Position title: Program Director

Reports to: Willy Lit Fest President

Direct reports: Executive Officer

Salary: $12,000 annual stipend

Commencement date: Immediately

Employment basis: Volunteer; hours are flexible and at the Program Director’s discretion. It is estimated that you will work ~18 hours per week with busier times closer to key delivery dates (launch, festival weekend).

Employment conditions: Appointment is for one year; with the option to extend for three years upon completion of a successful festival at committee discretion.

Location: Working from home; festival takes place at the Williamstown Town Hall.

Background

The Program Director of the Williamstown Literary Festival (Willy Lit Fest or WLF) is responsible for developing an engaging and stimulating festival program that will appeal to a broad audience and age range. Willy Lit Fest is a mid-sized arts festival that welcomes ~2000 guests through the doors of the Williamstown Town Hall annually in June. The Williamstown Literary Festival (est 2003) brings together readers, writers and book creatives of all sorts for an annual celebration of story-telling, author talks, panel discussions and writing workshops at a historic seaside setting.

The Program Director is an elected member of the WLF Organising Committee, which comprises several sub-committees: Writing Prizes, Marketing and Communications, Ballroom (Hub) Sub and Finance. The Program Director is a member of the Marketing and Communications and Finance sub-committees and reports monthly to the WLF Organising Committee. They will have a close working relationship with the Willy Lit Fest President. The Executive Officer (the Marketing and Communications lead) and the sub-committees support the Program Director with the design and development of the festival program and the necessary administrative tasks. The Program Director works with the WLF Finance sub‐committee to establish a budget for each festival and ensure that programming stays on budget.

Responsibilities

• Engaging with major sponsors (principally, Hobsons Bay City Council) to ensure that relevant people are included in the program as hosts, panel chairs and guest speakers, where appropriate.

• Liaising with publishers and writers about panel ideas, session themes and titles.

• Developing a timetable and scheduling sessions according to room capacity at the Williamstown Town Hall, author availability and other festival considerations. This entails working closely with HBCC staff responsible for the major Festival venue, Williamstown Town Hall.

• Managing local authors and others who wish to be part of the program.

• Gathering notes on the program sessions, author biographies and other information to be used for publicity and promotion, including on the WLF website.

• Identifying sponsors for specific sessions, and tailoring sessions to suit individual sponsors. (NB: in consultation with the festival Organising Committee.)

• Liaising with the WLF Finance sub-committee to establish session ticket prices, in keeping with the festival budget.

• Liaising with Book and Paper Williamstown, the festival’s preferred bookseller, to ensure a high-profile presence within the festival precinct.

• Working with the WLF Executive Officer to develop a publicity and marketing campaign for the festival. This may involve engaging a creative-coordinator and/or marketing coordinator (budget permitting).

• Writing engaging copy for the Willy Lit Fest website and print program.

• Liaising with designer, Megan Slattery, and printers, Docs on Call, to produce a print program of the festival’s offerings.

• Convening a program launch to coincide with tickets going on sale.

Key selection criteria

• Ability to work to deadlines and to self-manage a multifaceted workload.

• Proven ability to work collaboratively with volunteers, sponsors, council, colleagues and industry partners.

• Strong financial acumen and analytical skills including budget management, sponsorship negotiation, revenue generation and performance reporting.

• An enthusiastic reader that enjoys literature widely. A deep understanding of Australian literature, the work of Willy Lit Fest.

• Digital literacy; the ability to read both a novel and a spreadsheet. Experience with the google work suite, Squarespace and Humanitix desirable.

Payment

An honorarium/fee for service of $12,000 is payable to the Program Director which can be invoiced for quarterly or annually. The appointment is for one year, with the potential to be extended to three years.

How to apply

• Submit a written expression of interest no later than 16th November 2025, outlining the skills and talents you would bring to the role.

• Include a current CV and cover letter no longer than 5 pages (Word or PDF).

• Explain what you know about the Williamstown Literary Festival and how you might add to its appeal.

• Include relevant experience, particularly in the book trade; festival/event management and experience of literary events; and/or working with volunteer community committees.

• Any references you deem relevant. Referees will not be contacted without prior agreement.

Applications and requests for further information should be addressed to:

Elisabeth Grove OAM, President, Williamstown Literary Festival Committee.

Email: l.grove@willylitfest.org.au

Applications close: Sunday, 16th November 2025