Festival Producer

Location: London

Company: Watersprite Film Festival

Type: Freelance

Closes: Thu 4th Jun 2026

Watersprite Film Festival is looking for a freelance Festival Producer

This is a unique opportunity for an individual keen to:

Organise the largest student film festival in the world, support emerging filmmakers from all backgrounds and provide free opportunities to all.
Build relationships with key players in the UK and international Screen Industries, including corporate film sponsors, professional speakers, community film hubs and youth talent schemes.
Work closely alongside the Development Director position to oversee the overall running of the festival and wider charitable initiatives – including a training scheme in Manchester, Watersprite Hubs, a free training programme for emerging filmmakers
from across the UK.

Your main role is to oversee the creative and administrative responsibilities of the charity concerning the Festival and work with the Development Director to fundraise for the festival’s budget and develop the long-term strategy of the festival. You will be responsible for supervising and guiding the work of Watersprite’s 50+ student volunteers. You will also be able to bring new ideas to the festival and work closely with the Development Director to deliver new access initiatives and opportunities for emerging filmmakers.

Work can be delivered remotely and flexibly. However, it is expected that the successful candidate is able to work in the London office between three and four days a week, as well as make regular trips to Cambridge.

Tasks and Responsibilities

The delivery of the 18th Watersprite Film Festival. Acting as a sounding board to the student volunteers, lending management advice, supporting problem solving and connecting and aligning the students’ creative vision to the wider screen industries.
Supporting the Development Director on expanding the charity’s operations – including, but not limited to, supporting Watersprite Hubs.
Striking up and managing positive industry relationships, ensuring all sponsored initiatives meet the sponsor and the festival’s values, development objectives and strategic priorities and communicating conditions of sponsorship deals.
Representing Watersprite at industry events, building and solidifying Watersprite’s reputation and relationships with international film schools, festivals, talent initiatives, community arts hubs, education providers and policymakers, to develop opportunities for Watersprite filmmakers and audiences.
Keeping up to date with events, trends, films, series, and new initiatives in the Screen Industries, particularly in areas of New Talent and Learning, and implementing creative initiatives in the festival which incorporate like-minded industry ambassadors.
Partaking in long-term strategic direction and development conversations with the Development Director, Trustees and Steering Committee whenever necessary (writing proposals, reports and festival development research documents).
Ensuring organisational continuity of the Festival – e.g. archiving and storage, staying up to date with former winners’ successes, ensuring prizes and mentorships are taken up etc, managing handovers, ensuring data and GDPR security, facilitating Trustee activity and smooth project management.
Supporting the Development Director in building financial stability through securing sponsorship deals with industry partners and writing public funding grant bids that involve new, creative initiatives at the festival.
Alongside the Development Director, managing a budget and fundraising target of around £150k for the Festival. Planning and regularly reviewing the festival budget and cash flow projections.

Person Specification (Knowledge, Skills & Experiences)
Essential:

Experience developing and producing large-scale events.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
Excellent communication skills, and the ability to work with and build rapport with a wide range of people from varied backgrounds including volunteers, young people, external sponsors and partners.
Self-motivated and highly organised – ability to work independently and implement new projects and ideas efficiently.
Genuine passion for the screen industries – interest in initiatives for new talent in the UK and abroad, the international film festival circuit and public funding in the arts and media sector.
Commitment to social inclusion and increasing access to the screen industries for under-represented young people in the UK and abroad.
Adaptable and flexible towards new tasks – possessing a can-do attitude and willingness to seek help in areas outside of understanding.
Excellent leadership skills – including ensuring excellent communication, and positive relationships are maintained across all areas.
Financial literacy – experience working with budgets and finances.

Desirable:

Experience of the Watersprite Film Festival, either attending or participating in the past, or showing an understanding of the festival’s objectives, activities, and future challenges.
Experience of working with volunteers.
Professional experience in film, media, the arts, events production, charity, or community youth work.
Experiences of fundraising (writing funding applications, crowdfunding, securing sponsorship)
Strong negotiation skills and experience of negotiating and writing contracts.

Please note the Development Director can assist on areas of training regarding finances and contracts where needed.

Members, please ensure you login to access the application link

To apply:

To apply, please send a CV and Cover Letter (maximum 2 sheets of A4 in length) to Alexander Velody, Development Director, via applications@watersprite.org.uk.

In your Cover Letter, please provide focused examples of how you meet the person specification (knowledge, skills, and experience) listed above.

Along with your application, complete the Equality and Diversity monitoring form. Watersprite are committed to offering equal opportunity to all and tackling underrepresentation in our sector.

The information you provide in this form is anonymous and will be used for internal monitoring and reporting purposes only.

Interviews to be held between 11 and 12 June 2026 via Zoom.

Contract starts 13th July 2026 (flexible).

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