• A unique opportunity to play a key leadership role in an international event
• Large-scale event and relationship management focus
• Competitive remuneration package

About the International Eucharistic Congress

The International Eucharistic Congress (Congress) is a global event held by the Catholic Church that focuses on the celebration of the Eucharist. Sydney has been named as the host of the next Congress which will be held in 2028 and the event is expected to draw tens of thousands of people from all over the world.

Last held in Australia in 1973, and celebrated every four years in a different location around the world, Sydney will become the global focal point for the Catholic Church, with hopes to revitalise Christian lives and to encourage participation in the life and mission of the Church.

The Archdiocese of Sydney, coordinators of the Congress, is seeking an exceptional leader with a deep commitment to the Church’s mission to take up the role of Chief Operating Officer.

About the Role

As Chief Operating Officer, you will support the Congress Chief Executive Officer by coordinating all the activities of the various committees in the implementation of the Congress and to ensure the delivery of a successful event.

This is a full-time role based at the Archdiocese of Sydney’s office at Leichhardt, commencing as soon as agreed with the preferred candidate and concluding in December 2029. Domestic and international travel is a key requirement of the position.

In the years leading up to the event, the Chief Operating Officer will oversee the logistical planning and implementation of ecclesial acts of worship, education programs, cultural events and Congress activities which will serve to deepen participant’s understanding of the Congress’ mission and to encourage a return to the practice of the Catholic faith.

The Chief Operating Officer will largely be involved in stakeholder engagement, and so developing strong relationships with the Australian Bishops and dioceses, parishes and Catholic school leaders, Vatican representatives, faith communities across the Church in Asia, Oceania and beyond as well as State and Federal Government, City of Sydney officials and other commercial partners will be critical in this role.

The role is multidisciplinary and will require you among other things to develop and implement operational strategies and processes, ensure financial accountability and sustainability of the Congress, and comply with Church guidelines and applicable local and international regulations of the Congress.

About You

You will be a visionary leader, skilled communicator, and have a results-driven approach. You will have the ability to lead and manage teams and have a background in the delivery of a large-scale initiatives.

The Chief Operating Officer will ideally possess the following knowledge, skills and experience:

• Demonstrated active commitment to, understanding of and involvement in the Catholic faith and a deep commitment to the Church’s mission.
• Proven experience in senior leadership roles within the for-purpose, faith-based or commercial sector.
• Familiarity with the structures of the Catholic Church and its entities in Australia and the Vatican.
• Strong financial acumen with experience in budgeting, fundraising, and financial reporting.
• Demonstrated expertise in project management, logistics, and stakeholder relations.
• Tertiary qualifications in business administration, theology, or a related field

Enquiries and Application Process

For a confidential discussion and to obtain a copy of the Position Description please contact Anthony Spata at Reach HR on 0402 210 055 or [email protected].

Applications close 19 March 2025.

Additional Requirements

The successful candidate will be required to undertake a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and a Working With Children’s Check.

The Archdiocese is wholly committed to ensuring the safety, well-being and dignity of all children and adults at risk, and acknowledges its important legal, moral and spiritual responsibility to create a safe and nurturing environment for those children and adults at risk. The Archdiocese has a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse.

Additionally, the Archdiocese is committed to continuous improvement to assess and address the risk of modern slavery in its operations and supply chains and to report annually on these actions in the form of a Modern Slavery Statement.