Activations Lead

About the Collingwood Football Club Collingwood Football Club (CFC) was founded in 1892. Local residents, community and business leaders and politicians all hoped that having their own football club could help bring a measure of pride to a downtrodden suburb. In 2025, CFC is one of the great icons of Australian sport. Our history spans 130 years, 16 premierships and more finals appearances than any other club. Most importantly, Collingwood has grown from being a football club to a sports club with a commitment to our community. Collingwood is not made by a President, a Captain, a Coach or a CEO. It’s not just any one player, employee, supporter or fan, Collingwood is made by many. The opportunity Reporting to the Senior Activations Manager, the Activations Lead will be responsible for the delivery of exceptional fan engagement across all AFL and AFLW match days. This role will drive the planning, and execution of impactful fan experiences that embody Collingwood’s brand and values. The Activations Lead will oversee all match day activations, managing project timelines, budgets, and stakeholder relationships to ensure high-quality, innovative, and compliant fan initiatives. They provide direction and guidance to the Activations Coordinator and other supporting staff, ensuring every fan experience is executed seamlessly, safely, and to the highest operational standard. Key responsibilities Oversee the end-to-end execution of AFL & AFLW home games, ensuring all entertainment, production, and branded elements meet Collingwood’s brand guidelines and deliver innovative, high-quality fan experiences. Drive the development and implementation of match day activations, fan experiences, and engagement initiatives that align with the Club’s brand, strengthen connection, and optimize sponsor and stakeholder value. Manage budgets for all key projects. Coordinate internal teams, external suppliers, and key stakeholders, fostering collaboration, effective communication and strong relationships to support strategic objectives and flawless match day delivery. Other duties and projects as directed by senior leadership. Match Day Production & Theming Collaborate with the Senior Activations Manager to develop end-to-end match day creative assets in partnership with the internal design team and external creative agencies. Oversee delivery of branded elements for home game venues at the MCG, Marvel Stadium, and Victoria Park, ensuring all creative outputs comply with Collingwood’s brand guidelines. Lead the design and execution of the entertainment and production for AFL and AFLW home games, including match day hosts, on-field activations, music, and production. Drive innovation and consistency across all elements to deliver an engaging, high-quality match day experience that reflects Collingwood’s brand. Activations & Fan Experiences Partner with Senior Leadership to develop and implement match day strategies and execution plans that align with the Club’s fan engagement objectives. Prepare and coordinate all operational documentation, including run sheets, bump-in schedules, site maps, and risk assessments, ensuring accurate delivery to deadlines. Oversee the collation and submission of required documentation for the AFL, venues, and external stakeholders, ensuring compliance and timely delivery. Drive the creation of memorable and engaging fan experiences across Collingwood’s AFL & AFLW match days and non-match day events. Manage match day experiences collaborating with various departments across the business to deliver an on-field experience for members and partners. Stakeholder Management Lead coordination with internal and external stakeholders to ensure seamless planning and delivery of match days and fan events, including suppliers, councils, and other partners. Develop and maintain strong relationships with key external stakeholders to enhance collaboration, influence outcomes, and support the delivery of exceptional fan experiences. Support Senior Leadership in strategic relationship management, serving as the primary day-to-day contact for internal teams and external partners related to fan experiences and match day operations. General Strong budget management ensuring adherence to all budgets set by senior management, finding opportunities for cost reduction and budget maximising as well as timely processing of all invoices. About you Industry experience in the events and activations space, or similar role. Impeccable organizational and time management skills with flexibility to manage concurrent projects with conflicting deadlines. Strong written and verbal communication. Strong attention to detail. Ability to build trust and rapport quickly with internal and external stakeholders. Problem solving ability in a fast‑moving environment. Live event management, including sports presentation and/or broadcast events, is desirable. People management skills are particularly desirable. A growth mindset with the ability to meet deadlines and adapt in a fast‑paced environment, while ensuring high-quality output. Willingness to work flexible hours, including weekends, and uphold professional conduct, ethics and confidentiality. Engrain yourself into the Collingwood culture, remain agile, adaptable, and consistently champion our Company values of DO BETTER, SIDE BY SIDE, A NEST FOR ALL and FLY HIGHER. What we offer Access to state of art High Performance Gym Facility. Access to Professional Development and Learning Development Courses. Access to tickets to all AFL and AFLW matches. Access to exclusive partner offers: Nike, Emirates, AIA Vitality, La Trobe, CUB Economy, Business Class with Emirates, Sonos and TaylorMade. Opportunities to support Collingwood community outreach and volunteer programs (Magpie Nest Cafe). Behind the scenes access to Match‑Day, including the ability to support in‑ground activations. To Apply If you are interested, please send your CV and cover letter that addresses why you are interested in working with Collingwood Football Club, how your skills/experience would qualify for the position, and how you would contribute to the culture of the organisation to Applications close COB Tuesday 23 December 2025 (however, we may close this earlier if we receive a large volume of applications). Equal Opportunity Statement We believe in being a Nest For All – we champion respect, diversity and inclusion to make our Club a safe and welcoming place for all. The Collingwood Football Club is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from suitably qualified and diverse candidates. We provide a welcoming, safe and flexible approach to work and provide an environment that benefits from and enables the best from everyone. As an organization we are committed to protecting children and young people from harm. It is essential that anyone involved with the Collingwood Football Club understands their responsibility in relation to child safety. Our organization requires all applicants to obtain a ‘Working with Children Check’ prior to appointment. #J-18808-Ljbffr