RISING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

RISING; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

RISING in Melbourne seeks a Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation, shape its artistic and strategic direction, and ensure sustainable growth. The role partners with the Artistic Director and Leadership Team to drive impact, governance, and financial stewardship.

You will navigate government and philanthropic relationships, build enduring partnerships, and elevate RISING’s profile locally and internationally, strengthening Melbourne’s cultural identity.

Qualifications

• Experience leading strategy, people, partnerships and performance.
• Ability to navigate diverse stakeholder environments and build enduring relationships.
• Background in complex cultural, creative or comparable organisations.

Responsibilities

• Provide visionary leadership and oversee organisational, operational and commercial aspects of RISING.
• Identify and pursue opportunities that support RISING’s artistic vision and financial sustainability.
• Strengthen RISING’s place in Melbourne’s cultural identity and economy while expanding audience engagement and international recognition.

Job description

• Play a key role in defining Melbourne's cultural identity
• Shape the future of a festival recognised for bold artistic ambition
• Drive strategy, partnerships and growth to enable artistic excellence

About RISING

RISING has established a distinctive place in Melbourne / Naarm’s cultural life: a festival that brings artists, audiences and the city together through ambitious new art, music and performance from across Australia and around the world.

RISING has shaped a diverse and contemporary festival with strong audience recognition and an increasingly important place in Melbourne’s cultural and visitor economy.

RISING sits within the Victorian Government's broader Creative State 2028 strategy, which names RISING explicitly among the state's drawcard festivals and identifies arts and culture as one of Victoria's top tourism strengths.

About the Role

As RISING enters a new phase of its evolution, the Board is seeking to appoint a new Chief Executive Officer to build on the legacy of its founding leadership and shape the organisation's future. Providing visionary leadership, the Chief Executive Officer is responsible for the organisational, operational and commercial leadership of RISING ensuring continued growth, impact and sustainability of the festival.

The Chief Executive Officer will support an ambitious, sustainable and distinctive annual festival, ensuring that artistic ambition is matched by strong organisational leadership and sound financial management. Working collaboratively with the Artistic Director and relevant members of the Leadership Team, the Chief Executive Officer will identify and pursue opportunities that support RISING’s artistic vision and financial sustainability.

Key to success will be further strengthening RISING’s place in Melbourne’s cultural identity and economy, as well as continuing to increase audience engagement and international recognition.

About You

This is a highly visible leadership role requiring a balance of strategic thinking, commercial acumen, stakeholder engagement and organisational leadership.

You bring experience leading strategy, people, partnerships and performance, together with the ability to navigate diverse stakeholder environments and build enduring relationships across government, philanthropy, business and the community.

Drawing on your leadership experience gained in a complex cultural, creative or comparable organisation, you will be able to demonstrate a record of leading organisational development, revenue development and building sustainable business models.

Known as highly collaborative and commercially astute, you recognise the power of arts and culture to shape communities and are motivated by the opportunity to build an organisation that is sustainable, influential and positioned for long-term success.

Applicants must have current and unrestricted working rights in Australia.

Applications are due by 11.59pm Friday 20th November 2026.