Community & Programs Lead

Core Responsibilities

1. Programs, Events and Learning Delivery

Coordinate and deliver EI's programs, workshops, networking events and learning activities with consistency, professionalism and attention to participant experience.

●       Manage the full operational lifecycle of programs and events — from planning and scheduling through to facilitator and speaker liaison, supplier coordination, registration, participant communications, venue setup, delivery support, evaluation and follow-up.

●       Work with the CEO to translate program concepts into practical delivery plans, budgets, timelines, run sheets and repeatable operating models.

●       Coordinate current programs including Empowering Women Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneur Exchange, Pitch Ready, Startup Invest Grow Monash and any future initiatives.

●       Ensure programs and events are designed and delivered to strengthen community engagement, generate qualified leads and create pathways into EI's wider ecosystem.

●       Maintain a rolling 12-month forward calendar of events and programs, co-ordinating speakers, facilitators, marketing activity, registration and logistics.

●       Track participation, satisfaction, conversion, revenue, sponsorship deliverables and impact metrics for all programs and events, producing summary reports for the CEO and Board as required.

●       Coordinate post-event follow-up with participants and speakers, maintaining relationships that support repeat engagement.

●       Identify opportunities to improve participant experience, repeat attendance, operational efficiency and commercial viability across the program portfolio.

2. Community Engagement, Marketing and Communications Coordination

Coordinate the operational delivery of EI's communications and promotional activity, ensuring the community remains informed, engaged and growing.

●       Work with the Marketing & Communications officer to update website content, event listings, program pages, newsletters, tenant stories and partner acknowledgements.

●       Develop and maintain a practical content and communications calendar in conjunction with the Marketing & Communications officer, aligned with EI's programs, events, tenant engagement and strategic priorities, planned at least two months in advance.

●       Make recommendations for the monthly newsletter, drafting content, coordinating contributions and managing distribution through Active Campaign.

●       Capture, organise and share member success stories, program outcomes and community impact evidence for use in newsletters, annual reviews, Board reporting, grant applications and stakeholder communications.

●       Manage database integrity between Proximity, Eventbrite and Active Campaign, keeping contact records current and segmentation accurate.

●       Support social media inputs and coordinate with photographers where required.

●       Work with the Marketing & Communications officer and external marketing strategist on campaigns that drive specific outcomes — venue bookings, program registrations and membership growth.

●       Conduct surveys to evaluate client satisfaction across onsite and programs/events to inform service improvements.

●       Ensure all communications are timely, accurate, professional, values-aligned and consistent with EI's brand and tone.

3. Partnerships, Stakeholder and Sales Pipeline Support

Support the CEO with the operational infrastructure that underpins EI's stakeholder relationships, commercial pipeline and partnership deliverables.

●       Maintain accurate contact records, briefing notes, follow-up actions and relationship management processes to support the CEO's stakeholder engagement.

●       Maintain a structured pipeline of engaged tenants, program participants, event attendees, sponsors, partners and prospects using agreed CRM or tracking systems.

●       Coordinate operational follow-up after events and programs to support conversion into tenancy enquiries, repeat program participation, partnership or sponsorship opportunities.

●       Maintain a potential sponsor database for the CEO, organise introductions where appropriate

●       Assist with preparation of sponsorship proposals, partner updates, business cases and grant materials.

●       Monitor sponsor and partner deliverables and ensure agreed recognition, reporting and follow-up obligations are delivered on time and to standard.

●       Working with the team to maintain sales pipeline processes in the organisation

●       Identify practical opportunities to increase repeat business, strengthen stakeholder relationships and improve lead conversion through better systems and customer journeys.

4. Centre Operations, Facilities and Customer Experience

Share responsibility with the entire team for the smooth, professional operation of the Eastern Innovation centre, ensuring it presents as a premium space that members and visitors are proud to work in and recommend.

●       Monitor utilisation of workspaces, meeting rooms and event spaces and provide regular insights to the CEO to support pricing, promotion, retention and service improvement decisions.

●       Identify and recommend practical ways to improve operational efficiency and the overall centre experience.

●       Understand the operation of the centre on a day-to-day basis to ensure that there is redundancy in the operational team.

Experience and Qualifications

What you'll need to bring

●       Demonstrated experience managing programs, events or community initiatives end-to-end — from planning through to evaluation

●       Strong written communication skills with a track record of producing professional content for external audiences

●       Experience managing multiple priorities in a fast-moving, relationship-intensive environment

●       Confidence with digital tools and the ability to learn new platforms quickly

●       A genuine track record of delivering great experiences for customers, members or communities

What will set you apart

●       Experience in a coworking space, business hub, accelerator, innovation centre or industry association

●       Familiarity with CRM tools, membership platforms (e.g. Proximity), email marketing (e.g. Active Campaign) or event platforms (e.g. Eventbrite)

●       Experience supporting sponsorship, grant or partnership activity

●       Knowledge of the Melbourne east business or entrepreneurial community

●       Tertiary qualification in business, communications, event management or a related discipline

What We Offer

We're a small, purposeful team doing work that genuinely matters to the businesses and entrepreneurs in our region. We offer:

●       A varied, senior role with real ownership and direct access to leadership

●       A vibrant, professionally presented centre environment - we take pride in where we work and what we build

●       Exposure to a diverse range of businesses, programs, partners and ideas

●       Flexible part-time hours - 4 days per week, within our Monday–Friday 8:30am–4:30pm operating environment

●       The opportunity to be a genuine contributor to the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Melbourne's east

●       A collaborative, values-driven team that supports each other and takes quality seriously