Please note this is a Work from Home (WFH) role, located anywhere in Australia at 38 hours per week.

About us

Pickleball Australia (PA) is the peak body for the sport of pickleball in Australia and is a member of the Global Pickleball Federation (GPF). Established in 2020, presently PA has 7 State/Territory member associations, 430+ affiliated clubs/venues and 28,000+ financial members.

Currently a team of 16 employees and 5 advisory groups support a board of directors (transitioning from operational to advisory) to support the exponential growth of pickleball in areas including but not exclusive to – social and competitive playing opportunities, tournaments and other events, accreditation and training of officials and coaches, education and inclusive player programs, marketing and promotion.

PA is focused on achieving National Sport Organisation recognition from the Australian Sports Commission and working closely with international bodies to ensure unity across the world.

Our culture and values

We’ve held the vision for pickleball in Australia since the inception of play down under.

We’ve built a movement – long before others noticed things were moving. Fuelled by passion and community, we’ve built pathways and partnerships, locally and globally.

We’ve transformed unused spaces, dinked in driveways whilst ushering in a new area of facility development, and unstoppable membership growth.

We’ve provided governance, oversight & integrity whilst protecting and nurturing the true spirit and outrageous fun of pickleball.

We’ve fostered growth in participation, volunteering, grassroots, social and elite play.

It was tough to take a nation from “What on earth is pickleball?” to “I LOVE pickleball,” but we did it.

We are the heartbeat of this sport in Australia, a diverse and active community supported by robust governance, and professionalism that extends from the very grass roots to the growing elite levels of the sport.

The role The Operations Manager is responsible for providing leadership, oversight and coordination across Pickleball Australia's operational portfolios to ensure the effective delivery of national programs, competitions, education pathways, commercial initiatives and strategic projects.

The role serves as the central point of operational leadership across the organisation, ensuring that operational activities are aligned with Pickleball Australia's strategic objectives, delivered efficiently, and supported by strong accountability and performance management frameworks.

The Operations Manager will work closely with staff, contractors, volunteers, State Members, commercial partners and key stakeholders to support the sustainable growth of pickleball throughout Australia.

Your responsibilities

Operational Leadership

- Provide day-to-day leadership and oversight of operational functions across the organisation.
- Develop, implement and monitor operational plans aligned to organisational priorities.
- Establish and maintain effective operational systems, processes and reporting mechanisms.
- Coordinate cross-functional activities to ensure consistency and alignment across departments.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, effectiveness and service delivery.




- Prepare operational reports for the Executive Officer and Board as required.

Competitive Pathways, Tournaments and Leagues
- Oversee the operational delivery of Pickleball Australia's tournament and league programs.
- Support the implementation and growth of national participation and competitive pathways.
- Monitor program performance, participant experience and operational outcomes.
- Coordinate operational requirements associated with representative teams and pathway initiatives.
- Ensure competitions are delivered in accordance with organisational policies and standards.

Coaching and Education
- Oversee the administration and delivery of coaching accreditation and education programs.
- Support the development and implementation of coach development initiatives.
- Monitor participation, retention and quality outcomes within coaching programs.
- Work collaboratively with education providers and subject matter experts to enhance program delivery.

Officiating
- Oversee the administration and delivery of officiating accreditation pathways.
- Support recruitment, retention and development of officials.
- Coordinate officiating workforce requirements for major events and competitions.
- Ensure officiating programs are aligned with organisational objectives and operational requirements.

Commercial Operations and Facilities
- Support the delivery of sponsorship obligations and partnership agreements.
- Assist in the management and optimisation of facility operations and utilisation.
- Coordinate operational requirements associated with commercial initiatives.
- Identify opportunities to improve operational outcomes and commercial performance.
- Maintain positive relationships with sponsors, facility operators and commercial partners.

Strategic Projects
- Lead and coordinate strategic operational projects as directed by the Executive Officer.
- Develop project plans, timelines and reporting frameworks.
- Monitor project milestones, budgets and deliverables.
- Ensure projects are delivered efficiently and aligned with organisational priorities.

People Leadership
- Provide leadership, support and supervision to operational staff and contractors.
- Foster a positive, collaborative and high-performance workplace culture.
- Assist with workforce planning, recruitment, onboarding and staff development.
- Conduct performance reviews and support continuous professional development.
- Promote organisational values and behaviours.

Governance, Risk and Compliance
- Support compliance with organisational policies, procedures and governance requirements.
- Assist with risk identification, mitigation and monitoring activities.
- Ensure operational activities are conducted in accordance with relevant legislation and organisational standards.
- Support organisational reporting and accountability requirements.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Qualifications

- Relevant qualifications and/or equivalent experience in business management,



sport management, operations, project management or a related discipline. (Essential)
- Formal qualifications in management, leadership, project management or sport administration. (Desirable)

Essential Skills and Competencies
- Strong leadership and people management skills.
- Excellent organisational and project management abilities.
- Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver outcomes in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
- Demonstrated financial, operational and reporting skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively across teams and operational functions.

Desirable Skills & Competencies
- Knowledge of the Australian sporting landscape.
- Understanding of governance, risk and compliance principles.
- Experience managing commercial partnerships and sponsorship delivery.
- Experience with facility operations and event management.
- Proficiency in membership, event and project management systems.
- Knowledge of pickleball or similar participation-based sports.

Key Capabilities and Attributes

- Strong project coordination and organisational skills
- Ability to work across multiple priorities in a dynamic workplace
- High level of initiative, adaptability and problem-solving capability
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building ability
- Sound judgement, discretion and professionalism
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively

About you You are a highly organised and proactive leader who thrives on bringing people, projects and priorities together to achieve outstanding outcomes. You have experience managing complex operations, leading teams and delivering strategic initiatives in a dynamic environment.

You are equally comfortable working at a strategic level and rolling up your sleeves to ensure projects are delivered on time and to a high standard. With strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, you build positive relationships across staff, volunteers, members, partners and external stakeholders.

You are a natural problem solver with excellent organisational and project management capabilities, and you enjoy working in a fast-growing setting where no two days are the same. Experience in sport, membership-based organisations, events, facilities, education programs or community participation initiatives will be highly regarded.

Most importantly, you are passionate about making a difference and want to play a key role in supporting the continued growth of one of Australia's fastest-growing sports.

Additional Requirements:

- Ability to work flexible hours as required
- Willingness to travel nationally for meetings, events or project delivery
- National Police Check and Working with Children Check
- Home office setup
- Reliable, fast, home internet setup

How to apply: Please ensure your cover letter and resume are attached in your application and made out to the Executive Officer of Pickleball Australia. Only applications submitted through Seek will be accepted.

Applications will close on Friday the 21st of August 2026 at 5pm. Applications may close earlier should a suitable applicant be found.

📌 Operations Manager (Sydney)
🏢 Pickleball Australia
📍 Sydney