agreements
• Monitoring program expenditure and supporting annual budget development and forecasting
• Acting as a point of coordination and escalation for operational matters, and referring strategic, sensitive or high-risk matters appropriately

Required qualifications, skills and experience

• Relevant tertiary qualification in high performance sport, sport management, coaching, sport science, business, operations or a related discipline, or equivalent experience
• Demonstrated experience coordinating or managing high performance sport programs, athlete pathways, performance operations or comparable complex service delivery environments
• Strong operational and project management skills, with a record of turning plans into delivery on time and to standard
• Working knowledge of the Australian high performance sport system, including athlete pathways, daily performance environments, interdisciplinary service delivery and the roles of NSOs, SSAs and the National Institute Network
• Proven ability to build productive relationships with coaches, athletes, specialists and senior stakeholders, and to influence outcomes without relying on positional authority
• Experience supporting staff or coordinating the work of others
• Sound judgement, including knowing what to resolve directly and what to elevate
• Strong written communication, meeting facilitation and reporting skills
• Sound financial, administrative and data management skills, including budget monitoring and digital reporting systems
• Highly organised and adaptable, and comfortable working across multiple sports, athletes and projects in a time-critical environment
• Current Victorian Working with Children Check, or the capacity to obtain one before starting

Desirable

• Experience within the National Institute Network, a National or State Sporting Organisation, or a multi-sport high performance environment
• Experience implementing operational improvement or change projects

Applications close COB Tuesday 24th November 2026.

The VIS is committed to ensuring a safe and inclusive space for all, celebrating our differences where everyone is valued, included and supported. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, identities, ages, and abilities including those who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and people with a disability. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable opportunities for all, including making reasonable adjustments in recruitment and workplace processes to ensure everyone can perform at their best.

As an organisation we are committed to protecting children and young people from harm. Anyone involved with the VIS must understand their responsibility in relation to child safety. Our organisation requires all applicants to obtain a ‘Working with Children Check’ prior to appointment.

The Victorian Institute of Sport acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands across Victoria where sport is played, supported and celebrated. We pay our respects to Elders past and present, and to all First Nations communities, recognising their deep and lasting contribution to Australian sport.