Event Operations Manager

• Ready to take your career in the events industry to the next level? 

• Opportunity to work for an iconic organisation! 

• Full-time role and great benefits (CBD based) 

Join our team! 

Our iconic venue offers stunning views of the Yarra River and Melbourne cityscape. As industry leaders, we host Australia’s most significant events year-round. Join our 500-plus- team crafting unforgettable experiences from conferences, exhibitions, and meetings to galas and beyond.  

About the role 

Accountable for overseeing all operational and delivery requirements of the event with a customer centric lens, you will provide internal and external customers with an exceptional and seamless experience from pre-event planning through to full event delivery. You possess excellent operational knowledge and are able to provide sound operations advice, judgment, direction, and guidance throughout the customer journey.  

During the event you will be the key conduit between the customer and the MCEC event delivery team. Overseeing and coordinating all elements of the event you will also act as a point of escalation to make decisions and solve challenges in an appropriate and timely manner. You care about the customer and are part of their journey to deliver a memorable experience for their clients and delegates. 

What you’re here to do 

• Provide strong and visible leadership across event operations, communicating to internal and external customers and stakeholders in a considered, confident, influential, and mature manner. 

• Oversee the running of assigned MCEC events to ensure the highest level of service to customers, contractors, and internal stakeholders 

• Provide advice, recommendations, and approval on all event planning documentation, including floor plans, schedules, builds and event related WHS documents whilst allowing for custom, complex or unique requests. 

• Have a consistent lens on all of event activities across the venue, addressing and coordinating competing event priorities (including people movement and queuing) to deliver exceptional experiences and outcomes for our customers. 

• Coordinate a consistent approach with peers and management to solving event related challenges and represent the Event Operations department in customer meetings to address issues demonstrating clear problem-solving capabilities and direction based on MCEC’s operational guidelines/regulatory requirements. 

• Plan, coordinate and manage all ongoing requirements in relation to event space reconfigurations (as requested).  

• Assume the primary customer contact position during event delivery and act as a conduit for all customer needs, liaising with support services to deliver a successful event in an accurate, consistent, and timely manner whilst also solving challenges at pace.  

• Meet and greet the customer(s), providing them with pre-ordered welcome packs, car park tickets, swipe cards, account cards and any other items as required.   

• This role works on a 7 day (Monday to Sunday) rotating roster with AM and PM shifts. As Primary or Secondary contact you must ensure you are available during your allocated rostered day(s) and hours and for occasional ad-hoc after-hours requests.  

About you: 

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Business, Event Management, or other suitable qualifications 

• Demonstrated experience (minimum of 3 years) working in mid-senior level event operations/management particularly related to the delivery of large-scale events. 

• Natural leadership capabilities, including the ability successfully communicate with customers and provide direction to contractors and suppliers in a fast-paced event environment. 

• Experience in the delivery of outstanding customer services in a similar environment. 

• Capable of working effectively and objectively within a team 

• A successful track record in interpreting and delivering client and customer expectations. 

• Available to work varying hours across weekdays and weekends, based upon event requirements. 

• Exceptional organisational and time management skills and demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and to effectively manage multiple projects. 

Why You’ll Love It Here  

We know work is just one part of life, so we’re all about flexibility, balance, and perks that actually matter.  

Here’s what’s in it for you:  

• Exclusive perks and discounts on parking, dry cleaning, dining, childcare, and healthcare.  

• 14 weeks paid parental leave because family matters.  

• Extra leave options, including paid pet, volunteer, and study leave, plus Healthy Days when you need a reset.  

• Discounted lunches catered by our Chefs each day  

• Keep cup incentive with an exclusive staff coffee deal at our Cafés.  

Your Wellbeing Matters  

We care about more than just your job title. Our wellbeing initiatives are here to support you inside and outside of work.  

• Confidential counselling and Healthy Day leave through our Employee Assistance Program.  

• Discounted gym and pool access with Fitness Passport.  

• Financial coaching through Money Assist, because your future is worth investing in.  

Make an Impact  

We don’t just talk about community; we invest in it. Through our partnerships with leading Australian charities, we contribute nearly $2 million annually to causes that champion sustainability, inclusivity, and innovation.  

Ready to Apply 

Applications close on: Sunday 09th November 

*Noting that candidates may be contacted earlier than the above-mentioned date 

Why choose us?   

At MCEC, we’re not your typical event venue. We’re a dynamic team passionate about bringing event ideas to life. With over 1,000 bespoke events yearly, we pioneer new possibilities in event excellence. Our people are not just the best at what they do, they’re the best at doing things no one else has done before. 

Built on the banks of the Birrarung (Yarra River), Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) Acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Narrm, the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and to Elders of all First Nations communities that visit MCEC. We recognise the ongoing significance of the Birrarung to Traditional Owners as a life source and a meeting place for millennia and seek to honour this long-standing tradition of building community and exchanging ideas on these lands.