Fan Communications Specialist (Men's RWC 2027)

Closing date for applications is 30th January 2026 

Full time Fixed Term Contract start Feb 2026 until November 2027  Location: Sydney (Gadigal), Australia 

The Rugby World Cup Australia (RWCA) is proud to deliver one of the world’s most iconic sporting events — the Rugby World Cup 2027 (Men’s). More than a tournament, it’s a celebration of Rugby’s spirit, Australia’s culture, and the power of sport to unite and inspire communities around the world. 

Rugby World Cup Australia is excited to announce an opportunity for a Fan Communications Specialist to join our Sydney-based team. Reporting to the Senior Marketing Manager, this role is responsible for driving ticket and experiential sales for Rugby World Cup 2027 through data‑led fan communications and CRM excellence. Working at the heart of the Marketing and Communications team, it transforms fan data into actionable insights, enabling targeted, high‑impact campaigns that enhance customer journeys and deepen fan engagement. The position ensures a consistent and compelling tone of voice across all fan‑facing channels while collaborating closely with marketing, ticketing, agencies, unions, and partners to deliver aligned, impactful communications across the tournament ecosystem.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a once‑in‑a‑generation global sporting event that will help shape the future of rugby in Australia. We’re seeking someone who believes in the power of sport to unite communities, champions diversity and inclusion, and thrives in a fast‑paced, collaborative environment—someone excited to inspire and grow the next generation of rugby fans.

• Drive fan engagement and ticketing outcomes through data insights, CRM optimisation, audience segmentation, and fan/market analysis to support RWC 2027 revenue and experience goals.
• Lead fan communications and copywriting, creating a consistent tone of voice across all fan-facing channels and aligning internal stakeholders on language and messaging.
• Oversee CRM strategy and operations, ensuring effective planning, maintenance, optimisation, and integration with wider business systems and tools.
• Manage the external CRM agency, ensuring delivery quality, performance against SLAs, and smooth execution of fan communication programs.
• Collaborate across internal teams, unions, and partners to deliver cohesive, aligned, and effective fan communication across the full tournament ecosystem.
• Monitor performance and champion innovation, reporting on fan data initiatives and adopting new industry trends to continuously enhance World Rugby’s CRM and data capabilities.

• Commercial and tournament experience, with 3+ years in a fast‑paced consumer environment and direct experience working on major events.
• Strong technical and CRM capability, including understanding of Customer Data Platforms, digital channels, and end‑to‑end fan/customer journey design.
• Skilled copywriter, able to craft high‑quality, fan‑facing communications across multiple formats.
• Collaborative operator, experienced in working across multiple teams, stakeholders, and agencies to deliver integrated outcomes.
• Analytical and detail‑driven, capable of translating unstructured data into clear narratives and actionable insights.
• Resilient, adaptable, and outcomes‑focused, demonstrating strong time management, tenacity, and high performance under pressure.
• Strong communicator and relationship‑builder, with confident presentation skills, commercial acumen, and a positive, team‑oriented mindset—passion for sport and entertainment a plus.

• Competitive salary: We know world-class talent deserves to be rewarded.
• Hybrid game plan: Work from home on Mondays and Fridays, with a 3-day in-office schedule (Tues–Thu), moving to full-time in-office in 2027 as the tournament approaches.
• Unbeatable location: A modern space across from Sydney’s Hyde Park, just a 5-minute walk from Town Hall, surrounded by public transport, great cafes, restaurants, and shops.
• Wellbeing first: Weekly fresh fruit, Lunch & Learns and a focus on keeping our team feeling their best on and off the field.
• Locker-room ready: Showers, fresh towels, and Dyson hair tools so you can reset and refresh any time.
• Team spirit: Weekly drinks and social catchups that celebrate wins big and small.
• Make your mark: Play a key role in bringing the third largest sporting event in the world to life right here in Australia!

Australia’s hosting of the Rugby World Cup is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to grow the game, celebrate our people and culture, and deliver lasting social and economic impact. At the heart of our mission is diversity, inclusion, and legacy ensuring Rugby’s growth benefits all and inspires a new generation of players, fans, and communities. Join us in shaping an unforgettable celebration of Rugby, culture, and community.

World Rugby is the international federation responsible for the global development of rugby union. Its strategic mission is to accelerate the growth of rugby, inspiring more people to engage with the sport. Australia’s hosting of Rugby World Cups 2027 and 2029 are at the heart of that mission, representing an unparalleled growth opportunity for rugby in Australia, the region, and the global game more broadly.

Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 is rugby union’s pinnacle event contested every four years by the world’s best nations. For six weeks from 1 October- 13 November 2027, Australia will welcome the world to a nationwide festival of rugby, celebrating its rich culture and heritage, and kicking off a new era of rugby that will have a positive impact for Australia, Oceania and the game globally.

With an expanded format contested by the world’s top 24 teams, Men’s RWC Australia 2027 will inspire an entire generation and break down barriers by making rugby even more accessible, relevant and inclusive, boosting rugby’s fanbase and participation globally.

All revenue generated by Men’s RWC 2027 will be reinvested in the sport, supporting World Rugby’s global growth ambition, its 133 member unions and six regional associations.

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.

RWC 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.

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.

Please submit your CV (maximum 3 pages) outlining your suitability based on the requirements for the role via the APPLY NOW link. Only suitable candidate will be contacted. 

In setting expectations, there will be a 2-round interview process in our Sydney office.

All applicants need to be able to obtain their own working rights in Australia. 

We do not accept unsolicited CVs from recruitment agencies and no fees will be payable.  

Rugby World Cup Australia 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 and are happy to provide reasonable accommodations during the recruitment process. 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.