Essendon Football Club
Community Pathways Lead
Essendon Football ClubAustralia3 hours ago
TemporaryRemote FriendlyOther
  • Lead community-based football pathways connecting grassroots to elite talent.
  • Deliver meaningful programs supporting Indigenous and culturally diverse young people.
  • Experience professional growth and exclusive perks.

About Us

The Essendon Football Club - “The Bombers” - are a professional sporting organisation in the Australian Football League, home to several teams, including AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW and Wheelchair Football programs. But we’re more than the game. At Essendon, unity binds us. We firmly believe that our strength comes from standing together as One Club, embracing our rich diversity, and uniting around a shared purpose. Our passion fuels every kick, every play, and every decision.

The essence of the Essendon legacy is deeply woven into the fabric of the Australian sporting calendar, through significant events such as the ANZAC Day and Dreamtime clashes, underscoring our commemoration and connection to national identity. Our heritage sets us apart, shaping our ethos and inspiring our journey. We strive to be better every day, pushing the boundaries and relentlessly pursuing excellence. But amidst the intensity of competition, respect remains paramount. We care about our impact on others, whether it's our teammates, opponents, or our community. When we ‘Don the Sash’, we do so with unity, passion, excellence, and respect guiding our every move, Always Striving toward our next triumph on the premiership stage.

About The Role

Essendon Football Club works at all levels to grow and strengthen Australian football, from grassroots participation through to elite pathways.

As the Community Pathways Lead, you will design, deliver and lead community-based pathway and participation programs that build a strong and sustainable talent pipeline into EFC’s Talent Programs. Reporting to the Head of Community, this role plays a key leadership role across the Club’s Next Generation Academy (NGA) and broader pathways programs, with a primary focus on U15 talent while supporting the identification and development of participants aged 12–14.

You’ll work closely with Football and Community teams to ensure strong alignment between grassroots participation and elite outcomes, with a particular focus on Indigenous and culturally diverse participants. This includes leading NGA participation programs, Indigenous pathway initiatives, and key regional and Northern Territory programs, ensuring young people are supported to progress through community, school and elite football environments.

This role is based at The NEC Hangar, Melbourne Airport, with seasonal travel to regional and remote locations as part of program delivery and relationship building.

About You

You’re passionate about community football and talent development, with experience delivering pathway programs within Australian football and a strong understanding of the AFL Next Generation Academy framework. You bring proven experience working with Indigenous and culturally diverse communities, and you’re confident leading academy-style programs that identify, develop and support young talent.

People-focused and highly organised, you build strong relationships across community, league and football environments, balancing strategic thinking with hands-on delivery, administration and reporting, while always placing child safety and wellbeing at the centre of your work.

The Perks

  • Extra Time Off? Absolutely! On top of standard leave, EFC People get up to 10 additional leave days each year, aligning with Footy Department mini-breaks or at the discretion of our Executive Team.
  • Family Comes First. We know family is your priority, and it’s ours too. That’s why we offer generous paid parental leave for both primary and non-primary carers.
  • Fitness & Wellbeing Perks. Take care of your mind and body with our Wellbeing program, run in partnership with Converge. Plus, enjoy access to our state-of-the-art elite fitness facilities and heavily discounted access to Windy Hill Fitness Centre for you and your partner.
  • Level Up Your Career. At EFC, we never stop learning! All team members have access to EFC Learning Programs, with face-to-face and online learning designed to support your professional growth.
  • And That’s Not All! Enjoy exclusive discounts from our Commercial Partners, plus two Flexi Home & Away memberships giving you access to all Essendon home & away games at Marvel Stadium and the MCG. Add in free onsite parking at our state-of-the-art HQ, The Hangar, and exclusive inner sanctum events and experiences!

Please keep reading...

Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the criteria, women and other marginalised folks tend to only apply when they tick every box. So, if you think you have what it takes, but don't currently meet all the criterial, please still consider applying.

At the Essendon Football Club, we are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered. We welcome candidates of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to join our team. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone can thrive and contribute their best work.

To Apply

Please submit your application as soon as possible as shortlisting will commence immediately. Please include in your cover letter why you are a great fit for this role, and why you want to work with Essendon Football Club. Cover letters should be no more than one page, outlining what you can bring to this position.

With our commitment to promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in our care, we undertake several screening processes to ensure this commitment is upheld. This includes ensuring all our people hold a valid employee Working with Children/Vulnerable People check and a satisfactory criminal history record check.

All applications will be treated with respect and confidentiality, and we endeavour to provide timely responses.

We politely ask not to be approached by recruitment agencies at this time.

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