Head of Travel & Hospitality (Men's RWC 2027 LOC)

The Rugby World Cup (RWC) Australia Local Operating Company (LOC) is searching for an experienced, motivated and innovative Head of Travel & Hospitality to join our team!

The Head of Travel & Hospitality will be responsible for implementing the Travel & Premium Experiences (Hospitality) Strategies for RWC 2027 as set by World Rugby, working closely with the World Rugby Events & Media (WREM) Team and our premium experiences partner. This is an amazing opportunity for a commercially minded and creative individual to lead a portfolio that will have a direct impact on the commercial success of the tournament, and establish a new benchmark for fan experiences!

This is an exciting and unique opportunity to be a 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.

This is a fixed term role until December 2027

About the role

• Responsible for the local (Australian) implementation of the WREM Travel & Premium Experiences Strategy (which includes Travel, Hospitality, and Premium Experiences in and out of stadia)
• In collaboration with the Director of Product and Fan Experience and the tournament premium experiences partner, develop and implement local strategies to deliver against the Travel & Premium Experiences ambition – which includes defining a portfolio of products and go to market plan that deliver revenue targets and fan diversification
• Working closely with Ticketing, manage the allocation and management of hospitality space inventory across multiple departments such as Venue Management, Business Development, Marketing Partnerships, VIPs, Broadcast and the tournament premium experiences partner - integrating contractual obligations and maximising revenue opportunities
• Work closely with the LOC operations team and the tournament premium experiences partner to ensure product plans are implemented and delivered to world class standards
• Build, maintain, monitor and report on a detailed tournament travel and premium experiences business plan (inclusive of budget, KPIs and contract obligations)– working closely with all relevant Functional Areas across WREM and the LOC (programme management, marketing, communications, venue operations etc), as well as the tournament premium experiences partner to ensure all key milestones and on sales dates are met with relevant supporting plans
• Ensure efficient and effective integration with WREM Product & Fan Experience team and their plans, and provide local insights, sales results and trends to help inform strategies
• Forge and manage important relationships internally (LOC management teams, key Heads of Dept, interdependent Functional Areas) and externally (the tournament premium experiences partner, stadiums, and other local agencies)
• This role may require local overseeing management of additional consumer products such as retail and licensing

About you

• You have at least 8 years experience in leading high profile travel and premium experience (hospitality) projects for large major events in Australia
• You have in-depth knowledge of travel, hospitality and experiences sales and operational processes, and are familiar with the latest consumer experience trends and innovation
• You have proven experience in working with multiple stakeholder groups and dealing with ambiguity
• You have In-depth experience in the management of stadia and event catering, experiential agencies, activation production and operations, travel and hospitality agencies (OTAs and OHAs) 
• You have strong commercial acumen, with strong attention to detail
• You are a clear communicator, who is skilled in  creating documentation for, and presenting to, key clients
• You pride yourself on your ability to build credibility, respect and trust with others through depth of understanding and knowledge 
• You are experienced with project management, meeting milestones and are committed to achieving a positive result, while offering creative and innovative solutions
• You are adept at working under pressure in a fast-paced environment, delivering work to deadlines and honouring commitments
• You are flexible to work irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, depending on event schedules

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.

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 in Sydney (Mon-Thu)
• 2026 & 2027 – Full time in the office in Sydney

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.

The LOC 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.  

Applications will close at midnight on Monday 6 January 2025