Current opportunities

Artistic Director

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Closing date: 20 June 2025, 5pm

 

Background 

Northern Opera Group specialises in the performance of rare and contemporary opera here in Leeds and is beginning a new chapter. Following 10 years of leading Northern Opera Group and establishing the charity as one of the UK’s most innovative opera companies, the current Artistic Director and General Manager are stepping down in August 2025. Having recently recruited an Executive Director (Fay Jennett), we are looking for an Artistic Director to complete the new leadership team with a remit to further advance the quality, reputation and impact of Northern Opera Group.

 

Purpose

Northern Opera Group exists to increase access to opera. A wide variety of people come to our performances –some will be familiar with the operas we stage, but many will not be.. Northern Opera Group enables audiences to come as they are, whoever they are, and invites them to set aside any preconceptions around  what opera is, could be, or should be. In this spirit, our annual festival showcases opera in and out of theatres, in urban spaces, farms, museums and art galleries to bring our work close to a wide audience. To understand more about the festival structure click here.

 

We believe that an ethos of diversity and inclusion is the only way to help realise a fairer, more equitable future for the opera sector in the UK. Northern Opera Group is a proud Change Partner with Ramps on the Moon, works with an Equity House Agreement and is a member of Sustainable Arts in Leeds. A vital aspect of the new leadership team’s role will be to sustain and further embed inclusive practice into our work.

 

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone with a genuine passion for opera combined with creative curiosity and intellectual rigour. This job includes in equal parts programming, strategic planning, relationship building and advocacy. This is a job for someone who is a natural collaborator, a generous enabler - someone who seeks to find joy in what they do.

 

Throughout the application and interview process we are ready to make reasonable adjustments. Please contact Fay (details below)  to discuss arrangements that can be put in place in order to support you. 

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About the role

 

Job Title: Artistic Director 

Time commitment: approx. 36 days per year, for core duties (additional days to be allocated as required)

Fee: £7200 p/annum, based on a daily rate of £200 (freelance contract)

Location: remote, with ability to attend meetings and events in Leeds where required

Start date: August 2025

Special conditions: Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK 

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Role Scope 

 

Strategic Planning and Delivery 

• Working alongside the Executive Director (ED) and Trustees to set Northern Opera Group’s (NOG) artistic and organisational strategy

• Work alongside the ED to lead on the development of  the overall shape of NOG’s annual programme of activity 

• Lead on the development of creative ideas from genesis to fully-articulated, production-ready projects 

• Work alongside the ED to strategically build relationships with a wide range of new and existing artistic collaborators, artists/composers, soloists, performers with a view to securing commissions and partnerships

• Help to secure NOG engagements with venues, promoters, festival partners across the UK and beyond as required 

• Work with ED to ensure production budgets and timeframes are thorough, realistic and achievable 

• Ensure NOG is well-connected and respected at local, regional and national levels

 

Fundraising

• Work with the ED to source, support funding applications, ensuring the fundraising pipeline is kept up to date, and projections are able to meet artistic ambitions 

• Work with ED to maintain positive relationships with existing funders, and building new relationships

 

Marketing

• Work with ED to communicate compelling narratives/storytelling around artistic programme 

• Work with ED to ensure that marketing materials are created and distributed in line with future projects

 

Other

•  Work with ED to ensure Diversity and Inclusion targets are met across programming and commissioning

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Person Specification

 

Candidates must be able to demonstrate:

 

• A passion for opera

• A commitment to inclusive practice, ideally with experience of a range of delivery models and methods

• Experience in a professional or voluntary context of leadership, management and/or producing in the performing arts

• Programming/curatorial experience, whether in the context of opera or another field 

• Evidence of broad cultural curiosity: interest and engagement across art forms and musical genres including awareness of emerging artists and underrepresented voices 

• Evidence of seeing creative ideas through from genesis to delivery 

• Good organisational skills/systems; able to simultaneously manage ideas and administration 

• A broad knowledge of the UK’s performing arts sector, including its challenges and opportunities

• Strong networks within the UK’s performing arts sector 

• An ability to form positive professional relationships and/or partnerships 

 

It is desirable if candidates can also demonstrate:

 

• Experience of a collaborative leadership approach

• An understanding of operatic repertoire (historical and contemporary)

• Understanding/experience of arts philanthropy and the current UK arts funding climate 

• An interest in embedding inclusive practice and leading sector-wide change 

• An interest in developing the arts ecology in Leeds and the surrounding area

 

Application Process 

 

How to Apply 

1. Share your artistic practice with us – acceptable forms include your CV, a link to your website or portfolio)

2. Take some time to address the following questions – (acceptable forms include cover letter - (2 page maximum), an audio / video response - no longer than 3 minutes)

   • What excites you about this opportunity to work with Northern Opera Group?

   • Why do you think you are the right person for this role?

   • What knowledge and experience will you bring?

 

If you can, please include your availability for an interview in your application. To submit an application please send it via email to Fay at fay@northernoperagroup.co.uk by the deadline: 5pm on Friday 20 June 2025. 

 

If you have any specific questions or would like an informal conversation about the role, please contact Fay at fay@northernoperagroup.co.uk or David (outgoing Artistic Director) at david@northernoperagroup.co.uk. 

 

Important Dates 

1. Friday 23 May 2025 -  Applications Open 

2. Friday 20 June 2025 (5pm) - Applications Close 

3. Wednesday 2 - Friday 4 July 2025 - Interviews