Looking for an exciting challenge at the heart of one of the world's most celebrated literary festivals? We're looking for an International Program Manager to join our team. In this role, you will plan and manage all festival and year-round events with international speakers. Applications close on 20 April 2025.
OVERVIEW
- Department: Program Team
- Reports to: Festival Director Program (and cc Indonesian Program Manager)
- Based Job Location: Ubud, Bali
- Employment Type: Full Time Position
- Length of Employment: 12 Months (Starting earliest possible date)
International Program Manager manages all 2025 Festival and off-season programs involving international speakers, in close collaboration with the Festival Director. The key responsibilities are:
Designing and overseeing programs featuring international speakers.
Researching and securing potential grants or funding to support
these programs and speakers.Developing sustainable revenue models for each program.
BACKGROUND
Yayasan Mudra Swari Saraswati is an Indonesian non-profit foundation dedicated to empowering individuals and communities in Indonesia to unleash their creative potential and thrive in today’s ever-changing world. One of the Foundation's flagship events is the Ubud Writers & Readers Festival, which annually brings together writers, poets, journalists, intellectuals, artists, and politicians from Indonesia and around the world for four days of literary celebration. The 2025 Festival will take place between 29 October to 2 November.
The organisation’s programs also include initiatives like the Ubud Food Festival, Ubud Artisan Market, Bali Berkisah, writing retreats, and more.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Program
Work closely with the Festival Director to develop the program based on the festival theme.
Research and assist in the invitation of selected authors and develop a cohesive program with the Festival Director.
Together with the Festival Director and Indonesian Program Manager develop:
Main Program: panel sessions, one-on-one interviews, and other appropriate forums with each writer participating in a minimum of three sessions, ensuring they will be appealing to audiences attending the festival.
Ticketed Event: Create varied and attractive special ticketed events: Special Events, School Programs, and Workshops.
Festival Club: after-dark session with the current issue, lighter than Main Program and more casual. Free event.
Book Launches: curated book launch application with the Festival Director and the Indonesian Program Team.
Arts Program: develop music, theatre, dance, and performance program with the Festival Director and the Indonesian Program Team. Explore any chance of collaboration with art organizations locally and internationally.
Children & Youth Program/School Program: Liaise with the Program Coordinator to seek out opportunities to involve children’s authors in the Main Program, to then also feature in the Children’s & Youth Program or School Program.
Satellite Program: Assist in the curation and delivery of the Satellite Program with the Indonesian Program Team and Partnership teams.
Private Events/Fundraising: develop and organize private events for leading UWRF authors. Work with the Director and Partnership Team to organize venue, hospitality, catering, key media points. This could be one during UWRF and one during the year.
Off-Season Festival Program including: Two to three Writing Retreats, Workshop/Discussions, 1 off-season weekend writer’s festival (developing relationship/s with nearby festivals).
Work closely with the Indonesian Program Manager and committee to ensure that Indonesian speakers are integrated well with international speakers.
Providing the Marketing & Communication team with the program blurb, and speakers bio which includes copywriting, proofreading, and fact-checking.
Work with the Indonesian Program Team and the Festival Director to ensure all deadlines are met.
Work with the Volunteers Coordinator to brief the volunteers including volunteers in areas: MC, Main Program, Writers’ Liaisons, Special Events, Book Launches, and Workshops.
Ensuring that the programming requirements for Special Events, Workshops, Festival Club, and other associated events are communicated to the relevant venues and volunteers, and are carried out at the time of the event.
Attend a range of Festival events before, during, and after the festival, including Special Events, private Festival dinners, Embassy receptions, and more.
Administrative
Manage International/Embassy grants and maintain expenditure limits in line with the agreed annual budget.
Organise contracts for speakers, performers, publishers, and others as identified, including what the contract implies: such as travel, accommodation, media, etc.
Work with the administration and team to manage the speaker’s information form, travel requirements, and accommodation for all speakers and guests.
Ensure the speaker provides copies of their travel insurance.
Develop the itinerary and a single schedule for each of the writers and performance groups.
Organise- coordinate and document Festival debriefing.
Arrange moderators, in consultation with the Festival Director, with the appropriate skill.
Arrange an interpreter for those writers who require one.
With the admin team and speaker’s liaison organize goodie bags for the writers, moderators, interpreters, and whoever else appropriate.
Ensure a close working relationship with the Festival Director and Management Team with weekly management meetings.
Archiving all the data, files, and documents to Google Shared Drive after the festival
Partners
Overseeing/developing relationship with PRH SEA or other International Publisher/Agent, including publishing and translation of Indonesian emerging writers into English, as well as, events in UWRF program
Apply for grants with funding bodies, embassies, and publishers and develop opportunities to collaborate in partner programs to enhance the program and production costs.
Assist the Partnership team and the Festival Director to develop proposals for the Partners (banks, companies, airlines, embassies) by providing program information, ideas, and lists of writers.
Liaise with the Partner team and Festival Director to meet the venues for program events, and follow up with the program concept, menus, and run sheets.
Marketing and Media
Work closely with the Festival Director and the Marketing team on all graphic design, copywriting, marketing efforts, and media relations.
Ensure all attending writers are promoted on the website and in the program, according to deadlines, with correct bios and pics.
The Marketing team develops relevant milestones for the monthly newsletter, provides content for the press releases, and highlights program information
Assist the Marketing Team to review and final checking any digital/printed program content before it’s published
Provide all the program content to the Marketing team for the program book, assisting with editing the blurbs, proofreading, and fact-checking.
Assisting the Marketing team with English copywriting not limited to program content, newsletter, or press releases.
Production
- Liaise with the production team to develop the program's needs and set up the venues.
- The production team lists the equipment requirements including sound systems, lighting, audio, projectors, screens, banners, tables, chairs, decoration, and other settings.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Proven experience as a Project Manager, Program Manager, or in a similar role within a writers' festival, community event, NGO, or creative industry.
Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse teams from different backgrounds and nationalities.
Based in Bali (preferably Ubud) or willing to relocate.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience in cross-cultural communication.
Exceptional problem-solving abilities.
Strong understanding of audience engagement and market dynamics.
Excellent project management skills, including planning, execution, and stakeholder coordination.
Knowledge of budgeting and business planning
- Deep passion for books, literature, art, culture, and socio-political issues both locally and globally.
COMPENSATION PACKAGE
In addition to your salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes coverage for BPJS Kesehatan (health insurance) and BPJS Ketenagakerjaan (workplace accident insurance), KITAS or appropriate VISA for foreigners/expat. Furthermore, you’ll also enjoy a generous annual leave entitlement.
HOW TO APPLY
If you would like to apply for this position, working for the festival, please send your CV and cover letter addressing the selection criteria to: eka@yayasansaraswati.org.
Applications close on 20 April 2025.
This job description provides a general overview of the role and isn't exhaustive. For questions about the position and its responsibilities, contact Eka Septiarti, General Affair Department, through email at eka@yayasansaraswati.org.
