An opportunity to lead and deliver a major international sporting championship.
Paddle Australia is seeking a highly experienced sports and event professional to provide strategic leadership in the planning and operational delivery of the 2025 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships. The event will take place at Penrith Whitewater Stadium, hosting participants from over 50 nations worldwide from 1 to 6 October 2025.
About the role:
The General Manager will be directly responsible for execution of the event Masterplan and ensure alignment with the associated Roadmap, monitoring delivery against agreed timelines and milestones, adjusting plans as necessary and providing timely reports to Paddle Australia Management, the Host Organising Committee and other stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities:
- Budget Management & Financial Oversight - Monitor and manage the Budget, ensuring that all departments and functional areas operate within allocated resources, adjusting expenditure as required to deliver the event in line with Masterplan and Roadmap.
- Team Leadership & Coordination - Ensure that all team members understand their roles and responsibilities in delivering the event as detailed in the Masterplan and Roadmap and have access to the resources required.
- Operational Oversight - Oversee all event-related logistics, including the setup of the competition course, field of play, and coordination with ICF Technical Officials. Scope, oversee and manage contracts with third party providers and suppliers, monitoring and reporting on progress.
- Risk Management & Compliance - Develop and implement risk management strategies, ensuring that contingency plans are in place for weather disruptions, technical failures, or other operational risks.
- Stakeholder Coordination - Serve as the primary operational liaison with key stakeholders, including the ICF, local government bodies, sponsors, and community organisations.
Our Ideal Candidate:
Our ideal candidate is high energy and passionate about major event planning and operational delivery. Someone who can clearly demonstrate that they have the leadership skills and operational experience to execute the delivery of a major international sporting championship.
We're interested in hearing from people who can demonstrate:
- A minimum of 5 years in event management/operations and proven expertise in project management, overseeing planning, operations, logistics and delivery, ideally across significant major and/or international events.
- Experience leading the delivery of complex event roadmaps and achieving milestones across multiple functional areas.
- Strong financial acumen with experience in managing multi-million-dollar event budgets and ensuring cost-effective operations.
- Proven ability to lead and coordinate large, multidisciplinary teams, including staff, volunteers, contractors, and external partners.
- Familiarity with managing broadcast partnerships and delivering sport presentation that enhances the event experience.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage high-level stakeholders, including government, sponsors, and international organisations.
- Relevant tertiary or professional qualifications in Sports/Events Management or equivalent are desirable.
Aptitude & Interpersonal Skills:
- Professional, proactive, inclusive, and supportive, great at managing relationships and building a collaborative team environment.
- Proactive, self-motivated and a passionate to achieve excellence with a strong desire to excel and willingness to establish and strive for stretch goals.
Please note this a contract role from November 2024 through to October 31, 2025. To find out more about the 2025 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, please visit paddle25.org.au.
Applications close 10am AEDT, Monday 4th November.
