APS6 | Creative Producer & Program Coordinator

Turn ideas into experiences! Lead innovative programs, film screenings & live events at NFSA. A dream role for a creative visionary! Apply now!

Salary: $94,563 – $105,910 p.a. plus superannuation 

Location: Acton, ACT 

Job Type: Ongoing/Non-ongoing/Full-time

Close Date: 11:59pm AEST on Wednesday 16 April 2025

About the National Film and Sound Archive 

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA) is Australia’s audiovisual archive, telling the national story by collecting, preserving and sharing audiovisual media, the cultural experience platforms of our time. The collection itself dates to 1935, making it one of the world’s oldest audiovisual collections. It is also one of the country’s most used cultural collections, with around 125 million views of collection content each year. The NFSA is in a period of significant change. Following increased Government investment, the institution is in a process of digital transformation, establishing the NFSA as Australia’s most dynamic and valued cultural organisation. We are rebuilding our curatorial workforce and developing the NFSA’s capacity to digitise our collection at scale – to preserve it for the future, to make sure it can be discovered, and to share it with all Australians.

We continue to work on developing a stable, secure and future-proof workforce across our four physical sites based in Canberra and Mitchell in the ACT as well as in Sydney and Melbourne.

We are also undergoing a program of business improvement for many of our corporate systems to improve efficiency and reduce manual handling. 

We are an ambitious organisation, and we aim to be an employer of choice within the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector, providing exciting and challenging work, as well as favourable employment conditions and unique development opportunities for our staff. 

Cultural Values 

We are an equal opportunity employer, embracing a diverse range of applicants such as veterans, and people who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, LGBTQIA community members, individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions, as well as those from varied faith and cultural backgrounds. At the NFSA we prioritise the development of a safe, inclusive, and high-performance culture through shared actions and behaviours that align with our strategy and direction. This empowers our employees to effectively contribute to our goals.

The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia is committed to ensuring a child-safe and child-friendly environment. All employees are expected to demonstrate a commitment to, and support for these principles in theory and practice.

About the Team 

The Public Programs and Visitor Experience team is part of the Programs and Operations section. The Section’s key objectives are to increase NFSA’s relevance, reach and revenue, particularly through experiences at our headquarters in Acton.

The Public Programs and Visitor Experience team produces a suite of place-based experiences that inspire, connect and engage with audio-visual culture, media technology, creativity and the arts. 

The team is responsible for the delivery and maintenance of the following on-site public programs and experiences including:

• Baseline Experiences – Our ‘always on’ experience welcomes visitors to our revitalised heritage spaces and courtyard with digital and object-based displays.
• Gallery Series – A program of audiovisual art installations by renowned Australian artists in our main gallery space.
• Film Series – A year-round program of screenings in our award-winning, heritage-listed Arc Cinema, including partnerships with independent film festivals.
• Partnerships Series – The team collaborates with external strategic partners to deliver joint programs and events such as festivals and symposia. Through these partnerships, NFSA builds community and participates as a key voice in the conversation about identity, city renewal, placemaking and design.
• Live@NFSA – The team supports delivery of live events and public programs onsite.
• Commercial Venue Hire – Many of our revitalised spaces are available for hire and more are coming online. The NFSA recognises venue hire as an opportunity to connect with diverse audiences, develop business tourism and generate revenue.

Additionally, the team collaborates with teams across the NFSA to deliver internal corporate activities, conferences and events and provides technical support to Learning programs.

The Opportunity 

The Creative Producer will play a key role in shaping and delivering public programs that develop NFSA Acton as a hub of creative and cultural conversation, with a focus on connecting with communities of Canberra.

The Creative Producer will deliver projects across Acton’s public spaces. They will program and coordinate the quarterly Film Series in Arc Cinema and rotating screenings of Australian documentaries in the Theatrette; lead and manage the development of audiovisual art installations for the Gallery; and co-design and manage occasional public programs for the Live@NFSA music series, Partnership Series and Baseline Experience. The Creative Producer contributes to the over-arching programming conversation at NFSA as a member of the Programming Committee.

The Creative Producer reports to, and works in close collaboration with, the Manager Programs and Visitor Experience to ensure alignment of strategy, creative direction and program delivery. As part of a highly collaborative section that incorporates Programs and Visitor Experience, Technical and Production, and Learning. The Creative Producer will also work closely with teams across the NFSA, including Property and Security, Curatorial, Conservation, Marketing and Communications, and Rights and Distribution to ensure the effective, safe and timely delivery of all programs. 

The Creative Producer will be highly organised, proactive, collaborative and communicative with strong programming, event management and relationship-building skills. They will be able to apply their artistic knowledge, creative mindset and project management skills in programming and delivering public programs and major audiovisual artworks within a cultural institution context.

Please note: This recruitment process is intended to fill both current and future vacancies. While the position on offer is ongoing, a merit pool of suitable applicants may be established to fill similar ongoing and non-ongoing positions within the next 18 months.

Key Responsibilities/Duties 

Under limited direction, this position is responsible for delivering the following functions:

• Programming
  • Contribute to NFSA programming strategy and decision-making as a member of the Programming Committee.
  • Program a year-round series of cinema screenings in the Arc Cinema, in collaboration with film festival, industry and community partners, to achieve revenue and audience targets.
  • Program a suite of screenings of documentaries and other content from the NFSA collection in the Theatrette.
  • Lead and manage the commissioning and development of digital and hybrid audiovisual art installations in the Gallery.
  • When required, co-design and manage public programs for the Live@NFSA music series,
  • Partnership Series and Baseline Experience.
  • Represent and communicate the NFSA program at programs, events, meetingsand media interviews.
  • Champion the actions and objectives of the Sustainability and Climate Action Strategy, Disability Inclusion Action Plan and Reconciliation Action Plan within the Programs and Visitor Experience team.
• Project Management
  • Lead and manage collaborative project teams to deliver creative projects and public programs.
• Develop and support positive relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, including filmmakers, distributors and artists.
• Manage rights, licensing, intellectual property and classification for public programs content.
• Lead budgeting, revenue forecasting, project, financial and risk management in the delivery of creative projects and public programs.
• Collate, analyse and report on program performance data.

Selection Criteria 

The successful candidate will demonstrate their capacity against the following:

Desired Skills and Experience

• Experience in a programming and event delivery role in a cultural organisation.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this position you must:

• Be an Australian Citizen.
• Satisfactorily complete an Australian Federal Police National Police Check.
• Obtain and maintain a Working with Vulnerable People registration.

How to Apply 

When applying via our online e-recruitment system, please provide a written applicationaddressing the Selection Criteria (maximum 200 words per criterion). Your current resume is also to be included in your application.

In addition to an application and your resume, the assessment process for this position may also include an interview and referee reports.

We welcome and encourage applications from people with disability, the LGBTIQ+ communities, from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

What we offer you 

We provide a diverse, inclusive, and supportive work environment with access to: 

• Great training and development opportunities.
• Generous leave and flexible working arrangements.
• Our Employee Assistance Program (EAP – a free counselling service for you and your family).
• A competitive salary, plus 15.4% superannuation.
• Rewards and recognition initiatives.

RecuitAbility

RecruitAbility applies to this vacancy. Under the RecruitAbility scheme you will be invited to participate in further assessment activity for the vacancy if you choose to apply under the scheme; declare you have a disability; and meet the minimum requirements for the job. For more information see: RecruitAbility | Australian Public Service Commission (https://apsc.gov.au)

Contact Officer

Please direct initial enquiries by email only to:

Greg Lissaman | Head of Programs and Operations

E: greg.lissaman@nfsa.gov.au