Job Description
*Accepting Melbourne AND Sydney based applicants.*
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About Bastion
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Bastion is an independent agency that exists to put brands, organisations and people in a position of strength. Our integrated model sees brand, digital, social, influencer, experiential and research experts sitting side by side, working together on major brands to solve their marketing challenges.
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At Bastion Experience we create strategic partnerships and brand experiences that people want to talk about, creating work that surprises and delights.
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Role Overview
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The General Manager of Experience is responsible for running the day-to-day performance of Bastion Experience ensuring the business operates effectively, commercially, and consistently.
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This role owns the BAU engine of the business - people, clients, product, delivery and performance - proactively identifying and solving issues, strengthening client outcomes and driving sustainable growth, across experiential, sponsorship, partnerships and live brand platforms.
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Reporting to and working closely with the Managing Director - Experience, the General Manager of Experience enables the Managing Director to focus on broader growth agenda, market positioning and expansion. This is a senior, hands‐on leadership role requiring equal strength across operations, commercial outcomes, client leadership and new business, including solving client challenges, driving creativity to be creative and leaders in our delivery. You are a key contributor to the national Experience team and a visible ambassador for Bastion in market.
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Business Leadership & Growth
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Drive growth through a combination of new business and expansion of existing clients
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Drive growth across Bastion Experience through a combination of new business development and expansion of existing client partnerships, aligned to the business's strategic priorities, across sport, major events, government, tourism, infrastructure, precincts and brand partnerships across a variety of industry sectors
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Build Bastion Experience's reputation as a leading national experiential and partnerships agency through visibility, relationships and excellence in delivery
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Contribute to the national growth agenda alongside the Managing Director
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Collaborate with Bastion practice areas to drive cross-agency integration and shared commercial success
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Partner with the Head of Strategic Partnerships on overall agency pipeline development, forecasting and commercial planning. Maintain strong forecasting discipline and pipeline visibility to support sustainable growth
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Lead and support major pitches and commercial opportunities
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Own and grow a portfolio of key clients, including senior stakeholder relationships
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Act as strategic partner to clients, not just delivery lead
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Build and maintain senior‐level client relationships, positioning Bastion as a strategic partner, not just a delivery agency
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Be the key contact across clients
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Own and grow a strong client portfolio, ensuring consistent revenue growth, margin discipline and long‐term retention
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Ensure strong revenue growth, margin discipline and long‐term client retention
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Strategy, Experience & Innovation
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Evolve Bastion Experience's product offering to remain competitive, integrated and market‐leading
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Drive earlier ("upstream") involvement in client strategy and briefs
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Strengthen integration with Bastion's broader capabilities (creative, PR, digital, social, influencer, research)
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Build and optimise supplier and partner ecosystems to enhance delivery capability
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Ensure all work is insight‐led, culturally relevant and commercially effective
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Lead the development of world‐class experiential, sponsorship and partnership strategies that drive cultural relevance and commercial return
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Translate major cultural and event‐led narratives (e.g. legacy, community, innovation, sustainability) into meaningful brand platforms and experiences
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Ensure all work is insight‐led, creatively ambitious and clearly linked to client business outcomes
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People and Culture
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Build and lead high‐performance teams across markets, setting clear expectations and accountability standards
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Foster a culture that is hard on the work and supportive of people, driving excellence without compromising collaboration
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Lead effective change management, ensuring teams adapt to evolving client, market and business needs
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Attract, develop and retain top talent, creating clear pathways for growth and progression
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Product
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Shape and evolve an integrated creative and experience offering, working seamlessly across Bastion capabilities within the Experience team and where necessary the broader creative capabilities of the broader Bastion group
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Co‐Drive stronger client engagement, influencing strategy early and positioning Bastion Experience as a true partner
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Build and optimise supplier partnerships, ensuring best‐in‐class delivery through trusted partners
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Continuously refine the product to stay ahead of cultural, technological and client shifts
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Performance and Commercial Rigour
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Drive commercial rigor, with a strong focus on margin management,



pricing discipline and profitability
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Lead new business origination, maintaining a strong national pipeline and converting high‐value opportunities
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Own and embed robust forecasting practices, ensuring visibility, accuracy and proactive decision‐making
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Balance creative ambition with commercial outcomes to deliver sustainable growth
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Operational Excellence
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Oversee delivery of projects nationally, ensuring quality, efficiency and profitability
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Ensure strong governance, risk management and financial control
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Embed commercial discipline across all projects, with a focus on margin and delivery excellence
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Contribute to continuous improvement of processes, tools and ways of working across the Experience practice
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Improve ways of working, processes and cross‐team collaboration
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Remove internal friction to enable teams to perform at their best
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Success Profile (What Good Looks Like)
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A well‐run, high‐performing business with strong commercial discipline
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Growing and retained client portfolio with deeper strategic partnerships
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A clear, differentiated and evolving Experience product
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High‐performing, engaged teams
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A strong and visible pipeline of new business opportunities
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What You Bring
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Min 12 years' experience across experiential marketing, sponsorship, partnerships, major events or brand platforms
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Proven track record of winning and growing significant client accounts at a national level
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Deep knowledge of sport, entertainment, culture and large‐scale event ecosystems
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Commercially astute, with experience managing revenue targets, pricing and profitability
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Confident senior communicator, comfortable presenting to C‐suite stakeholders
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Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to build momentum in a high‐growth environment
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High emotional intelligence with a collaborative leadership style
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MUST have full working rights in Australia
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What we offer
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Flexible work in a hybrid work environment
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A supportive culture focused on collaboration and personal growth
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A truly integrated agency network that includes research, data, insights, creative, digital, experiential, reputation management, content production, performance, earned media, etc.
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The opportunity to lead fully integrated campaigns that expand your experience in the marketing and communications landscape
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Team Activities - a calendar of events that connects our team in creative and fun ways lead by our dedicated "Captains of Joy"
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Ability to connect with senior leaders within the business via Bastion mentor program
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*Accepting Melbourne AND Sydney based applicants.*
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📌 General Manager - Experience (New South Wales)
🏢 Bastion
📍 New South Wales