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Head of Programming, Chichester Festival Theatre

  •  South East
  •  Â£40k-50k (pro rata)
  •  Part time
  •  Closes December 7, 2025
  •  Gillian Watkins
  •  recruitment@cft.org.uk
  • #Theatre

Description

Job Summary

Reporting to the Artistic Director at CFT, the Head of Programming at CFT 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.

Job Description

Head of Programming

Permanent, part-time (3 days / 21 hours per week)

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

Full details of the role can be found on our website https://www.cft.org.uk/jobs/head-of-programming

CFT is both a producing and a presenting theatre. Funded by Arts Council England, our on-stage work is produced during the summer months from April to October (the Festival Season) and touring (presented) work is presented in the winter months from late October to the end of February (the Presented Season).

The presented season is an integral part of CFTs year-round Artistic Programme as it provides variation to the overall programme with classic plays, new work, musicals, concerts, comedy nights, one nighters and dance as well as productions for our younger audiences. The winter programme generates 35% of the annual box office income.

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.

Job Requirements

We're looking for someone with:

  • 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

Full details can be found on our website https://www.cft.org.uk/jobs/head-of-programming

Useful Links

How to Apply

To apply please send your CV and a covering letter, or video, to [email protected] by 10pm December 7th, 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.

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