Talent Manager - Victoria

Australian Football League (AFL); City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Professional development

Wellbeing program

Partner discounts

AFL Silver membership

Parental leave

Job summary

The Australian Football League (AFL) is seeking a Talent Manager - Victoria to lead the development and delivery of a contemporary talent pathway across 12 Regions, AFL Talent League, and representative programs in Victoria. Based in Melbourne, you will drive safe, inclusive and high-performing environments aligned with the AFL National Talent Strategy.

You will bring strategic leadership, governance, stakeholder management, and a data-driven approach to enhance identification, development and

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex talent development programs
• Ability translate strategy into operational delivery
• Knowledge of competition management and talent identification principles
• Proven leadership of diverse teams and capability building
• Experience establishing governance, performance measures and reporting frameworks
• Sound financial management and resource allocation capability
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship building
• Commitment to child safety, inclusion, wellbeing and accountable decision-making
• Data-driven decision making to improve programs and outcomes
• Collaborative leadership that aligns teams and drives performance

Responsibilities

• Lead the Victorian talent pathway across regions and programs
• Set strategic direction aligned with the AFL National Talent Strategy
• Oversee the AFL Talent League structure, governance, operations and stakeholder engagement
• Support Victoria’s Talent Regions to deliver consistent, high-quality development
• Oversee Victoria Metro and Victoria Country programs including governance and evaluation
• Build capable, connected teams through leadership development and succession planning
• Strengthen talent identification and progression outcomes through evidence
• Build strong relationships with AFL clubs, schools and partners
• Maintain governance, safeguarding, wellbeing and risk management frameworks
• Manage budgets and allocate resources to deliver high-impact outcomes
• Lead coach development and workforce capability initiatives
• Leverage data and AI to improve program efficiency and outcomes

Skills

Talent development

Strategic leadership

Governance

Stakeholder mgmt

Data-driven

Change management

People leadership

Budget management

Job description

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

Lead the development of a contemporary, high-quality Victorian talent system that helps emerging footballers maximise their potential and progress through the pathway.

As Talent Manager - Victoria, you will provide strategic leadership across Victoria’s 12 Talent Regions, the AFL Talent League and Victoria Metro and Victoria Country representative programs. This permanent full-time role, based in Melbourne, will shape safe, inclusive and high-performing environments while strengthening pathway outcomes for the future of the game.

Reporting to the Head of Talent, you will bring together people, programs and partners to deliver a consistent Victorian talent pathway aligned with the AFL National Talent Strategy.

What you’ll own

You will lead the Victorian talent pathway, connecting strategy with high-quality delivery across competitions, regions and representative programs.

You’ll add value through:

• Setting the strategic direction and long-term development of the Victorian talent pathway in alignment with the AFL National Talent Strategy
• Leading the AFL Talent League across male and female programs, including competition structure, governance, operations and stakeholder engagement
• Supporting Victoria’s 12 Talent Regions to deliver consistent, high-quality player development programs and experiences
• Overseeing Victoria Metro and Victoria Country representative programs, including selection governance, resource allocation and program evaluation
• Building capable, connected and accountable teams through leadership development, workforce planning and succession initiatives
• Strengthening talent identification, player development and progression outcomes through evidence-led decision-making and continuous improvement
• Building trusted relationships with AFL and AFLW clubs, recruiters, schools, service providers and industry partners
• Improving access, representation and retention for Indigenous, multicultural and other diverse talent cohorts
• Maintaining strong governance, integrity, child safeguarding, player wellbeing, healthcare and risk management frameworks
• Managing operational budgets and allocating resources effectively to support sustainable, high-impact outcomes
• Leading coach development and workforce capability initiatives across the Victorian talent pathway
• Using technology and AI to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and innovation of talent programs

What you’ll bring

• Demonstrated capability leading complex talent development, high-performance, sporting or pathway environments
• Experience setting strategic direction and translating it into consistent operational delivery
• Strong knowledge of competition management, player development and talent identification principles
• Proven ability to lead, mentor and build capability across direct and indirect teams
• Experience establishing effective governance, performance measures and reporting frameworks
• Sound financial management and resource allocation capability
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the judgement to navigate complex and varied relationships
• A clear commitment to child safety, integrity, inclusion, player wellbeing and accountable decision-making
• The ability to use data and insights to improve programs, competitions and pathway outcomes
• Collaborative leadership that creates alignment while supporting people to perform, develop and thrive
• The judgement and initiative to lead change and continuous improvement across a complex system

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 program 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 holds a valid employee Working with Children/Vulnerable People check and a satisfactory criminal history record check.