Aegeus Executive Search
Head of Programming
Exceptional opportunity for an experienced senior creative and commercial programmer at Australia’s preeminent destination for music and storytelling
- Australia’s preeminent destination for music and storytelling where extraordinary moments unfold
- A cultural cornerstone and creative force for a broad community ignited by the power of music
- Exceptional opportunity for an experienced senior creative and commercial programmer
Melbourne Recital Centre presents an artistically ambitious program of live music, deeply rooted in the realms of classical and contemporary music and reaching outward across the full breadth of genres and traditions. Renowned for exceptional acoustics and an intimate listening experience, MRC brings together internationally acclaimed artists, Australia’s leading musicians and emerging talent in a program that celebrates musical excellence, cultural diversity, innovation and discovery.
Opened in 2009, Melbourne Recital Centre today sits at the heart of Melbourne’s transforming Arts Precinct in Southbank. Home to three exceptional venues – the award-winning Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, the Primrose Potter Salon, and the Peter and Ruth McMullin Beacon (opening in August 2026)- each amplifying local and international music-makers and delivering an unparalleled live music experience.
Bringing people together to enjoy and discover live music and storytelling is central to what we do. We celebrate local and national artists at every stage of their careers and bring the best artists of the world to Melbourne. This combination of distinctive programming, industry, creative & community partnerships, and world-class acoustics make us a venue of choice for so many artists, both locally, nationally and internationally.
The annual program includes MRC Presents – our own program of world class local and international artists; our venue hire program where we host artists, ensembles and organisations from across the sector, and our community and creative engagement programs, which builds local connection and supports emerging artists. The managers of each of these reports to the Head of Programming.
Melbourne Recital Centre is entering one of the most significant chapters in its history. With the Beacon expanding our program, our 20th anniversary approaching in 2029, and the Arts Precinct transforming the cultural landscape around us, we have reshaped how we lead our artistic program. Iain Grandage will become Chief Curator – a new role championing MRC’s artistic identity and recommending its curatorial direction.
The Head of Programming will work in close creative partnership with the Chief Curator and programming team, operating with real creative influence and accountability for delivery. The position will report directly to the CEO, and will sit on the Senior Leadership Team in order to shape and deliver MRC’s annual programming calendar of more than 500 events across MRC’s three venues and public spaces.
This is a role that requires both artistic sensibility and operational precision., realising MRC’s creative ambitions while managing the practical, financial and people dimensions that make delivery possible. This role is the engine room of MRC’s programming operation, and the primary point of accountability for how the program performs against its artistic, audience and financial objectives.
This senior position provides cross-organisational leadership while guiding a high-performing team, contributing to strategic initiatives and establishing operational objectives that position MRC as a vital cultural destination in the local, national, and international landscape.
Please contact the consultant assisting the MRC to obtain the link to the Information for Candidates’ micro-site that has full details about the MRC, the role and the application requirements:
Tony Grierson
AEGEUS Executive Search
T: +61 (8) 7160 2383
