Director Programming, Arts Centre Melbourne

Korn Ferry; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Arts Centre Melbourne in Melbourne, Australia, seeks a Director, Programming to lead the organisation’s programming vision during a pivotal period for the precinct and cultural life. You will shape a distinctive program across artistic, commercial, education and learning outcomes for diverse audiences.

Reporting to the Executive Director, Performing Arts, the role focuses on delivering ambitious performing arts initiatives, building influential partnerships, and guiding a multidisciplinary team

Qualifications

• A strong record of shaping and delivering ambitious and relevant performing arts or cultural programs.
• Sophisticated artistic judgement and a deep understanding of contemporary practice, artists and audiences.
• Strategic leadership capability within a complex, multidisciplinary organisation.
• Ability to balance artistic excellence, audience impact and public value with commercial realities.
• Strong networks and credibility across Australian and/or international performing arts and cultural sectors.
• Collaborative, generous and influential leadership style, with the capacity to build trust and bring people with you.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and creative leadership of Arts Centre Melbourne’s programming.
• Shape a compelling, distinctive and diverse program that reflects contemporary artistic practice and audience expectations.
• Build strong relationships across the performing arts and broader cultural sector, nationally and internationally.
• Bring rigorous artistic, audience and commercial judgement to programming and investment decisions.
• Lead and develop a high-performing specialist team and work collaboratively across the organisation.
• Contribute as a senior organisational leader to Arts Centre Melbourne’s strategy, transformation and future direction.

Skills

Artistic judgement

Strategic leadership

Audience development

Networking

Collaborative leadership

Job description

Location: Melbourne, Australia | Term: Full Time

Shape the next chapter of programming at Arts Centre Melbourne

This is a rare opportunity to lead the programming vision of Arts Centre Melbourne at a defining moment for the organisation and Melbourne’s cultural landscape.

As Director, Programming, you will shape and deliver a distinctive, ambitious and relevant program across one of Australia’s most significant performing arts institutions. Reporting to the Executive Director, Performing Arts, this role will lead the development of our performing arts strategy, and guide a diverse team responsible for artistic, commercial, education and learning outcomes that serve our audiences and community.

With the transformation of the Melbourne Arts Precinct underway, the role offers an extraordinary opportunity to help define how Arts Centre Melbourne connects with artists, audiences and communities into the future.

Why This Role?

• Shape programming at a pivotal moment – help define the artistic and cultural offer of Arts Centre Melbourne as the organisation and precinct enter an important new chapter.
• Create distinctive audience experiences – develop programs that are ambitious, contemporary, relevant and capable of engaging diverse audiences.
• Balance artistic ambition and organisational impact – make thoughtful programming and investment choices that bring together artistic excellence, public value, accessibility, venue utilisation and financial sustainability.
• Build influential partnerships – deepen relationships with artists, producers, companies, festivals and cultural partners across Victoria, Australia and internationally.

Arts Centre Melbourne is a globally recognised performing arts centre and a cornerstone of Australia’s cultural life. Situated on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung People, it is home to The Australian Ballet, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Theatre Company and Opera Australia, and hosts leading artists, companies and festivals from Australia and around the world.

As the Melbourne Arts Precinct undergoes an extraordinary period of renewal, Arts Centre Melbourne has the opportunity to reimagine the experiences it creates for artists, audiences and communities.

The Opportunity

As Director, Programming, you will:

• Provide strategic and creative leadership of Arts Centre Melbourne’s programming.
• Shape a compelling, distinctive and diverse program that reflects contemporary artistic practice and audience expectations.
• Build strong relationships across the performing arts and broader cultural sector, nationally and internationally.
• Bring rigorous artistic, audience and commercial judgement to programming and investment decisions.
• Lead and develop a high‑performing specialist team and work collaboratively across the organisation.
• Contribute as a senior organisational leader to Arts Centre Melbourne’s strategy, transformation and future direction.

What We’re Looking For

• A strong record of shaping and delivering ambitious and relevant performing arts or cultural programs.
• Sophisticated artistic judgement and a deep understanding of contemporary practice, artists and audiences.
• Strategic leadership capability and experience operating successfully within a complex, multidisciplinary organisation.
• The ability to balance artistic excellence, audience impact and public value with commercial and organisational realities.
• Strong networks and credibility across the Australian and/or international performing arts and cultural sectors.
• A collaborative, generous and influential leadership style, with the capacity to build trust and bring people with you.