Manager, Public Programs & Visitor Experience

Shape strategy and lead dynamic teams delivering standout programs and experiences at the NFSA headquarters in Acton!

About the National Film and Sound Archive

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) is Australia’s audiovisual archive, telling the national story by collecting, preserving and sharing audiovisual media, the cultural experience platforms of our time. The collection dates to 1935, making it one of the world’s oldest audiovisual collections. It is also one of the country’s most used cultural collections, with around 125 million views of collection content each year.

The NFSA is in a period of significant change. Following increased Government investment, the institution is in a process of digital transformation, establishing the NFSA as Australia’s most dynamic and valued cultural organisation. We are rebuilding our curatorial workforce and developing the NFSA’s capacity to digitise our collection at scale – to preserve it for the future, to make sure it can be discovered, and to share it with all Australians.

We continue to work on developing a stable, secure and future-proof workforce across our four physical sites based in Canberra and Mitchell in the ACT as well as in Sydney and Melbourne.

We are also undergoing a program of business improvement for many of our corporate systems to improve efficiency and reduce manual handling. 

We are an ambitious organisation, and we aim to be an employer of choice within the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector, providing exciting and challenging work, as well as favourable employment conditions and unique development opportunities for our staff.

Cultural Values

We are an equal opportunity employer, embracing a diverse range of applicants such as veterans, and people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA community members, individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions, as well as those from varied faith and cultural backgrounds. At the NFSA we prioritise the development of a safe, inclusive, and high-performance culture through shared actions and behaviours that align with our strategy and direction. This empowers our employees to effectively contribute to our goals.

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is committed to ensuring a child-safe and child-friendly environment. All employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to, and support for these principles in theory and practice. 

About the Team

The Public Programs and Visitor Experience (PP&VE) team is part of the Programs and Operations section. The section’s key objectives are to increase NFSA’s relevance, reach and revenue, particularly through experiences at our headquarters in Acton    

The PP&VE team is responsible for managing and delivering Visitor Services, Commercial Venue Hire, Café contract (external supplier), corporate events, and four key streams of on-site public programs and experiences at our Acton location, including: 

• ‘Baseline’ – Our ‘always on’ experience welcomes visitors to our revitalised heritage spaces and courtyard with digital and object-based displays and café.
• ‘NFSA Presents’ – A program of digital installations of commissioned artworks in our main gallery space, public programs that enliven and enrich all our spaces, and a year-round program of screenings in our award-winning, heritage-listed Arc Cinema and Theatrette.
• ‘NFSA Co-presents’ – The team collaborates with external strategic partners to deliver joint programs and events such as film festivals and symposia. Through these partnerships, NFSA builds community and participates as a key voice in the conversation about identity, city renewal, placemaking and design.
• Commercial Venue Hire – Many of our revitalised spaces are available for hire and more are coming online. The NFSA recognises venue hire as an opportunity to connect with diverse audiences, develop business tourism and generate revenue.   

Additionally, the team collaborates with teams across the NFSA to deliver internal corporate events.

The Programs and Operations section also includes the Learning & Media Literacy team and the Technical & Production team.

 The Opportunity

The Manager PP&VE will play a key role in refining our strategies, systems, tools and procedures and managing a multi-disciplinary team to achieve this goal.

The Manager PP&VE manages a large, multi-disciplinary team, ensuring the effective, safe and timely delivery of all public programs, our ‘always on’ visitor experience, exceptional customer service and venue hire at our Acton location. 

While primarily a management role, the position includes significant opportunity to lead creative dialogue within the team and with external partners, and to contribute ideas for innovative programs, events and products.  The Manager PP&VE has direct responsibility for managing ‘NFSA Co-presents’ creative partnerships, developing tourism products and managing the café contractor. The Manager PP&VE sits on the Programming Committee which programs activation of the Acton campus.

The Manager PP&VE reports to and works in close collaboration with the Head of Programs and Operations, other managers within the Programs and Operations section and teams across the NFSA to ensure alignment of strategy, creative direction and operations. 

The Manager PP&VE will be highly organised, proactive and collaborative, with strong project management and team leadership skills. They will be able to apply their creative, analytical and entrepreneurial mindset and experience in delivering innovative public programs and customer service in a cultural institution context.

Key Responsibilities/Duties

Under broad direction from the Head of Programs and Operations, the Manager P&VE is responsible for delivering the following functions:

    1. Strategy and Policies

• Contribute to strategies that develop and guide the business of the Programs and Visitor Experience team.
• Develop policies and tools to enable and ensure the delivery of programs, technical services and experiences.

• Manage the Programs and Visitor Experience team to develop and maintain a positive and collaborative team culture and deliver excellent program management, customer service and creative programs.
• Manage direct reports: Visitor Services & Events Coordinator; Creative Producer & Programs Coordinator; Venue Hire Coordinator; and Programs & Operations Administrator.
• Oversee budgeting, project management, financial management, risk management and delivery of all programs and venue hire.
• Manage team professional development and performance to ensure capability within a culture of continuous improvement.
• Develop and manage effective internal and external relationships and partnerships.
• Manage visitor experience and program measurement, evaluation, feedback, dispute resolution and reporting.

• Lead creative dialogue and program development with partner organisations for ‘NFSA Co-presents’, and within the team to propose, shape and deliver programs for ‘NFSA Presents’ and ‘Baseline’
• Manage liaison and collaborative business development with the café contractor.
• Develop tourism product in collaboration with tourism partners.

Selection Criteria

The successful candidate will demonstrate their capacity against the following:

Qualifications and/or relevant experience required

Desirable:

• Experience working in a cultural institution context
• Experience in public program or event programming and management
• Experience in shaping and leading a customer-facing team
• Qualifications in Project Management
• Knowledge and experience in co-ordinating audio-visual screenings

How to Apply

When applying via our online e-recruitment system, please provide a written application addressing each Selection Criteria. Your current resume is also to be included in your application.

In addition to an application and your resume, the assessment process for this position may also include an interview and referee reports.

We welcome and encourage applications from people with disability, the LGBTIQ+ communities, from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this position you must:

• Be an Australian Citizen.
• Satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check.
• Obtain and maintain an Australian Government Baseline Security Clearance.
• Obtain and maintain a Working with Vulnerable People registration.

What we offer you

We provide a diverse, inclusive, and supportive work environment with access to:

• Great training and development opportunities.
• Generous leave and flexible working arrangements.
• Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP – a free counselling service for you and your family).
• A competitive salary, plus 15.4% superannuation.
• Rewards and recognition initiatives.

RecuitAbility

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information see: RecruitAbility | Australian Public Service Commission (https://apsc.gov.au)