Director of Operations

Contract

Full-time, permanent (We welcome proposals for flexible working arrangements)

Salary

£50,000 per annum

The Director of Operations for Edinburgh International Book Festival [EIBF] sits at the intersection of programme delivery, organisational management and operational leadership. The role combines events delivery with charity-wide management. This ensures that EIBF runs smoothly, festivals and events happen effectively, and all activity aligns with our charitable objectives and purpose.

The Director of Operations will lead all operational and logistical aspects of the annual Book Festival and year-round programmes. They will ensure effective governance, efficient systems, safe and compliant event delivery, and ensure resources are allocated appropriately to support the charity’s mission to promote engagement with, and enjoyment of, books, writing and ideas. They will manage relationships and contracts with site and production teams, and a range of other key stakeholders and partners. They will own and actively manage policy and systems management in the organisation, including oversight of digital infrastructure, as well as lead the HR function in a busy organisation.

Success in the role will balance the following elements:

• Leading the operational delivery of the Festival and programmes including effective stewarding of key relationships and contractors
• Optimising the culture of EIBF through effective management of HR and internal processes
• Effective management of EIBF planning, systems and processes, including digital transformation

Key responsibilities

Strategic operations

• Develop and implement operational strategies aligned to the EIBF’s purpose, mission, and long-term goals
• Own the business planning and organisational development plans, and support the CEO and other members of SMT in the delivery of the Strategic Plan
• Integrate sustainability, accessibility and inclusion into all operational practices
• Support delivery and coordination of the organisational strategic plan and manage the organisational calendar
• Support delivery of priority projects across the organisation.

Strategic contribution

• Contribute to the wider organisational strategy
• Lead thinking on delivery models, operational sustainability, scalability
• Ensure the organisational infrastructure supports our strategic ambitions including strengthening our resilience

Festival delivery

• Lead operational planning for the annual Festival including overall management of venues, production, logistics and technical coordination.
• Lead relationships with key contractors including site and production teams, including managing procurement and contract tenders/renewals
• Lead relationships with strategic and operational partners including Edinburgh City Council and Edinburgh University
• Working with colleagues (production team; digital marketing), ensure high standards of delivery for the live, digital, and hybrid events, ensuring quality and accessibility for all audiences
• Liaise with Programming, Brand & Audience, and Production teams to ensure smooth Festival execution and delivery on budget
• Ensure all vendor relationships are managed proactively and support overall delivery ambitions

People and resource management

• Lead operational HR processes and work with external HR support as required, including for contract and freelance staff, and maintain EIBF’s reputation for high standards of employee care and wellbeing
• Maintain and update the Employee Handbook and measures such as the Employee Assistance programme, working with external support as required
• Own the performance management framework for the organisation and ensure compliance with this • Lead and develop the operations team, managing resources effectively
• Support colleagues in the recruitment and training of temporary staff including leading organizational induction training
• Foster a collaborative and inclusive working culture across teams and partners
• Own the annual pay review cycle and contribute to decision making on renumeration as appropriate
• Work with Chief Executive on senior appointments and strategic change Governance and compliance
• Ensure all charity operations adhere to legal, finance and Health and Safety obligations and are regularly reviewed
• With input from colleagues, develop and maintain appropriate, value-aligned policies including environment and sustainability, safeguarding, risk assessment, EDIC (Equalities, Diversity, Inclusion and Care), Fair Work and AI.
• Support the Board of Trustees with operational, report and impact evaluation.

Systems and process improvement

• Support the organisation’s ongoing digital transformation project across all systems, and ways of working
• Manage IT, CRM, ticketing and digital infrastructure to support event delivery and audience/stakeholder engagement, and work with other Directors to ensure technical systems deliver, and develop, their needs in areas including data collection and analysis, financial reporting, and other ways of working
• Work with Finance to embed and integrate new financial systems
• Identify and implement process improvements to drive greater organisational efficiency, income generation, and cost reduction
• Oversee data protection, cyber security and GDPR compliance
• Manage staff training needs in relation to systems and processes

Leadership and team management

• Lead and develop the operational function and associated staff
• Promote strong operational understanding across the organisation
• Support colleagues across teams with planning and monitoring
• Contribute to a collaborative and inclusive organisational culture
• Act as a member of the senior leadership team

Person specification

• Significant senior operational leadership experience within a complex, fast paced organisation
• Proven experience translating organisational strategy into effective operational delivery, systems and processes
• Experience leading organisational change, growth or transformation while maintaining operational resilience
• Strong experience delivering complex live events or public programmes, including logistics, production, venues, and supplier management
• Experience managing contracts, procurement processes, and strategic operational partnerships
• Strong understanding of governance, compliance, risk management, and health and safety
• Experience leading HR processes, people management, and organisational culture development
• Experience delivering systems development, digital transformation, or process improvement projects
• Strong understanding of organisational infrastructure including IT, CRM, ticketing. and data governance
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to work strategically while remaining practical and hands-on in a small, agile organisation

Desirable

• Experience within the arts, festivals, cultural or charity sectors • Experience delivering outdoor, temporary or multi-site events
• Experience embedding sustainability, accessibility and inclusive working practices
• Experience working with Boards, Trustees or public sector partners
• Knowledge of hybrid and digital event delivery
• Relevant professional qualification in operations, HR, project management or organisational development

Personal attributes

• Calm, resilient and solutions-focused
• Agile thinker with a practical, delivery-focused approach
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail
• Collaborative and emotionally intelligent
• Confident leading change and managing complexity
• Comfortable balancing accountability with flexibility and adaptability
• Committed to inclusive leadership and staff wellbeing
• Motivated by public purpose, culture, and community engagement

Success measures

Success in the role may include:

• Successful and safe delivery of annual Festival and year-round events • Effective and sustainable cost and process improvement
• Strong operational systems and staff engagement
• Compliance and charity and event regulations
• Positive audience and stakeholder feedback
• Effective support for festival delivery and organisational strategy
• Sustainable growth and organisational resilience role, what success in the position looks like, and how this role fits into the organization overall.

How to apply

Please complete the online application using the links on our website: https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/about-us/jobs

Please ensure you upload a copy of your current CV and an application letter. Your letter should outline your suitability for the post and why you wish to work at the Book Festival. You may include any other information to support your application.

If the job description doesn’t answer your questions, or you would like to discuss the role further, please contact admin@edbookfest.co.uk in the first instance.