Head of Programming

Head of Programming

Permanent, Part Time (3 days per week)

£47,000 - £50,000 pro rata, dependent on experience

Closing date for applications: 10pm December 7 December

Reporting to the Artistic Director, the Head of Programming is responsible for the programming and delivery of the presented winter season in addition to having an oversight of the Events programme which runs throughout the year. The successful candidate will work alongside the Artistic and Executive Director and the Producing team to build a cohesive and integrated approach to year-round programming at CFT.

The Head of Programming will select a diverse range of work for both the Festival and Minerva Theatre stages which will complement the produced summer Festival season and the year-round The Nest programme (CFT's latest small-scale venue) and will also speak to our values. The Head of Programming will also manage the programming of the full events schedule (to include all elements of Events programming) and ensure cohesion of events across the whole organisation.

Key responsibilities

• Support the Artistic and Executive Director by curating a programme of work for the Winter season that realises the overall artistic vision of CFT as outlined in the Business Plan
• Lead on the programming of the Festival and Minerva Theatres to include an eclectic mix of work/ genres to include 1-2 week-long plays / musicals and single night performances
• Proactively maintain excellent working relationships with commercial and venue producers and tour bookers
• Alongside members of the Producing team, scout out potential national and international touring work for the CFT winter programme – seeing work where possible
• Lead on the negotiation of visiting contracts, revising the current VISCO agreement, maximising income for CFT and ensuring that both marketing and technical contra deals accurately reflect CFT costs
• Lead on the welfare and needs of visiting artists, companies and creative teams and their interaction with the rest of the CFT team ensuring a presence during the get in and first performances
• Work alongside the Technical Director and Technical HODs to schedule and deliver productions into CFT venues on time, within the CFT technical guidelines, adhering to the agreed technical contra
• Work with the Director of Communications and Head of Marketing to set realistic targets, ticket prices and yields to reflect the best deal for CFT and communicate these to the visiting producers
• With the Marketing team, ensure that all marketing material and artwork is received in good time for the annual Winter Brochure
• Work with the Artistic Planning team to develop and coordinate artistic planning systems and documents to ensure excellent lines of communication and working relationships with all departments
• Alongside the Head of Customer Operations, consider merchandise options for all visiting productions, negotiating the best deal for CFT
• Lead on hiring out the Festival and Minerva theatres for local community use
• Ensure that CFT adheres to PPL / PRS (Performing Rights Society) royalties, music copyright and licencing requirements and that payments are made on time where necessary
• Manage all winter programme budget codes
• Work with the finance team on visiting company settlements, ensuring that they are paid accurately and on time
• Present the Winter season programme annually to the Board of Trustees, sharing the line up and answering questions accordingly
• Work alongside the events coordinators (Development, LEAP, Festival Events) to provide a holistic, year-round programme that complements the winter and summer seasons

We'd love to hear from you if you have:

• A history of working at a senior level within an arts environment
• Significant experience of programming professional theatre productions at a senior level on the mid and large scale
• Experience of programming a range of different theatre and performance events within a venue
• Successful and long-standing working relationships with commercial producers and venue managers
• Significant experience of contract negotiation and of the contractual process for programmed work
• An understanding of the general terms of the VISCO agreement
• Budgetary management, financial acumen and an understanding of spreadsheets
• Ability to think strategically, work under pressure and contribute to leadership across the organisation
• A passion for seeing shows and a knowledge of current and up and coming theatre productions / companies

Desirable criteria:

• A sound knowledge of a variety of different genres and the companies / promoters who tour the work
• A commitment to regional theatre and an understanding of the place it plays in its community
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Flexible approach to working, including the ability to work unsociable hours to meet the needs of the role

Full details about working at CFT can be found on our website.

To apply please send your CV and a covering letter, or video, to

by 10pm on 7 December,
quoting job reference:
2511HOP
in the subject line. In your covering letter or video, please let us know why you are applying for the role, what excites you about joining CFT and how your experience and skills match the person specification.

We'd love to hear about what makes you a great fit in your own words. We encourage candidates not to rely on AI for their applications, as a more personalised approach gives us a better sense of who you are.