Manager, Artistic Programming (Maternity Leave Cover)

Sydney Youth Orchestras | Ultimo, Sydney | Fixed-term, part-time (4 days per week, 0.8 FTE) | $60,000–$65,600 plus superannuation (0.8 FTE; full-time equivalent $75,000–$82,000)

* A fifth day of rehearsal supervision may be available to increase the position to 5 days per week, 1 FTE

Applications close November 6, 2026

Every concert, camp and audition at Sydney Youth Orchestras (SYO) starts as a plan. We’re looking for the person who turns big artistic ideas into experiences young musicians remember for the rest of their lives.

Since 1973, SYO has been a pathway for young people to experience, learn and develop as musicians. We believe young people are key to a creative, progressive future, and we’re a small team who think big.

The role

This is a fixed-term maternity leave contract for 12 months, starting mid-December and involves some travel and weekend work. Reporting to the Head of Orchestral Training and Artistic Programming, you’ll be the link between our musicians, our artistic team and our wider community. You’ll lead the planning and project management of some of SYO’s key programs, including:

- The.SYO concerts
- The Youth Orchestral Camp (YOC) and regional Orchestral Training Program projects
- Holiday Programs
- Auditions, including excerpts, panels and musician placement

In this role you will:
- Plan projects from first idea to final bow. You’ll take ambitious ideas and make them work, advising on logistics, staffing, programming, rostering and budgets.
- Turn artistic vision into a plan.



You’ll be the link between our senior artistic leaders and our operations teams, shaping the vision into transparent plans and making sure what’s needed on the ground flows back up.
- Connect artists. You’ll be a key contact for our conductors, tutors and artistic staff, booking and scheduling them so the right people are in the right place at the right time.
- Be on the ground. You’ll step in as site manager at selected camps and holiday programs, working with our operations team so everything runs smoothly for musicians and families.
- Keep the detail and the dollars in order. You’ll track projects in Salesforce and Asana and look for partnerships, savings and income that keep our programs sustainable.

About you

- You love orchestral music and know your way around the repertoire.
- You have 3–5 years’ experience coordinating events and managing relationships, ideally in the arts, education or not-for-profit sector
- You’ve delivered events from concept to completion and can confidently lead event teams
- You’re highly organised and work well with systems and fine detail, but you can also step back and see the whole picture
- You're an excellent communicator, both in writing and in person
- You have experience using systems such as Salesforce and Asana




- You thrive in a small team where you’ll get real responsibility early, and you’ll put your hand up when you need support.
- You're willing and able to travel regionally for tours and camps, and to work occasional evening or weekend hours for specific events
- You have qualifications in music, arts management, events or community engagement (desirable)

A current NSW Working With Children Check, or ability to obtain one prior to commencing work, is required. Why SYO?

We play as an ensemble, not as soloists. We’re collaborative, brave and authentic. We work together on and off the stage, we embrace tradition while pushing boundaries, and we tell the stories of our young musicians and communities. You’ll do meaningful work in a small team that backs its people to grow.

How to apply

Send your CV and a cover letter of no more than two pages explaining why this role is right for you and addressing the selection criteria in the position description to [email protected] by 5pm AEDT, Friday November 6th 2026 . To read the full position description, visit [link]. For an questions about the role, please contact James Pensini at [email protected].

SYO is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We encourage applications from First Nations people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people living with disability. We encourage applicants to let us know about any reasonable adjustments that could help during the application or assessment process by contacting Katie Garman at [email protected].

📌 Manager, Artistic Programming (Sydney)
🏢 Sydney Youth Orchestras
📍 Sydney