Business Development Officer
Wollongong Art Gallery
At Wollongong City Council, we continuously strive to create an Extraordinary Wollongong for our community. We focus on the delivery of exceptional services, infrastructure and facilities for our community. Our aim is to work toward the community's goals in the Our Wollongong Our Future Community Strategic Plan 2035.
Wollongong is a great place to work, live and play! Together, our responsibility is to create an inclusive community where everyone is welcome, valued and belongs. Our strength is the diversity of our people.
We lead with courage, openness and curiosity and believe our employees are the key to our success. Learn more about us here.
Are you a passionate and experienced arts professional seeking a role that offers both meaningful impact and a genuine work-life balance? This is an opportunity to apply your experience in the arts, culture or gallery sector to strategic business development, within a supportive, flexible working environment. If you enjoy connecting people with culture, value autonomy and purpose in your work, and want to help shape the future of an iconic regional gallery, this role offers the chance to do so while enjoying balance, flexibility and lifestyle. Find out more about the gallery here.
The opportunity
You will lead the development and implementation of an integrated business development strategy that brings together retail, venue hire, philanthropy, fundraising and strategic partnerships to strengthen the financial sustainability and public profile of Wollongong Art Gallery. Building on your experience in arts and cultural environments, you will translate this strategy into effective, coordinated initiatives that generate revenue, deepen stakeholder engagement and enhance the visitor experience.
Working closely with the Gallery Director and internal stakeholders, you will embed this strategy through structured planning, reporting and continuous improvement, with a particular focus on building momentum toward the Gallery's 50th anniversary in 2028.
As part of this role, you will provide leadership and day‑to‑day supervision of Visitor Services staff, casual event staff and Visitor Services volunteers, ensuring business development objectives align with a customer‑focused culture across Gallery operations. Through confident communication, sound judgement and a values‑led approach, you will work with a high degree of autonomy while ensuring alignment with WHS requirements, delivering sustainable outcomes and positioning the Gallery for its next phase of growth and impact.
This is a part-time 28 hours per week term contract position for up to three years with the possibility of extension or permanency, and the occasional operational requirement to attend gallery related events outside normal business hours. Salary up to $62.72 per hour plus superannuation, with minimum increase of 3.25% to the salary from 1 July 2026 in accordance with Council's Enterprise Agreement.
How you'll make a difference
You will play a central role in shaping the Gallery's future by driving business development across key streams including visitor experience, retail operations, venue hire, fundraising, philanthropy, grants, sponsorship and strategic partnerships. By building strong relationships with donors, sponsors, government bodies and community stakeholders, you will deliver sustainable revenue and philanthropic outcomes, including financial contributions and artwork gifting.
Your work will strengthen the Gallery's capacity to engage audiences, enhance the visitor experience, grow its retail offer, attract supporters and partners, positioning Wollongong Art Gallery as a vibrant, well‑supported cultural institution as it enters its next phase of growth.
About you
You are a values‑driven, relationship‑focused professional with demonstrated experience in business development within arts or cultural environments. You bring capability across areas such as retail development, fundraising, visitor experience, partnerships and stakeholder engagement, and understand how these streams work together to build organisational sustainability.
You are a confident and credible communicator, comfortable leading conversations, influencing stakeholders and developing long‑term partnerships based on trust and shared purpose. You have proven experience managing budgets, coordinating projects, balancing competing priorities and delivering outcomes both independently and collaboratively.
You also bring experience in staff supervision and team leadership, with the ability to support, guide and motivate staff and volunteers in a customer‑focused environment.
You are motivated by purpose‑driven work and believe in the value of the arts as a driver of culture, identity and community. You are excited by the opportunity to contribute to Wollongong Art Gallery's legacy and long‑term sustainability as it approaches a significant milestone, and you align with Council's values of Respect, Integrity, OneTeam, Sustainability and Courage.
Why you'll love working at Wollongong City Council!
- True work-life balance
We know you work hard, and we make sure that effort is rewarded with real flexibility. Our hybrid work options, flex-time, and rostered days off mean you can maintain balance while delivering great outcomes. - Great working conditions
Enjoy a 28 hour week - Career growth and recognition
We are committed to supporting your personal and professional development. Our initiatives include a reward and recognition program, corporate learning opportunities, study assistance, and leadership development programs to help you grow and succeed.
- Generous leave provisions
Benefit from five weeks of annual leave per year (pro rata) and access long service leave after just five years. - Health, safety, and wellbeing
We prioritise a safe workplace for everyone, every day, everywhere. Our wellbeing programs support mental, physical and social wellbeing of our people to be at their best and include an Employee Assistance Program, skin and hearing checks and discounted gym memberships. - A vibrant social culture
Join our Social Club for monthly activities, an annual trivia night, and fantastic Christmas events!
Participate and engage in meaningful work, and contribute to our extraordinary community, where together we make a difference.
For more information, click on 'Apply' to be redirected to Wollongong City Council's job vacancy page.
Applications close 11:59pm Thursday 7 May 2026
We invite everyone to apply no matter your identity, you'll be welcome. We encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people who are culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), people with disability and veterans.
Wollongong Council adheres to the principles of a child safe organisation and is committed to the care and protection of all children and young people in the community.
Applicants are required to undergo a rigorous employment screening process which will include Reference, Identity and Medical History Checks, and may also include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and Working with Children Check. Employment is subject to clearance of all these checks.