Partnerships Specialist (Men's RWC 2027)

Closing date for applications is 4th May 2026 

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

Rugby World Cup Australia is seeking a Partnership Specialist to join our Commercial team in our Sydney CBD office.

The Partnership Specialist will play a key role in the delivery of official Rugby World Cup partnerships, supporting the end‑to‑end execution of contractual rights and activations across a complex, multi‑stakeholder environment. Reporting to the Head of Partner Engagement, this role sits at the centre of partner delivery, acting as the day‑to‑day connection point between partners and internal functional areas.

Working closely with senior partnership team members, World Rugby and internal delivery teams, the Partnership Specialist will help bring global partnerships to life by coordinating assets, managing timelines, supporting stakeholder communications and ensuring delivery to the highest standard. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the world’s largest sporting events and gain hands‑on experience across a high‑profile international tournament.

• Support the end‑to‑end delivery of assigned Rugby World Cup partnerships, acting as a day‑to‑day contact for partners and agencies as required.
• Coordinate and track delivery of partnership rights and assets in line with contractual obligations and agreed workplans.
• Collaborate with internal functional areas including marketing, digital, operations, ticketing, hospitality and events to integrate partner activity across the tournament.
• Support senior team members on high‑value partnerships while independently managing select partner portfolios.
• Maintain accurate documentation, timelines and status reporting to support effective partner delivery and issue management.
• Assist with partner communications, meetings, activations and reporting across build‑up and tournament‑time phases.

• Experience in account management, partnerships, client servicing or commercial delivery roles, ideally within sport, events or consumer brands.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to coordinate multiple internal and external priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to translate commercial agreements into practical delivery actions.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage competing deadlines.
• A proactive, solutions‑focused mindset and comfort working in fast‑paced environments.
• Japanese language capability or exposure to major events or international partnerships would be regarded but is not essential.

• 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 and learn with 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. As the tournament approaches, this role may evolve into a tournament‑time position, contributing directly to the successful delivery of the event.

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.

How to apply

Please submit your CV (maximum 3 pages), along with a cover letter detailing your suitability for the role to the APPLY NOW link.

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

RWC 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. 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.  

The role offers hybrid working during the initial phases of planning, noting that as the event draws near the role will be required to be full time in the office integrating with the rest of the team. The current planning is based on:

• 3 x core office days – Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
• 2 x flexible days, where you can work from home if you prefer (Monday & Friday)