Catering, Cleaning & Waste (CCW) Operations Manager

Catering, Cleaning & Waste (CCW) Operations Manager

Rugby World Cup Australia

Sydney NSW

Contract

Hybrid

Rugby World Cup Australia (RWCA) is preparing to host one of the world's most significant sporting events, the Rugby World Cup 2027 (Men's). This event transcends sport, aiming to celebrate Rugby's spirit, Australia's culture, and the unifying power of sport.

RWCA is seeking an experienced and driven Catering, Cleaning & Waste (CCW) Operations Manager to join its Tournament Services team. This role, based in the Sydney office and reporting to the Head of CCW, Freight & Logistics, is responsible for two crucial functional areas. The position involves overseeing the planning and execution of catering services for diverse client groups, collaborating closely with venue operators and suppliers to ensure a high-quality, seamless experience across all tournament locations. A strong emphasis on consistency, quality, and operational excellence is paramount to achieving world-class standards for both back-of-house operations and fan-facing services.

Furthermore, this role encompasses the management of cleaning and waste operations, ensuring all venues meet safety, efficiency, and sustainability requirements aligned with tournament objectives. Collaboration with a wide array of internal teams, contractors, and external stakeholders will be key to aligning strategy with execution, managing service delivery, and fostering continuous improvement across multiple sites. This is a demanding, high-impact position suitable for a confident leader with experience in major events or complex operations, who excels in dynamic environments and is committed to delivering exceptional global results.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the comprehensive management, coordination, and delivery of Catering, Cleaning, and Waste (CCW) operations across all tournament locations, ensuring alignment with strategy, standards, and service expectations.
• Oversee the end-to-end catering program for all key client groups, including fans, workforce, contractors, teams, match officials, and media/broadcast. This includes developing catering approaches for non-match venues.
• Manage appointed catering providers to ensure they meet contractual obligations, service levels, pricing, staffing plans, and agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Define and implement the venue food and beverage concessions strategy, working with venues to enhance the fan experience and integrate Tournament Partner products. This includes the allocation and supply of Value-in-Kind (VIK) inventory.
• Lead the planning and delivery of sustainable cleaning and waste management programs for both match and non-match venues. This involves collaboration with venue operators and external site owners to achieve agreed service levels and sustainability targets.
• Oversee the coordination and compliance of liquor licensing.
• Manage the CCW budget.
• Develop all operational documentation, including plans, policies, procedures, and contingency frameworks.
• Build and lead a high-performing CCW team.
• Support operational readiness through site visits.
• Manage issue reporting, escalation, and resolution throughout the tournament lifecycle.

Qualifications & Experience:

• More than 5 years of experience in CCW operations or similar large-scale operational delivery roles.
• Mandatory experience in major events or complex, multi-site environments.
• Demonstrated success in delivering high-volume catering, venue operations, or related functional areas, preferably within Australia.
• Experience overseeing cleaning operations across large-scale environments, including defining service levels, managing providers, and maintaining consistent delivery standards.
• Proven capability in waste management and sustainability practices, including the implementation of recycling programs and waste reduction initiatives.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships across internal teams, venues, suppliers, and partners.
• Solid project management capability, with experience managing multiple workstreams, competing priorities, and delivering outcomes within tight deadlines.
• Proven leadership capability, with experience motivating and developing teams, supported by excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Highly organised, detail-oriented, and resilient, with strong problem-solving ability and adaptability.
• Ability to perform under pressure, with flexibility to travel and work irregular hours as required.

We Offer:

• Competitive salary: World-class talent will be rewarded.
• Hybrid work arrangement: Work from home on Mondays and Fridays, with a 3-day in-office schedule (Tuesdays to Thursdays). This will transition to full-time in-office attendance in 2027 as the tournament approaches.
• Prime location: Situated in a modern office space opposite Sydney's Hyde Park, a 5-minute walk from Town Hall, and surrounded by amenities.

Application Closing Date: 8th July 2026

Contract Duration: Full-time Fixed Term Contract, commencing September 2026 and concluding November 2027.