Key Responsibilities
Campaign Strategy & Delivery
* Support the development of annual marketing strategies, contributing insights and recommendations.
* Maintain campaign and content calendars, timelines and milestones.
* Assist with audience segmentation, targeting, messaging and journey mapping.
* Ensure all activity is integrated across paid, owned and earned touchpoints.
Content, Creative & Owned Channels
* Manage day-to-day content across websites, EDMs and social channels.
* Draft and schedule social content; develop email campaign content and journey-based messaging.
* Manage website updates in line with campaign and operational needs.
* Develop content and communications that support runners across the full journey – training, race week, post-race and off-season.
* Coordinate ambassador, pacer and athlete-led storytelling to inspire and educate the running community.
* Brief creative agencies and content teams; coordinate video, photography and on-event capture.
* Maintain and organise photo, video and creative asset libraries.
Customer Service & Engagement
* Support customer service queries across social media channels, ensuring responses are timely, accurate and aligned with event information and brand tone.
* Monitor community conversations across social platforms and flag emerging themes, risks or opportunities for improved communication.
* Assist with developing proactive communications (FAQ content, website updates, social posts, email updates) to reduce recurring queries and enhance customer experience.
On-Sale, Ballot & Waitlist Communications
* Lead the end-to-end marketing and communication process for all on-sales, including ballot launches, general releases and priority access phases, ensuring all messaging is timely, accurate and strategically aligned.
* Develop and deliver all ballot-related content, including launch announcements, reminders, educational content, FAQs, eligibility messaging and results communications for successful and unsuccessful applicants.
* Manage waitlist communications and audience segmentation to maintain engagement, support customer experience and maximise conversion opportunities throughout the campaign cycle.
* Ensure all unsuccessful applicants receive clear, supportive and on-brand messaging, while creating pathways for future engagement and alternative event opportunities.
* Coordinate with ticketing partners, operations and commercial teams to ensure all information across website, email, social and media channels is consistent and updated in real time.
Spectator Engagement
* Develop and deliver all spectator-focused communications, including spectator guides, viewing point information, transport guidance and "how to spectate" content, supporting over 80K+ spectators across race weekend.
* Identify and create spectator-specific commercial assets (e.g., branded cheer zones, viewing areas, partner activations) and work with the partnership team to integrate these into sponsorship offerings.
* Coordinate all spectator-facing content across website, email, social and partner channels to promote key race-weekend opportunities and elevate on-course atmosphere.
* Lead the creation and distribution of resident and community notifications, ensuring clear communication of road closures, access information and event benefits to households, businesses and local stakeholders.
Run Club & Community Engagement
* Build and manage strong relationships with run clubs, coaches, community leaders and key influencers within the running ecosystem to support year-round engagement.
* Coordinate the Melbourne Marathon In-Person Training Series, including session planning, communications, on-the-ground delivery support and overall member experience.
* Develop and deliver community-focused content across social, email and web, showcasing run clubs, training stories, pacers, ambassadors and grassroots running culture.
* Identify and activate collaboration opportunities with local, national and international running groups to strengthen community presence and build new pathways into the event.
* Maintain a structured run club engagement plan, ensuring regular touchpoints, shared opportunities and integration of community insights into campaign planning.
Running Tech & Innovation
* Research emerging running technologies, digital tools, wearable integrations and global event innovations that can elevate the runner experience before, during and after race day.
* Work with internal teams and external partners to explore, evaluate and implement new tech-driven engagement opportunities, including enhanced app features, AI-driven training content, real-time tracking, personalised race insights and interactive course tools.
* Act as the lead support role for the development, execution and maintenance of the event app, ensuring content accuracy, user experience optimisation, timely updates and seamless integration with timing, tracking and communication systems.
* Monitor performance and participant feedback related to digital tools and the app, providing recommendations for future improvements and innovation opportunities.
Merchandise Program Leadership
* Act as the lead coordinator for all merchandise communications and promotional activity, supporting one of the event's key revenue drivers.
* Work closely with the Event Services and Commercial teams on product releases, design approvals, promotional timelines and sales strategy across pre-event, race week and event-day channels.
* Develop and deliver merchandise-focused content across social, email, website and partner platforms to drive awareness, demand and conversion.
* Monitor sales performance, identify opportunities to optimise messaging, and ensure merchandise is consistently integrated into broader campaign narratives and event touchpoints
Elite Athlete, Qualification & Affiliate Event Communications
* Serve as the primary communicator and promoter for all elite competition athletes, ensuring elite announcements, athlete reveals and race-week storytelling are delivered with impact and consistency across all channels.
* Develop and manage communications for qualification pathways and affiliate events, promoting key qualifying opportunities and supporting the growth of the competitive running sector.
* Coordinate all elite-focused content across social, email, website and media partners, highlighting athlete profiles, qualification achievements, past champions and emerging talent.
* Work closely with timing partners, elite coordinators and industry stakeholders to ensure accurate, timely and compelling communication of qualification standards, results and entry processes.
* Identify and activate marketing opportunities with domestic and international qualification races to expand awareness, increase participation and strengthen Melbourne Marathon's position within the elite running ecosystem.
Volunteer Awareness & Promotion
* Develop and deliver all marketing and communication initiatives to support volunteer recruitment, retention and engagement across the running portfolio.
* Promote volunteer opportunities through social, email, website and partner channels, ensuring messaging is clear, compelling and aligned with event needs and timelines.
* Create volunteer-focused content that highlights roles, responsibilities, benefits and the impact volunteers have on the event experience.
* Work closely with the Volunteer Manager and Operations teams to ensure accurate information, smooth onboarding communications and strong event-week engagement.
Sponsorship Delivery
* Deliver sponsor marketing entitlements across all digital channels.
* Coordinate approvals, content inclusion and reporting.
* Support with recaps and post-event reporting.
Insights, Reporting & Data
* Support research, surveys and runner insights.
* Compile performance dashboards across paid, owned and earned.
* Contribute recommendations to improve audience engagement and conversion.
Experience & Skills
You Have:
* Minimum 2 years experience in marketing, content creation or communications, ideally within sport, events, entertainment or a consumer-facing environment.
* Hands-on experience creating and coordinating content across multiple channels, including social media, email, website, digital storytelling and campaign communications.
* Strong written communication skills, with the ability to craft clear, engaging and on-brand messaging across long-form, short-form, educational and announcement-style content.
* Proven experience managing owned channels, including scheduling social content, building EDMs, updating websites and delivering always-on communications to diverse audiences.
* Experience developing audience-facing communications, such as FAQs, guides, event updates, program launches, community stories and customer notifications.
* Excellent attention to detail, with strong proof-reading skills and the ability to adapt tone and messaging across different audience segments (participants, spectators, volunteers, elites, residents).
* Confident verbal communication skills, comfortable liaising with internal teams, agencies, athletes, run clubs, community groups and commercial partners.
* Strong organisational and administrative capability, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and maintain high output in fast-paced environments - especially in event lead-up.
* A proactive, hands-on mindset, willing to support on-the-ground content capture, real-time comms and cross-functional needs during peak periods.
We'd Love If You Also Have:
* A genuine passion for running, sport, live events or active communities, with an interest in understanding participant and spectator behaviour.
* Experience working with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere) or similar content creation tools.
* Experience coordinating or producing content capture (photographers, videographers, editors) or managing talent/ambassador content.
* Familiarity with email marketing platforms, CMS systems, content scheduling tools, or basic paid media environments.
* Interest in running technology, innovation tools, wearables, apps or digital event experiences.