Next Wave Chief Executive Officer

Next Wave invites applications from dynamic and passionate arts professionals for the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO leads Next Wave in the delivery of long-term strategic objectives, facilitating organisational growth and realisation of the organisation’s vision and mission.

View Next Wave’s Strategic Plan 2025–28

Our ideal CEO

Next Wave’s CEO is an exceptional individual with a passion for contemporary artistic practice and supporting independent artists, with a focus on early career artists and young people.

Stewarding the organisation at an exciting chapter of evolution, you demonstrate a cultural sensibility to work with people across a diversity of lived and cultural experience. You take responsibility for the social, cultural, political, and environmental impact of your work, and actively advocate for broad accessibility and best practice sustainability.

A confident people manager who prefers to use collaborative and inspirationalmanagement style to persuade and mentor others, bringing them along with you, you are equally comfortable taking decisive action when needed. You are a proficient multi-tasker, an active learner, and someone who can respond with a combination of agility and analysis to new opportunities or unforeseen challenges.

You will bring strong fundraising and/or stakeholder management experience and an entrepreneurial mindset. Drawing on your analytic and problem-solving capacities, you take a systems approach to continuous improvement in operations and governance to support stability and sustainability, foster a positive and respectful workplace culture, and carefully manage Next Wave’s tangible and intangible assets.

Leadership priorities

• Lead the team through organisational change, providing stability through mentorship and coaching.
• Raise the profile of Next Wave and our new direction through advocacy and stakeholder engagement.
• Nurture partnerships and deliver innovative and engaging programming to activate Brunswick Mechanics Institute.
• Evolve Next Wave’s fundraising strategy to increase and diversify income.
• Maintain transparent and effective operations and governance functions to sustain the impact of Next Wave’s services to the creative industries.

Selection criteria

• Experience in a management and/or leadership role in an arts organisation, not-for-profit or business.
• Ability to develop and deliver programs in response to industry needs and social and cultural equity frameworks, reflecting both professional and lived experience.
• Ability to lead a small team with diverse experiences.
• Demonstrated stakeholder management skills and experience, including the ability to cultivate relationships with funders, program partners and industry advocates.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, organisational governance, financial management and/or fundraising.

View the Next Wave Chief Executive Officer Position Description

How to apply

For all enquiries, please contact Next Wave Board Chair, Amrit Gill at chair@nextwave.org.au.

To submit an application, please email chair@nextwave.org.au by 11.59pm AEST, 7 November 2024 with a CV and a cover letter, max. 5 pages total, addressing the selection criteria and the following questions:

• What excites you about joining the Next Wave team and taking this leadership role right now?
• Tell us about a program of change you have led. What was your process and what did you learn from the experience?
• Tell us about a mentor, peer or leader you have had who has significantly shaped your work life.
• Is there anything you would like us to know about how you work and/or what you need to take on this role?