Head of Government & Host City Relations

***CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS SUNDAY 24TH NOVEMBER***

HEAD OF GOVERNMENT & HOST CITY RELATIONS (RWC 2027 LOC)

FIXED-TERM CONTRACT UNTIL END OF FEBRUARY 2028

BASED IN SYDNEY

The Rugby World Cup (RWC) Australia Local Operating Company (LOC) is searching for an experienced professional responsible for the management and co-ordination of government integration into the planning and delivery of the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027.

Federal and State governments are an extremely important partner of the tournament. This role will build strong relationships at all levels of government and will manage the flow of information between the LOC functional areas and government agencies.

The successful candidate will possess outstanding communication skills, be able to work collaboratively and ideally have previous experience in a similar role with an understanding of major events and the sporting landscape.

Reporting to the EGM Operations, there will be a close working relationship with all areas of the business within the LOC. The Head of Government and Host City Relations will have a small number of direct reports.

This is an exciting and unique opportunity to be part of a global event that will set new standards and drive the growth of Rugby. We are looking for candidates who are passionate about sport, understand the power it has to make a difference and have a strong commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion for the event. You will be part of a team that aims to inspire a new generation of audiences and participants.

About the role

• Provide strategic advice to the Managing Director and EGM Operations on all government related matters
• Understand the political landscape within each jurisdiction and ensuring the Men’s RWC 2027 is a priority project for governments
• Manage the creation and administration of government working groups ensuring a continual flow of information between governments and the LOC and ensuring mechanisms are in place to manage and resolve issues
• Manage Governments and associated stakeholder relationships to ensure the delivery of all hosting obligations and commitments under the relevant agreements
• Act as the LOC’s central point of contact for the Federal Government, Host Cities, and other government agencies, ensuring proactive sharing of information between local stakeholders, the LOC and World Rugby
• Act as the LOC’s central point of contact for the Host City Managers during the tournament, ensuring all operational deliverables in a city are being delivered in accordance with contractual obligations and stakeholder requirements
• Prepare government submissions, plans, presentations and reports as required under the funding agreements  

About you

• You have proven experience working with State and Federal Governments within a major event environment (single sport multi-city events or multi-sport single city events) or within a sport which has responsibility to deliver content domestically and internationally, or in an equivalent environment
• You are politically astute and a natural communicator with the ability to secure ‘buy-in’, and make key decisions for the business through critical problem-solving skills and the use of sound judgement
• You have a good understanding of, and experience with, the machinery of State and Federal Government processes and procedures
• You have the ability to build, maintain and leverage relationships with credibility at all levels (internal and external)
• You have effective negotiation skills, excellent verbal and written communication skills and positive relationship-management skills
• You are experienced at working in a fast-paced environment supporting multiple individuals across a varied portfolio of responsibilities
• You are proactive, can anticipate needs and are a true team player – you are willing to muck in and support the broader team as we are growing and changing
• You have the flexibility to work irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, depending on event schedules
• You can navigate ambiguity and cut through complexity, taking a logical and creative approach to problem-solving

About us 

World Rugby is the international federation responsible for the global development of Rugby. It’s strategic mission is to accelerate the growth of Rugby, inspiring more people to engage with the sport. Australia’s hosting of Rugby World Cup 2027 and 2029 are at the heart of that mission, representing an exciting growth opportunity for Rugby in Australia, the region, and the global game more broadly.

Rugby World Cup is one of the biggest sporting and entertainment brands in the world and the dual men’s and women’s hosting model creates a transformative opportunity to showcase the very best of Rugby and Australia to an unprecedented global audience.

The 2027 tournament will be a nationwide celebration of the sport, its values and Australia’s cities, culture and people, engaging new audiences and inspiring a new generation of fans and players. In Australia, the tournament is expected to generate $1.3B in direct visitor expenditure across Australia from more than 250,000 international visitors and inject a further $80m into the Australia economy as a result of hosting in 2027 alone.

With women and the heart of World Rugby’s growth mission, Rugby World Cup 2029 represents a transformative opportunity take the sport to the next level. Women’s Rugby is one of the world’s fastest growing sports and the fanbase growing at a faster rate than other sports with 166 million fans globally. The commercial value of women’s Rugby is expected to grow by 10x over the next decade, which is great for Australia.

Hosting both tournaments also presents a fantastic opportunity for Rugby Australia to harness the power of the Rugby World Cup and grow its participation across Australia.

Whilst the LOC has carriage of both the 2027 and 2029 RWC’s, all roles are being recruited on the basis of working to deliver 2027, with a contract end date reflective of the successful conclusion of 2027. All roles within the LOC will be reviewed at the appropriate point in time to determine whether they will be extended to cover 2029 and to suit the needs of the business at that time.

How to apply

Please submit your CV (maximum 3 pages), along with a cover letter detailing your suitability for the role to the APPLY NOW link.

RWC Australia is committed to building a diverse workforce and therefore strongly encourages applications from underrepresented groups. We are committed to equality and inclusion and welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of their background. We strive to be a diverse and inclusive workplace, which reflects the global sport we want to be and where everyone can be themselves and feel they belong.  

Flexible Working

The role offers hybrid working during the initial phases of planning, noting that as the event draws near the role will be required to be full time in the office integrating with the rest of the team. The current planning is based on:

• 2025 – 4 Days in the office (Mon-Thu)
• 2026 & 2027 – Full time in the office