Festival Director

The Melbourne Writers Festival Board is seeking a Festival Director who will be the face of, and responsible for, innovating and delivering the 2025 Festival and beyond.

The successful candidate will be an inspiring and visionary leader, able to engage and align key stakeholders, Board Directors, and staff with the strategic aspirations of the Festival.

Established in 1986, Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) designs and delivers an annual festival with the objective of bringing readers and writers together to be inspired, challenged and thrilled by an intelligent, rousing and diverse program of books and ideas. MWF provides the inspiration and framework for vital, timely conversations that expand the worldviews and reading lists of audiences, while launching and transforming the careers of writers. MWF is a singular moment in time, where this City of Literature’s thoughtful citizens can gather to celebrate their favourite past-time: reading. 

Featuring internationally renowned and leading Australian writers and anchored by our First Nations program, the Melbourne Writers Festival has a focus on contemporary literary fiction, along with non-fiction writers, thinkers, and commentators.

The Melbourne Writers Festival Board is undertaking this recruitment as a first step in building a new festival delivery team. The incoming Director will work with the Board to design and recruit the core staff team who will manage operations, marketing, development, finance and compliance.  Contract staff supplement the festival’s staff in the months leading up to the festival, and a large group of committed volunteer staff also support the Festival’s delivery.

CANDIDATE PACK & JOB PROFILE

For a detailed Job profile, including Key Selection Criteria and instructions on how to apply, contact maryjo@mjcapps.com.au.

Applications close 5pm AEST, Wednesday 26 June, 2024.

MWF expects to conduct interviews in mid-July.

All enquiries are treated confidentially.