Senior Operations Manager, Overlay & Fit Out – Sydney

Senior Operations Manager - Overlay / Fit Out

REPORTS TO: Head of Event Delivery
OFFICE LOCATION: Sydney, Australia
CONTRACT TYPE: Fixed Term, December 2027

ROLE OVERVIEW

The Senior Operations Manager – Overlay / Fit Out leads the planning and delivery of all temporary infrastructure and fit-out requirements for Men’s Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2027 Experiences in Australia across official venues and hospitality sites. The role ensures every location is operationally ready, compliant, and aligned with brand standards to deliver exceptional experiences for clients and stakeholders. Working closely with internal teams, contractors, and suppliers, the position combines strategic oversight with hands-on project management to achieve timely, cost-effective, and high-quality delivery of overlay and fit-out programs.

MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Lead Overlay & Fit-Out Delivery: Oversee end-to-end planning and execution of temporary infrastructure and venue fit-out for hospitality and operational spaces, ensuring readiness for Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 Official Experiences.
• Supplier & Contractor Management: Manage procurement, contracting, and performance of overlay and fit-out suppliers and compliance to deliver projects on time, within budget, and to agreed quality standards.
• Design & Approval Coordination: Oversee technical drawings, layouts, and approvals for all fit-out works, ensuring efficient document management and integration with venue requirements and brand guidelines.
• Budget & Risk Management: Monitor budgets, track progress, and implement risk mitigation strategies to ensure cost control and timely delivery.
• Health & Safety Compliance: Embed WHS standards and regulatory compliance into all planning and delivery phases, ensuring safe working environments.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Operations, Commercial, and Venue teams to align overlay and fit-out plans with broader event objectives.
• Reporting & Documentation: Provide accurate reporting on milestones, risks, and delivery status; maintain detailed records to support post-event review and future knowledge transfer.
• Innovation & Efficiency: Identify opportunities for process improvements and value engineering initiatives that reduce costs or timelines while maintaining quality standards.
• Sustainability Practices: Support the integration of sustainable practices into overlay & fit out sites, focusing on recycling, waste reduction, and energy efficiency to align with organisational sustainability objectives and reduce environmental impact.
• Onsite Leadership: Act as the primary point of contact during installation and dismantling phases, resolving issues promptly to ensure operational excellence and adherence to event timelines.
• Staff Training and Development: Enhance team capability and performance through targeted training and development initiatives, reducing operational errors and improving delivery standards.

KEY EXPERIENCE

• Overlay & Fit-Out Delivery: Minimum 5 years’ experience managing major event infrastructure or overlay projects, including hospitality or sporting environments, from strategic planning through to onsite execution to ensure operational readiness.
• Commercial & Supplier Management: Proven ability to negotiate contracts, manage supplier performance, and maintain compliance with KPIs and timelines, while applying strong commercial acumen for budget control, cost optimisation, and value engineering.
• WHS & Risk Compliance: In-depth knowledge of Australian Work Health & Safety regulations with demonstrated experience embedding compliance and risk mitigation strategies into project delivery.
• Technical & Data Proficiency: Skilled in reviewing and approving technical drawings, layouts, and CAD outputs for accuracy and venue integration, combined with strong analytical capability to manage project data and reporting.
• Organisational Excellence: Exceptional ability to prioritise and manage multiple projects under pressure, maintaining accuracy and deadlines in fast-paced environments to deliver outcomes on time and within financial parameters.

DESIRABLE COMPETENCIES

• Collaborative Leadership: Demonstrated leadership style that fosters collaboration, effective influence, and aligns stakeholders.
• Analytical Thinking: Exhibits strong analytical and problem-solving skills to support sound decision-making.
• Technical Proficiency: Possesses expertise in project management tools and CAD or similar design platforms.
• Adaptability & Resilience: Shows flexibility and composure in fast-paced, high-pressure environments.
• Customer Focus: Maintains a strong commitment to delivering exceptional customer and partner experiences.

A passion for sports is beneficial but not essential.

WHO WE ARE

STH Group is a Sodexo Live! company, with offices in London, Miami, Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne, enabling a truly global reach and service offering.

Our Company partners with event owners to make the biggest sporting events in the world - even better! From the Olympic Games in London and Tokyo, the Cricket World Cup in England & Wales to the Rugby World Cups in Japan, England, New Zealand and France, our award-winning team cover the globe to create travel and hospitality programmes with one simple ambition – to leave sports fans knowing they have just been part of an experience of a lifetime.

At STH, you belong to something greater; our experiences are unique and so are our people. Bring personality, your background and your desire for delighting others; in return we'll give you all you need to thrive. Through joining STH, you will be part of an inclusive and driven culture, that focuses on collective success and empowerment; we thrive on making the memorable, unforgettable for thousands of global sporting fans. We champion the ethos of the sports teams we represent and ensure our culture is one that is opportunity driven, both for the customers we serve – and the people who make them possible!

WHAT WE STAND FOR

STH Group identify the below values as fundamental commitments for every member of our team. Like the athletes we admire and connect with fans, we use these as our guiding compass in everything that we do, which supports a “one-team” mentality, culture-code and aligned directive.

• Service Spirit: We are customer obsessed, encouraging our teams to anticipate expectations and take pride in all services they deliver.
• Spirit of Progress: We strive to be trailblazers, we seek continuous improvement and innovation in everything that we do.
• Team Spirit: We thrive on winning together, delivering exceptional outcomes for our customers, employees, partners and the communities in which we operate.

How to Apply: To apply, click on the 'Apply' button to the right of this page.