Are you a dynamic and experienced operations leader ready to be part of the team that oversees one of Melbourne’s most iconic multi-purpose venues? John Cain Arena is seeking an outstanding Operations Manager (Back of House) to join our team in a permanent, full-time position. You’ll play a pivotal role in driving the operational excellence, safety, and customer experience that makes John Cain Arena the go-to venue for world-class events.
About the Role
Reporting directly to the Venue Manager, you’ll lead a high-performing back of house operations team responsible for the seamless delivery of a diverse range of sporting and entertainment events. Your leadership and operational experience will ensure operational efficiency, risk management, and exceptional customer experiences, aligning with Melbourne Park’s vision of excellence in every aspect - every event, every person, every time.
You will collaborate closely with key internal and external stakeholders, including sporting teams, event promoters, and production partners, to ensure every event meets the highest standards. As part of the John Cain Arena’s senior leadership team, you’ll also be a key player in driving team alignment, venue innovation, safety culture, and ongoing development in a back of house sport and entertainment environment.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Team Capability
Lead and inspire the John Cain Arena back of house operations team, championing a high-performance culture of accountability and collaboration aligned to the wider organisation.
Event Planning & Delivery
Oversee the planning and delivery of the back-of-house operations function for a diverse range of world class elite sporting and entertainment events.
Stakeholder Management
Cultivate strong relationships with key stakeholders including sporting tenants, entertainment promoters, and internal teams to ensure seamless event delivery in a commercial environment.
Safety & Compliance
Champion safety standards by ensuring compliance with risk management, safety protocols, and operational procedures.
Financial Management
Oversee event estimates, settlements and other related financial reporting to ensure effective cost management and successful event budget outcomes.
Continuous Improvement
Lead post-event debriefs and use insights to drive continuous improvements in operations, processes, and client/customer satisfaction.
What You’ll Bring
Leadership Experience: Proven track record of leading high-performing teams in a fast-paced, operational environment, particularly in the events or venue management sector.
Back-of-House Operations Expertise: Extensive experience in planning and delivering back-of-house operations including, but not limited to, sports presentation, production, audio, and lighting, in a professional sporting and/or entertainment environment.
Stakeholder Relationship Management: Ability to build and nurture positive, collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders in the venue and in sports and entertainment sectors.
Risk & Safety Management: Experience in managing safety, and risk protocols in a sports and/or entertainment venue environment, with Chief Warden qualifications preferred.
Financial Management: Strong financial oversight skills, with experience in managing event budgets and achieving commercial outcomes.
Customer Experience Focus: A commitment to delivering world-class customer experiences, with a strong focus on innovation and continuous improvement.
Desirable Qualifications & Experience
Experience leading national and international sporting events from a back-of-house operations perspective.
Experience working with entertainment promoters and managing complex event logistics.
Experience in rigging, production, sport/event presentation or management in a related field.
Certifications such as Chief Warden, CI, Working at Heights, EWP, Forklift License, and other relevant OH&S qualifications are desirable.
This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of one of Melbourne’s premier venues and be part of a passionate, high-energy team. If you’re ready to bring your expertise in event operations and leadership to John Cain Arena, we’d love to hear from you!
Please note, applications close on Friday, 4th April 2025 COB.
A bit about us
Melbourne Park is an iconic, multi-venue precinct with few parallels globally. We showcase Melbourne to the world during the Australian Open and deliver hundreds of entertainment, sporting and community events each year across our world class venues.
At Melbourne Park we are passionate about delivering world class customer experiences every person, every event, every time. How do we do this? By seeking out the best talent to build a high performance, integrated team who are passionate about creating exceptional experiences for our guests.
Melbourne Park is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Please note successful applicants will be required to undertake a pre-employment screening. This includes but is not limited to a national police check and working with children check. Melbourne Park may withdraw an employment offer in the event of an unsatisfactory screening result.
Please note Melbourne Park operates a direct sourcing model, so we ask that agencies do not get in touch regarding this vacancy.
Melbourne Park values the privacy of every individual’s personal information and is committed to the protection of personal information. Your personal information is handled in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic.). For further information, please refer to the Melbourne Park careers page.