Program Director (m/f/d).

Chemnitz has been chosen to be European Capital of Culture in 2025. Kulturhauptstadt Europas Chemnitz 2025 GmbH is developing and implementing the Capital of Culture program from the bid book for 2025 including both the preparations and follow-up. The program team will be gradually expanded over the next few years and will be responsible for advancing the planning of the program for 2025. For a full-time position, starting at the soonest possible date and presumably limited to the end of 2026, we are seeking to appoint, for Kulturhauptstadt Chemnitz 2025 GmbH, a

Program Director (m/f/d).

The management of the company is the responsibility of the managing director. The program director will be working with them as a peer. The two directors will be keeping each other informed of all the significant operations and activities being undertaken in their specific areas of responsibility.

We are seeking an experienced team player with highly developed skills in the organization, communication, and facilitation of cultural programs on the basis of the bid book content. The individual should possess the ability to develop and successfully implement a wide-ranging cultural and events program together with a committed team over several years. Cooperation and collaboration within the team as well as an ability to communicate courteously with all the various individuals involved in the project are essential.

Your responsibilities:

The program director is responsible for advancing the artistic, creative, cultural, and digital programming, comprising both in-house and collaborative projects. The program is being developed jointly between a group of curators, local, regional and international partners and the program team from Chemnitz 2025 GmbH. The appointee will be responsible for representation of the program internally as well as externally and particularly in the media. The principal task will involve the communicating of the successful bid's narrative, which was developed in a participatory process by the city and the region of Chemnitz together with European partners. The program should contribute to the fulfillment of the six strategic objectives of Chemnitz 2025, as defined in the bid book, and aim to develop elements in the program that will continue to have an impact after 2025. The program director is responsible for ensuring that the program in a hybrid format can also be experienced in digital space, and not merely as recordings of live performances.

Your additional duties, among others, will include:

Oversight, implementation, and coordination of the entire program

Implementation and further development of a program that is essentially based on the bid book

Responsibility for the program budget

Involvement of the region and participating municipalities

Strengthening of cultural networks and collaboration with strategic partners within Chemnitz, the region and on a European level

A communication strategy that is capable of reaching a large number of both German and international visitors, with a particular focus on Eastern Europe

Network meetings with former and future European Capitals of Culture

Participation in the development of strategies and concepts for the acquisition of third-party funding

Facilitating of contacts and collaborations between international and regional professionals in both culture and the arts

Liaison with various bodies such as the artistic advisory board, supervisory board, and the City of Chemnitz strategy committee, etc.

Evaluating the impact of the Capital of Culture 2025

Your skills and qualities:

You enjoy moving in a self-confident manner within a creative environment and in the society in general. You confront controversial debates employing a thoughtful approach that will enable you to prepare and implement the Capital of Culture year together with other assertive (cultural) individuals; duties which will benefit from your staying power and strategic foresight. You will have had demonstrable experience in project development and implementation during your professional career and enjoy working in an interdisciplinary team. You will be able to identify with the program as developed in the bid book.

You will also possess the following qualifications:

A university degree in culture, music, media, or communication studies, or comparable qualifications

Several years of professional experience in the development and communication of artistic content

Knowledge of the implementation of complex programs and projects, preferably with international partners

The ability to think and act strategically

The ability to deal with high levels of complexity and to set priorities

Experience with participatory cultural approaches and interface management

International experience preferably paired with professional networks rooted in an EU environment

Receptiveness for regional conditions, the history and the traditions of Eastern and Middle Europe

An affinity for digital platforms, means of communication and communities

Excellent communication skills as well as a cooperative, integrative, and facilitating style of management

Negotiating skills and confidence in dealing with decision-makers in culture, politics, business, and society at large

An affinity for engaging with democratic values and ability to deal with sentiments critical of the economic situation

 A fluent knowledge of German and English