Production Manager

Posted: Friday May 19, 2023

Job Opportunity - New Zealand Young Writers Festival 2023

Click here for the Big Idea Advertisement: Production Manager, New Zealand Young Writers Festival 2023 | The Big Idea

The New Zealand Young Writers Festival (NZYWF) comprises four days of free, fun literary-focused events held annually in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, a UNESCO City of Literature. We welcome young writers of all stripes to celebrate all forms of wordsmithing, including (but not limited to): slam poetry, poetry, playwriting, songwriting, short fiction, novels, zines, screenwriting, journalism, blogging, critical content creation, podcasts, review writing, and more.

The 2023 festival is our ninth and will take place from Thursday 21 - Sunday 24 September 2023.

We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic, detail oriented Production Manager for the festival. You’ll be responsible for all aspects of festival production including: engaging suppliers and technicians; managing pack-in and pack-out for the festival venue and individual events; scheduling and creating runsheets; coordinating festival volunteers; assisting with artist liaison; managing the festival venue, including health and safety planning and implementation; and assisting with sponsorship requests. The contract is for a total of 230 hours, paid at a rate of $30 per hour, as an independent contractor (note: the Production Manager needs to be available to work full-time the week leading up to and of the festival; hours before and after those weeks will be part-time, the schedule of which is open for negotiation).

Our festival Production Manager needs to be a people person skilled at building relationships. You’ll need to be flexible, patient and a creative problem solver. You’ll also need to be highly organised and able to work independently. Previous experience working in festival or event production, and familiarity with sound and lighting equipment, preferred. Ideally you’ll have a passion for arts, culture and creativity too!

We will consider remote work for the right candidate, but the Production Manager must work in Ōtepoti/Dunedin during the week of the festival. The candidate must also be legally entitled to work in New Zealand.

For the full schedule of work, please click here. Applications close Sunday 4 June 2023. Please send a cover letter and curriculum vitae to look@youngwritersfest.nz.

If you have any questions, please contact Kate Schrader, Acting Co-Director of the Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust, at kate@dunedinfringe.nz.

The New Zealand Young Writers Festival is produced by the Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust. The Trust’s annual programmes also include the Dunedin Fringe Festival (an 11-day multidisciplinary arts festival) and Amped Music Project (a music mentorship programme for high school-aged youth). We also manage the performing arts venue Te Whare o Rukutia, and the Community Gallery (on behalf of the Dunedin City Council).

The NZYWF 2023 is made possible thanks to generous funding from Creative New Zealand, the Otago Community Trust, the Dunedin City Council, and other sponsors, supporters and friends.