General Manager – Football

About Us

History is being made in Perth! The Bears are coming to the NRL in 2027, and we’re looking for passionate people to help us build something incredible from the ground up. This is your chance to be part of the action, working behind the scenes of a professional sporting club as we prepare to roar onto the national stage.

If you love sport, thrive in fast-paced environments, and want to be part of rugby league history, this is your moment.

The Opportunity

The General Manager – Football is an executive leadership role responsible for the strategic direction, management and performance of the Perth Bears Football Department. The role provides oversight across all football functions including player recruitment and list management, coaching, wellbeing, football operations, high performance, medical services, and pathways/academy programs.

As a key member of the Executive Team, the GM – Football will drive the establishment of elite football operations to support the club’s inaugural NRL season in 2027 and beyond.

This includes building a high-performance culture, ensuring compliance with NRL regulations, and delivering sustainable long-term development pathways.

In this role, you will:

• Shape football strategy & leadership excellence
• Champion culture, wellbeing & inclusion
• Establish & elevate football operations & systems
• Strengthen governance, risk & compliance
• Build strategic industry relationships

What You’ll do

Leadership & Strategy

Lead all operational and performance areas of the Football Department including:

• Player Recruitment & List Management
• Wellbeing & Player Development
• Football Operations (logistics, compliance, match day)
• High Performance (strength, conditioning, sports science, recovery, medical)
• Pathways, Academies, and Development
• Drive a culture of excellence, professionalism, and wellbeing.
• Ensure alignment between recruitment, coaching philosophy, performance programs and player development pathways.

Provide strategic leadership for all football-related operations, aligned to the club’s vision, values, and strategic plan.

• Act as a liaison between the Football Department, CEO and Board.
• Regular reporting to the Board.
• Collaborate with the CEO and Executive Team to ensure integration and alignment of football and corporate teams.
• Have overall accountability for the Football Department budget, ensuring compliance with salary cap and soft cap requirements.
• Actively contribute to the development of the Perth Bears Elite Training Facility.
• Lead and mentor the football leadership group (Head Coach, High Performance, Wellbeing, Recruitment, Operations, Pathways)

Pathways & Development

• Oversee the establishment of academies, development programs, and partnerships with feeder clubs.
• Build sustainable talent pipelines across Western Australia and nationally.
• Lead engagement with schools, community clubs, and state-based representative programs to grow rugby league participation and elite talent.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with NRL, Rugby League Players Association (RLPA), Player agents, affiliate clubs, NRLWA and external stakeholders
• Represent the club in football-related forums, negotiations, and strategic discussions.
• Work closely with sponsors, partners, and community stakeholders to promote football programs.

Working in a Start-Up Environment

The Perth Bears are a start-up organisation in a critical foundation phase. This position is intentionally hands-on and will initially operate with lean support structures.

The role will be fully accountable for building the club’s processes from scratch. You will design, build and deliver concurrently while the club grows around you. This is not a role with layers of administration or inherited systems. You will be required to design processes, integrate technology platforms, build relationships, solve problems in real time, and deliver outcomes concurrently.

Success in this role requires comfort with ambiguity, strong personal accountability, and the ability to move seamlessly between strategic planning and hands-on execution. As the club scales, there will be significant opportunities to shape the future structure and resourcing of the function.

Why Join Us

This is more than a job — it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape the success of Perth’s new NRL team. You’ll be part of a start-up phase where your ideas, energy and leadership will directly influence the club’s future.

• This is a rare opportunity to build a team entirely from the ground up, within a high-profile, values-driven organisation

• Work in a dynamic, ambitious and supportive start-up culture

• Leave your mark on rugby league in Western Australia

How to Apply

If you’re ready to join one of the most exciting new ventures in Australian sport, we want to hear from you. Apply now with your CV and a cover letter outlining your experience and why you’re the right person to build the Bears’ future.

You will be sent a pre-screening questionnaire after submitting your application.

Important Information

The Perth Bears are an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all employees. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people with disability.

Please note, the Perth Bears do not accept unsolicited applications or requests for employment sent directly to the Club. Only applications submitted through the advertised channels will be considered.

Applications will be reviewed as received, we encourage early applications, as interviews may commence prior to the advertised closing date, and the ad will be closed early should a suitable candidate be identified.

This role is not open to recruitment agencies.