Circusful, Festival of Fools, and Premiere Circus are seeking an exceptional leader to serve as Chief Executive Officer, driving forward our shared mission to champion circus as an inspiring and inclusive art form. As CEO, you will be responsible for strategic leadership, operational excellence, and income generation, ensuring our long-term sustainability and impact.
Reporting to the Board of Trustees, you will act as an inspiring ambassador for the organisations, building strong relationships with funders, stakeholders, and partners locally, nationally, and internationally. You will lead a dedicated team, oversee a dynamic portfolio of programmes, and ensure our work reflects excellence and inclusion.
The successful applicant will have outstanding leadership skills with the ability to inspire and strategically lead and motivate the staff team and performance tutors. They will role-model the mind-set, values and behaviours needed to drive transformational change and organisational growth.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
Festival and Program Delivery
· Ensure the team are equipped to deliver Festival of Fools each year, Northern Ireland’s largest annual street art festival
· Ensure resources are available for all current and future planned programmes and projects to engage and work with youth across Northern Ireland
Income Generation & Financial Management
Programme Excellence
Governance & Reporting
Team Leadership
About You
We are seeking a visionary leader with a minimum of five years’ experience at a senior management level, including at least three years operating at or immediately below Board/Chief Executive level. You will bring a proven track record of leadership within complex organisations, ideally in the charity or arts sector.
Essential Experience:
Desirable Experience:
Essential Knowledge & Skills:
Additional Requirements:
About Circusful, Festival of Fools, and Premiere Circus
Circusful, Festival of Fools, and Premiere Circus are three interconnected organisations working together to celebrate, promote, and develop circus as an art form in Northern Ireland and beyond.
Together, these three organisations form a unique ecosystem, combining grassroots engagement, professional development, and world-class performance to champion circus as a transformative and inclusive art form.
If you are an accomplished leader ready to take on this multifaceted role, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now and join us in shaping the future of circus arts in Northern Ireland and beyond!
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