Venue Cluster Manager

The Commonwealth Games - an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the 72 member nations of the Commonwealth - is coming to Victoria in 2026
Millions worldwide will watch the thriving regional centres of Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland and Shepparton host a jam-packed schedule of 20 sports, nine para sports, the Games ceremonies and festival program that together will showcase the best of Regional Victoria.
The Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee (Victoria 2026) will deliver the Games. Together with the State of Victoria, the Commonwealth Games Federation and Commonwealth Games Australia, it is tasked with organising a world-class event for athletes, spectators, locals and the Commonwealth of Nations.

**Key responsibilities**:

- Building upon pre-agreed organisation wide and venue wide planning principles
- Capture and facilitate the resolution of cluster specific and venue-specific issues
- Problem solve or escalate major cross-cluster or cross FA issues that require central resolution
- Facilitate the development of policies and procedures, project plans, emergency evacuation plans, readiness and testing exercises, venue C3 principles on behalf of their venue(s)
- Assist with the recruitment and development (including training and mentoring) of the wider VMA team
- Coordinate the detailed planning and overlay design process and ensure the appropriate fit-out of your venue against the venue project plan and commissioning schedule
- Forming the venue team through the progressive planning process and leading the migration to venue operations through the venuisation period

The responsibilities of this role will evolve during the lifespan of the Organising Committee and it is likely that the role profile will evolve with the changing needs of the organisation within the different planning cycles.
Technical/Specialist Key Selection Criteria
- Significant experience in a similar role within event management or venue management
- Experience in the management and delivery of the end-to-end delivery of large scale, major, international, and multi-sport events including the planning, testing and delivery of venue team
- Experience in the programme management of complex projects
- Good knowledge of and proven practical ability for budgeting and resource allocation procedures
- The ability to make reasoned and sometimes difficult choices as to the deployment of resources is a pre-requisite for this role

Desired Experience/Qualifications
- 5+ years' experience in Venue Management or Event Management in a similar role
- Educated to degree level or equivalent in events, sport management or a related field
- Experience in the establishment of integrated services functions for an organisation with a finite lifespan
- Operational roles in Venue Management at previous Commonwealth Games or multi-sport event
- Good knowledge of and proven practical ability for budgeting and resource allocation procedures.
- The ability to make reasoned and sometimes difficult choices as to the deployment of resources is a pre-requisite for this role
- Persuasive and articulate with good communication and presentation skills

Further Information
- Applicants will be required to comply with Victoria 2026's COVID-19 Vaccination requirements, as outlined in the COVID-19 Vaccination requirements policy and in line with the obligations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004, directions, policies or procedures, including but not limited to any requirement to provide evidence of vaccination status. Applicants must be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or hold a valid work permit or visa
- For more detailed information on this role, please refer to the attached Job description