CEO / Festival Director – Melbourne International Comedy Festival

About the role

The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is seeking a visionary leader to serve as CEO and Festival Director. This senior executive will steer one of Australia’s most iconic cultural events, balancing artistic ambition with commercial sustainability.

Key responsibilities

• Provide overall strategic direction for the Festival, ensuring artistic excellence and audience growth.
• Lead commercial operations, budgeting, and revenue generation to sustain and expand the Festival’s economic impact.
• Oversee year‑round programmes, including touring, education, and development initiatives such as Class Clowns, Raw Comedy and Deadly Funny.
• Represent the Festival to government, sponsors, media, and international partners.
• Guide a highly committed team and work closely with the Board to shape the organisation’s future.

Required profile

• Proven track record of leading and evolving creative or cultural organisations.
• Strong commercial and operational capability combined with genuine creative instinct.
• Deep commitment to the arts and experience balancing bold artistic vision with disciplined execution.
• Ability to engage diverse stakeholders and champion diversity and inclusion.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to lead a world‑renowned comedy festival with national and international significance.
• Platform to shape the cultural landscape of Victoria and Australia.