Executive Contract | Full Time Fixed Term Salary:

$204,000 (including vehicle allowance)+ Superannuation

Shape the events that bring the Gold Coast to life The City of Gold Coast is seeking an accomplished and collaborative leader to guide the planning, approval and delivery of a diverse city-wide events portfolio.

As Manager Events, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across Council-led events, supported community events, venue and open-space bookings, and external event approvals, licensing and permitting.

This is a significant leadership opportunity for someone who understands the complete event lifecycle and can bring together delivery, customer service, safety, compliance, stakeholder engagement and continuous improvement.

Reporting to the General Manager City Activation, you will lead a multidisciplinary team of approximately 25 employees, with three direct reports. The team is responsible for event planning and delivery, venue and open-space bookings, and event-related approvals and permitting services.

About the role You will provide end-to-end oversight of events, from early planning and assessment through to approvals, operational delivery, compliance and evaluation.

Working across the organisation and with government agencies, the City’s funded entities, event organisers, businesses and community organisations, you will help deliver safe, welcoming and well-managed events that generate economic, community and placemaking advantages for the Gold Coast.

You will also act as the central executive liaison for event-related matters, including coordination with the Office of the CEO and Office of the Mayor.

Key responsibilities In this role, you will:





Provide strategic leadership across the City’s events, venue booking, event approval and permitting functions.

Oversee the planning and successful delivery of Council-led events, community events, civic activities and public-facing programs.

Lead streamlined, transparent and compliant assessment and approval pathways for events on public and private land.

Drive the development and continuous improvement of event, booking, licensing and permitting policies, frameworks, processes and systems.

Foster a strong culture of safety, wellbeing, care and respect across event operations

Ensure services are delivered consistently and in accordance with legislation, local laws, Council policy, safety standards and regulatory requirements.

Manage business unit resources and budgets to achieve strategic and operational outcomes.

Provide expert advice to senior leaders, Council stakeholders and external partners on event strategy, delivery, compliance and approvals.

Build productive relationships with government agencies, businesses, event companies, community organisations, contractors and consultants.

Balance commercial, community, regulatory and operational considerations to achieve positive outcomes.

Support the activation of key precincts and create benefits for local traders, residents, visitors and the broader community.





Develop the capability of leaders and team members, promoting accountability, collaboration and high performance.

Actively contribute to the leadership and strategic outcomes of the City Activation Branch.

About you You are an experienced events leader who can operate confidently in a complex, highly visible and community-focused environment.

You bring sound judgement, strong business acumen and the ability to turn strategic priorities into coordinated programs and practical outcomes. You are comfortable navigating competing interests, regulatory obligations and operational pressures while maintaining a explicit focus on safety, customer experience and community benefit.

You will demonstrate:

Substantial experience leading the planning and delivery of small and large-scale public events

strong people leadership skills and experience developing capable, collaborative and accountable teams

The ability to influence, negotiate and build trusted relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders

Experience managing complex portfolios, budgets, resources, risks and competing priorities

a strong understanding of governance, compliance and contemporary service-delivery practices

The ability to provide clear, credible and considered advice to senior leaders and key stakeholders

A commitment to continuous improvement and the delivery of consistent, customer-focused services

The ability to lead strategically while remaining connected to operational delivery

Qualifications and requirements:

A bachelor’s degree in business or equivalent, combined with relevant experience and knowledge in the management of small and lar

📌 Manager Events (Gold Coast)
🏢 City Of Gold Coast
📍 Gold Coast