About Us

The Perth Bears are Western Australia’s newest professional sporting club, set to join the NRL in 2027. As a high-performance organisation, we’re committed to building strong foundations on and off the field to ensure long-term success. Joining our team means being part of a rare start-up opportunity in elite sport, where your expertise will directly shape the future of rugby league in WA and help deliver a legacy for our community.

The Opportunity

It is rare in professional sport to be part of a club’s story before it even takes the field. As we build toward our 2027 debut, the Perth Bears are seeking a Partnerships Account Manager to help lay the foundation of our commercial program.

This isn’t just about managing an existing portfolio; it’s a career defining opportunity to help shape the commercial identity of a brand new franchise. You will be responsible for taking our Foundation Partners on the journey from the ground up, ensuring that the relationships we build today define our success for years to come.

What You’ll Do

Reporting to the Head of Partnerships & Sales you will build strong, long term relationships that deliver innovative partnership solutions, and ensure all partners receive outstanding value and return on investment and ensure all contractual obligations are met.

• Lead a portfolio of partner accounts, overseeing planning, promotional development, media integration, and event activations.
• Serve as the main point of contact for partners and their agencies. You will develop customised engagement plans to strengthen these connections at all levels of the business.  Lead game day and event-based partner activations.
• Ensure delivery of all contractual benefits. You will act as the internal expert on your partners’ objectives, ensuring all departments understand and respect their rights.
• Identify opportunities to increase partnership value through upsells and new initiatives, such as data-driven marketing or fan engagement projects.
• Manage the P&L for your portfolio, ensuring profitability and manage the partnership budget. Provide regular reports on partnership performance and industry trends.
• Work with players and internal marketing teams to deliver commercial requirements and campaign support.

What We’re Looking For

• At least 3 years in sponsorship, sales, advertising, or a related field. Experience within the sports, entertainment, or media industries is highly regarded.
• A Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or a related discipline (or equivalent professional experience).
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a proven ability to handle stakeholder interactions with diplomacy and discretion.
• Strong negotiation and relationship management skills.
• The ability to balance multiple priorities and manage programs within a defined budget.
• A track record of identifying and pitching new commercial opportunities

Working in a Start-Up Environment

The Perth Bears are a start-up organisation in a critical foundation phase. Like other roles recruited to date, this position is intentionally hands-on and will initially operate with lean support structures.

The role will be fully accountable for establishing, delivering, and operating the function, while the club grows. 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 day-to-day execution.

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.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we encourage early applications. Interviews may commence at any stage of the recruitment process, and recruitment may conclude once a suitable candidate has been identified.

Please note that you will be sent a mandatory pre-screening questionnaire via email after submitting your application.

Important Information

This role is based in Perth, Western Australia and remote working opportunities are not available.

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. Not open to recruitment agencies.