North Melbourne is hunting for a new head of AFLW after appointing its previous women's footy boss Nathan Hrovat into a key strategic role at Arden Street.

It's understood Hrovat, who has been in charge of the club's successful women's program for the last four seasons, will fill the position as the Kangas' new head of strategic operations and projects.

That vacancy was created when former player Jamie Macmillan – considered a rising star within football's off-field ranks – was poached by the AFL to join the League's football operations department.

Hrovat, a 69-game player between 2012-19 who featured 39 times for North Melbourne and 30 times for the Western Bulldogs, moved into an off-field position at the Kangaroos when his playing career ended.

In his role as head of AFLW, Hrovat helped guide North Melbourne to last season's Grand Final, where it fell to Brisbane, continuing the club's progress following a currently unbroken run of five consecutive finals appearances.

The Kangaroos' AFLW side appears set for another promising campaign in 2024, having bolstered its list through the arrival of two-time All-Australian defender Libby Birch during last year's Trade Period.

North Melbourne will be the fourth club to change its head of AFLW going into this season, after Fremantle (Claire Heffernan), Port Adelaide (Shane Grimm) and the Western Bulldogs (Patrice Berthold) made alterations earlier in the year.

As revealed by AFL.com.au last week, the Bulldogs' summer of off-field changes recently continued when they parted ways with their inaugural list and recruiting manager Mick Sandry.

The AFL poached Macmillan back in March to be a member of its operations department, working under head of football performance, list management and engagement Ned Guy.

Macmillan had previously worked as North Melbourne's football operations manager after retiring following 167 games for the club back in 2020, but shifted into the senior strategic role when Todd Viney and Alastair Clarkson were appointed.