The Tasmania Devils have announced the appointment of former Tasmania JackJumpers director Lauren Jauncey as GM of Strategy, People and Culture.
Jauncey joins Devils chief executive Brendon Gale's growing executive team as he continues to make key appointments.
Jauncey, a Tasmanian local who has occupied both national and international roles in executive people, diversity, strategy and leadership, highlighted the significance of this role for her and Tasmania.
"To join the Tasmania Devils at this stage of the journey is a significant professional opportunity, an opportunity to not only deliver results for the club, but for all of Tasmania," Jauncey said.
"I am excited to be joining the club and to work with the team as we build the organisation from the ground up, and our people and culture will be critical to our sustained success."
Gale has spoken recently about the importance of building strong cultural foundations and the weight of responsibility in preparing Tasmania for its AFL entry, which makes his support of Jauncey telling.
"Lauren is an exceptional Tasmanian who has all of the ingredients we are looking for to help build this club," Gale said. "Not only has Lauren had a distinguished executive career to date, she is also a Tasmanian who is passionate about creating positive outcomes for Tasmanian people.
"Lauren has a proven track record in areas of great importance to our club, particularly in areas of leadership and organisational development. I am thrilled that Lauren will be joining the club at this time as we embark on the growth journey required to get us to first bounce."
Jauncey's appointment fills one of the several key roles Tasmania must tick off within the next three years, which includes the widely discussed senior coaching position.
"As an establishment club, we get one really rich opportunity to set our club up for competitiveness and success and we need to get that right," Gale said in an interview with AFL Media in February about his success plan.
"To some extent [the senior coach] is almost coaching the state a little bit. The decentralised nature of Tasmania means there's got to be rubber on the road. You have to spend a bit of time engaging, sharing the love and spruiking the gospel so to speak."
Tasmania is also expected to pitch to the AFL the idea of draft concessions as early as next year to ensure access to top local talent.
This would mean Tasmanian prospects entering the 2026 draft could guarantee themselves a place on the Devils squad but would have to play VFL football in 2027.
Gale has made known his desire for Tasmanian people to be at the heart of the football club, and the latest appointment of Jauncey demonstrates this direction.
