Position Production Manager Festival Wide
Reporting to Senior Production Manager
Position type Seasonal Fixed Term 66-Day Contract
0.8 FTE from July 28 to August 24
Full-time from August 25 to October 31
Salary $74,000 pro rata per annum + superannuation
Direct Reports Up to 30 Production and Technical Casuals
Financial Delegation $1,000
Location Various- office-based in Carlton- Fringe sites are in metropolitan Melbourne
Date of Preparation 16 May 2025
Position Purpose
To deliver Melbourne Fringe’s production festival wide under the direction of the Senior Production Manager.
Role Summary
The Production Manager has a key role in overseeing and coordinating the production requirements of all Fringe Programmed and Curated Venues during the 2025 Melbourne Fringe Festival. The role includes managing and delivering Fringe-produced events and spaces, including the Festival Hub, Club Fringe, Launch, Meat Market, Vic Market, Fed Square, and other events yet to be decided.
The Production Manager contributes to and supports the sourcing and implementation of technical and infrastructure requirements, the execution of the Festival Risk Management Plan, the management of festival production staff and the administration of the Festival production budget. The Production Manager liaises with producers and artists across all Melbourne Fringe events to provide technical advice and support.
About Melbourne Fringe
Melbourne Fringe democratises the arts. Our vision is cultural democracy – empowering anyone to realise their right to creative expression. We support the development and presentation of artworks by, with and for Melbourne’s people, running the annual Melbourne Fringe Festival, the year-round venue Fringe Common Rooms at Trades Hall, and a range of arts sector leadership programs. We believe that access to the arts and creative expression are fundamental rights of our citizenship and vital to a creative, healthy, cohesive society.
Our Work Culture
Melbourne Fringe is a forward-thinking, creative and inclusive organisation. Our dreaming is out of the box, our work ethic is strong, and we don’t let our limited resources stop us from making seemingly impossible things happen. We believe that great work is made by people who enjoy what they do. We are proud to have a diverse workplace that celebrates difference and encourages people to bring their whole selves to work with pride.
Fringe is a values-driven workplace characterised by big-picture thinking, optimism and playfulness. We have a reputation as a hard-working, caring, energetic, fast-paced workplace that values our people and their health and which brings them together socially for lunch, events and fun times.
You’re the right fit for Melbourne Fringe if you are:
- Passionate about creativity and cultural equity
- Willing to support anyone to participate in the arts, regardless of their experience, age, gender, ability, sexuality, cultural background or artistic practice
- Excited by the challenge of making ambitious things happen on limited budgets
- Ready for personal and professional learning and continual improvement
- Into a collaborative and social work culture
Benefits of Working at Melbourne Fringe
Melbourne Fringe employees enjoy:
- A flexible work environment including regular work-from-home options (every Thursday, every second Tuesday, and at other times by negotiation)
- A glorious “no meetings” day every week
- Four Weeks’ Accrued Annual Leave, with any unused leave paid out at the conclusion of your contract
- Best practice special leave entitlements including parental leave of up to 12 weeks’ paid leave, and generous personal leave policies that cover physical and mental health, gender affirmation leave, cultural leave, menstrual and menopause leave and disability leave.
- An Employee Assistance Program counselling service
Production Manager (Festival Wide)
Here’s a list of things you’ll be responsible for:
Production Management
- Detail technical specifications for the Curated Program, the Hub, and Meat Market
- Liaise with all events allocated to you by the Senior Production Manager regarding technical specifications and ensure that production needs are met
- Source and hire production equipment as necessary (including seating, staging, lighting and sound), working to budget at all times.
- Coordinate supplier/contractor engagement to ensure delivery of all technical requirements, providing suppliers and contractors with detailed equipment lists, schedules, and plans for each performance space.
- Ensure all spaces are built and maintained according to prescribed plans and safety regulations, especially regarding occupancy permits and capacities.
- Maintain Melbourne Fringe records of quotes and potential suppliers of all production equipment
- Schedule and maintain records of technical rehearsals for all events programmed at the Festival Hub
- Arrange for additional equipment to be hired for events and shows as requested
- Manage in collaboration with the Senior Production Manager all production issues within programmed venues for the duration of the Festival
- Support the Senior Production Manager for all bump-in and bump-out of the Festival (including technical and infrastructure requirements), including detailed schedules and ensure adherence to City of Melbourne regulations
- Oversee a detailed reporting system, ensuring all feedback from events is received and documented
- Maintain all performance room records in plans, photos, etc.
- Advise on needs and production issues for other and potential Fringe venues as part of the festival planning process
Risk and Safety
- Coordinate details for the Risk Management and Emergency Management plans, as drawn together in the Emergency Plan
- Ensure that the Melbourne Fringe Risk Management Plan is followed in consultation with Melbourne Fringe’s Risk Management Consultant.
- Ensure all staff, suppliers and contractors are adequately briefed on and adhere to Melbourne Fringe’s Safety and Emergency Policies.
- Provide advice to Festival staff concerning risk management issues across the Festival
Budget and Staff Management
- Adhere to the Festival production budget allocated by the Senior Production Manager
- Offer advice to the Senior Production Manager on budget implications for current and future Festivals
- In consultation with the Senior Production Manager, employ venue production staff for each venue at the Festival
- Schedule production staffing manage the production team for day-to-day issues
- Manage production interns
General
- Actively uphold best practice cultural safety for all Melbourne Fringe staff, artists, volunteers, audiences and other stakeholders.
- Engage fully in the Melbourne Fringe Festival, which by the nature of the Festival may mean extended hours and expanded duties during the Festival period (followed by some well-earned days off in lieu).
- Attend where required festivals, events, shows, exhibitions, industry gatherings and philanthropic activities and events throughout the year.
- Undertake a personalised professional development program
- Other duties as agreed with the Senior Production Manager, acknowledging that jobs evolve to meet the changing needs of the arts environment, and this document is an overview and not intended to represent the role performed in perpetuity.
- The successful applicant will be required to undergo a Working with Children Check as a condition of employment with Melbourne Fringe. We will cover the cost of this check.
Here are the skills and attributes you need to bring*:
- Passion for the work of Melbourne Fringe
- Resilience and ability to work effectively under pressure
- Passion for the work of Melbourne Fringe and a commitment to cultural equity
- Experience in the technical operation of sound, lighting, and AV systems, including the set-up and operation of these
- Experience in stage managing small-scale theatrical shows
- Experience in theatrical mechanics
- Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to coordinate large teams of people
- Experience working with or supervising volunteers is desirable
- Strong administration, systems management and organisational skills
- Resilience and ability to work effectively under pressure
- A sense of humour
* If you don’t yet have all of the experience, know that Melbourne Fringe is a workplace that values ongoing skills development, mentoring and training.
Our commitment to cultural equity
Melbourne Fringe has a deep commitment to cultural equity, and we strongly encourage applications from people who identify as First Nations, Deaf, disabled, people of colour, queer, transgender and gender-diverse people, as well as people with caring responsibilities. We celebrate people’s differences.
We know sometimes people – especially those from more marginalised groups – might feel under-qualified for a job or like you might not belong. If that’s you, we especially welcome you – Fringe is a place that supports and up-skills people as they’re learning on the job.
If this application format isn’t accessible for you, please get in touch and let us know what alternative format would suit you best. Upon engagement, we can work with disabled staff to consider reasonable workplace adjustments to ensure access needs are met. If you have any questions about accessibility, please contact Carly Findlay, Access Advisor, on (03) 9660 9600 or carly@melbournefringe.com.au.
Please advise us of any pre-existing injuries or conditions that may arise that might inhibit you in the physical
