Director of BFI Festivals

Salary: c£85,000 per annum

The BFI seeks a Festivals Director to lead and inspire the festivals team on the continued development of its festivals, BFI London Film Festival and BFI Flare.

The BFI’s festivals are a cornerstone of its cultural work and sector leadership, and key to delivering on the ambitions and principles of its new ten-year strategy, Screen Culture 2033.

 About the BFI & BFI Festivals

The BFI is a cultural charity, a National Lottery distributor, and the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image. The BFI believes society needs stories. Film, television and the moving image bring them to life, helping us connect and understand each other better. The BFI shares the stories of yesterday, searches for the stories of today, and shapes the stories of tomorrow.

 The BFI London Film Festival is the UK’s largest and longest-running film festival and one of the core cultural activities of the BFI. BFI Flare is a long-running LGBTQIA+ festival, with a growing audience in London and on BFI Player, and one of the most inclusive film events of the BFI’s annual calendar. 

Key responsibilities

• Lead and inspire the Festivals team to evolve and further cement the BFI London Film Festival’s position as one of the world’s most significant and accessible international film festivals.
• Deliver a public programme – in London, across the UK and online – that showcases the best in contemporary international and British cinema, series and immersive/XR alongside significant film restorations that show the work of the BFI National Archive and archives from around the world, while also securing major and diverse film talent to present films, talks and events.
• Work closely with the Head of Business Operations on financial targets and budgets.
• Build relationships with the UK and international industry, and ensuring that the BFI London Film Festival continues to grow in influence and value within the wider international industry and deliver increasing benefit for filmmakers and the UK screen sectors.
• Ensuring that BFI FLARE showcases the breadth of LGBTQIA+ film and screen culture and attracts a wide and diverse audience and offers a platform for work with emerging curators.

 The BFI is seeking candidates with

• Significant senior management experience in managing a festival, developing the programme and managing key stakeholders
• A proven track record of innovative cultural decision making that develops existing audiences and attracts new diverse audiences
• Deep knowledge of and passion for film that effectively translates into significant cultural programmes that enthuse and appeal to a wide audience
• Demonstrable leadership skills and proven people management skills at a senior level including experience of successful performance management, coaching and developing staff.
• The ability to represent the BFI, both nationally and internationally, acting as an ambassador for the BFI and maintaining a professional approach at all times.

 Given the influential nature of the role, and in order to maintain diversity of voice and approach in the leadership of the Festival, this role is fixed term for three years, with the potential to extend for a further one-two years. 

At the BFI you’ll enjoy benefits such as excellent support for working parents, 28-33 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), tickets to BFI festivals and events plus much more.

Full details and apply

Further details about the role and the BFI can be found by browsing the BFI jobs and opportunities microsite.

First interviews will be held on Wednesday 01 February 2023. Second interviews will be held on Wednesday 08 February 2023.

The closing date for this position is 16/01/2023 at 00:00