Job Title
Managing Director / Festival Director
Location
London Metropolitan Area (Hybrid / On-Site as Required)
Contract Type
Full-time, Senior Executive Role
Reporting To
Board of Directors / Ownership Group
Overview
We are seeking an experienced Managing Director / Festival Director to lead a London-based live events and media company operating a flagship festival alongside a portfolio of one-day shows, co-promoted events, and owned media platforms.
This role carries full executive responsibility for the strategic direction, operational delivery, and commercial performance of the company’s festival activities, live events calendar, and media channels. The successful candidate will demonstrate comprehensive expertise across festival production, event promotion, artist relations, marketing, PR, partnerships, and content-led audience development within the UK market.
Key Responsibilities
Executive & Strategic Leadership
* Define and execute the overarching vision, strategy, and growth plan for the festival and associated live events business
* Act as senior accountable executive across all operational, financial, legal, and reputational matters
* Lead board reporting, business planning, budgeting, forecasting, and post-event evaluation
* Ensure robust governance, risk management, and compliance across festivals, one-day shows, and media operations
Festival & Live Events Operations
* Oversee end-to-end delivery of the flagship festival, including production, site operations, technical delivery, health & safety, licensing, and security
* Provide senior oversight of smaller-scale one-day shows and co-promoted events, ensuring consistency in quality, brand alignment, and financial performance
* Manage relationships with UK venues, local authorities, councils, and statutory stakeholders
* Oversee contracts and performance of production teams, suppliers, freelancers, and vendors
Co-Promotions & Event Partnerships
* Lead strategic relationships with co-promoters, venues, agents, and third-party partners
* Oversee deal structures, revenue splits, risk allocation, and contractual frameworks for co-promoted events
* Ensure operational clarity and accountability across joint ventures and partnerships
* Identify and develop new live event opportunities aligned with the company’s brand and audience
Programming, Artists & Talent Relations
* Set the artistic and programming strategy across festivals and one-day shows
* Maintain senior-level relationships with artists, agents, managers, and promoters
* Oversee artist booking strategy, negotiations, contracts, and scheduling
* Ensure programming reflects diversity, cultural relevance, and audience development goals
Marketing, Promotion, PR & Owned Media
* Oversee all marketing, promotion, PR, and communications activity across live events and media platforms
* Provide strategic leadership across radio station operations, YouTube channel, social media, and digital content platforms
* Ensure alignment between live events, editorial output, and audience growth strategies
* Act as a senior spokesperson and public-facing representative of the company when required
* Manage relationships with marketing agencies, PR partners, media outlets, and platform partners
Commercial, Revenue & Partnerships
* Lead commercial strategy across ticketing, sponsorship, brand partnerships, concessions, and content monetisation
* Develop and manage long-term relationships with sponsors, advertisers, and commercial partners
* Oversee partnership delivery to ensure contractual obligations, brand integration, and audience value are met
* Drive sustainable revenue growth across both live events and media channels
Team Leadership & Company Management
* Build, lead, and manage a senior leadership team across events, production, marketing, media, finance, and operations
* Oversee recruitment, performance management, and development of permanent and freelance staff
* Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performance organisational culture
* Ensure clear communication and coordination across live events and media teams
Required Experience & Qualifications
* Minimum 7 years’ senior leadership experience in festivals, live events, or large-scale cultural productions within the UK
* Proven experience operating at Managing Director, Festival Director, Executive Producer, or equivalent senior level
* Strong understanding of the UK festival, venue, promoter, artist, and production landscape, particularly within London and surrounding regions
* Demonstrable experience managing multiple event formats simultaneously, including festivals and one-day shows
* Experience overseeing media platforms (radio, digital video, social media, or content-led brands) as part of an events or cultural organisation
* Strong commercial acumen with experience managing budgets, partnerships, and revenue streams
* Thorough knowledge of UK licensing, health & safety, insurance, and regulatory requirements
Skills & Attributes
* Strategic, commercially minded leader with strong creative judgment
* Confident decision-maker comfortable operating in complex, fast-paced environments
* Excellent stakeholder, partner, and talent relationship management skills
* Strong negotiation, contract management, and deal-structuring capability
* Passion for live culture, audience engagement, and content-driven brands
* Flexible approach to working hours, particularly during peak event periods
Desirable (but not essential)
* Experience working with public funders, councils, or Arts Council England
* Experience scaling a multi-platform festival or events brand
* International festival, touring, or media experience
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