Director, NFTS Sean Connery Institute

Location: Edinburgh, with regular travel across Scotland and to other NFTS sites

Reporting to: Director, NFTS

Play a leading role in Scotland’s screen sector, expanding access to industry training and connecting emerging talent with employment opportunities.

First established in 1971, the National Film and Television School (NFTS) has evolved into one of the world's leading institutions for film, television and games. Consistently named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the top international film schools, the NFTS is the UK's premier training ground for creative talent, and right now, it is in the middle of its most ambitious expansion in its history.

We are recruiting an exceptional Director to lead the newly established NFTS Sean Connery Institute in Scotland. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a major new institution for Scotland’s film and television sector. Bringing together the established work of NFTS Scotland and the Sean Connery Talent Lab, the Institute will expand access to world-class training, create new routes into the industry and strengthen the connection between talent development and employment across Scotland.

The Director will turn this founding vision into reality. They will set an ambitious direction for the Institute, grow its programmes and reach, forge influential partnerships and secure the investment needed for it to thrive. Drawing on the creative excellence, industry relationships and reputation of the NFTS, they will create something distinctive for Scotland - shaped by its talent, communities, geography and industry needs.

Working closely with the Director of the NFTS, the successful candidate will lead a talented team, build relationships across industry, government, education and philanthropy, and become a prominent voice for the Institute and for screen talent in Scotland. As the NFTS’s most senior leader based in the Nations and Regions, they will also play an active role in the School’s Management Team and contribute to the future direction of the NFTS as a whole.

We are looking for a respected, entrepreneurial leader with the imagination to see what the Institute could become and the drive to make it happen. Their experience will ideally have been gained in the screen industries, but we also welcome candidates from related sectors who can bring relevant leadership experience, strong networks and a proven ability to build partnerships, create new opportunities and get things done.

The role is based in Edinburgh, with regular travel across Scotland and to other NFTS sites.

At the NFTS, people are at the heart of what we do. We're an inclusive employer and are committed to equality of opportunity and building a culturally diverse workforce. We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and to increasing our representation of staff from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. We strongly encourage applications from all backgrounds.

The opportunity

The NFTS Sean Connery Institute brings together the National Film and Television School’s established work in Scotland and the Sean Connery Talent Lab under a single, ambitious identity. Building on the success of both, the Institute will expand access to world-class training, create new routes into the industry and strengthen the connection between talent development and employment across Scotland.

The Institute will draw on the best of the NFTS - its creative excellence, industry relationships and experience of developing exceptional behind the camera talent - while creating something distinctive for Scotland, shaped by its particular creative strengths, communities, geography and industry needs.

The Director will turn that founding vision into reality. They will expand the Institute’s reach and impact, forge new partnerships and secure the investment needed for it to thrive. They will have the freedom and responsibility to develop new ideas, respond to emerging opportunities and establish the Institute as an influential national centre for film and television education, talent development and industry connection.

Working in close partnership with the Director of the NFTS and with colleagues across the School, the Director of the Institute will lead the delivery of the NFTS’s ambitions in Scotland. They will ensure that Scotland benefits fully from the expertise, networks and reputation of the wider School - and that the Institute’s work helps to shape the future direction of the NFTS as a whole.

As the NFTS’s most senior leader based in the Nations and Regions, the Director of the Institute will also play an active role in the School’s Management Team and act as a key adviser to the Director of the NFTS. They will ensure that the perspectives, opportunities and needs of the Nations and Regions inform School-wide decision-making and contribute to the leadership and future development of the NFTS.

Main responsibilities

• Set and deliver a bold, long-term vision for the NFTS Sean Connery Institute, establishing it as a distinctive and influential part of Scotland’s screen landscape.
• Develop a model for the Institute that builds on the strengths of the NFTS while responding specifically to Scotland’s talent, communities, geography, creative culture and industry needs.
• Lead the growth and evolution of the Institute’s programmes, including the Sean Connery Talent Lab, short courses, certificate and diploma programmes, youth initiatives, industry training, alumni activity and a wider public programme.
• Identify and develop new areas of activity that respond to changes in film, television, games and the wider creative industries, ensuring that the Institute remains entrepreneurial, relevant and forward-looking.
• Build stronger connections between training and employment, working with broadcasters, streamers, production companies, studios and other employers to create meaningful opportunities for participants and graduates.
• Develop ambitious partnerships with the Scottish Government, Screen Scotland, the Sean Connery Foundation, broadcasters, industry, universities and colleges, cultural organisations, community partners and other institutions across Scotland and internationally.
• Grow the Institute’s reach across Scotland, ensuring that its work is accessible to talented people from different backgrounds and communities and is not limited by geography or previous access to the industry.
• Secure philanthropic, industry and public investment to support the Institute’s growth and long-term sustainability, developing compelling propositions for funders and partners.
• Lead the development of the Institute’s future physical presence, including the ambition to establish a permanent home that can become a focal point for its programmes, partnerships and public activity.
• Provide inspirational leadership to the Institute’s team, including line management of the Head of NFTS Scotland and the Head of the Sean Connery Talent Lab, fostering an ambitious, inclusive and collaborative culture.
• Ensure that the Institute’s programmes deliver an outstanding experience and strong creative, educational and employment outcomes, supported by effective financial planning, evaluation, reporting and operational management.
• Play an active role in the NFTS Management Team, contributing to the leadership and development of the School as a whole and ensuring that the perspectives of the Nations and Regions inform its strategy and decision-making.
• Provide senior leadership across the NFTS’s work in the Nations and Regions, strengthening connections between colleagues in Scotland, Wales and Leeds and encouraging collaboration, shared learning and the development of new opportunities, while respecting the distinctive priorities and context of each nation and region.
• Act as a prominent and persuasive voice for the Institute and for screen talent in Scotland, representing its ambitions with government, industry, funders, the media and the wider public.

Person specification

The successful candidate will be an ambitious, credible and entrepreneurial leader who is excited by the opportunity to build something new. They will combine strategic imagination with the ability to turn ideas into high-quality, sustainable activity.

They will bring:

• The credibility and experience to operate as a senior leader and represent the Institute at the highest levels.
• An entrepreneurial mindset, with a track record of spotting opportunities, building new activity and turning ambitious ideas into reality.
• Outstanding relationship-building skills and the ability to create strong, productive partnerships across industry, government, education and philanthropy.
• A proven ability to set a clear direction, bring people with them and get things done.
• The confidence and judgement to secure investment, manage resources effectively and build sustainable activity.
• The ability to inspire and lead a talented team while working collaboratively across the wider NFTS.
• Excellent communication and advocacy skills, with the presence to become a compelling public voice for the Institute.
• A strong commitment to Scotland’s screen sector, to widening access and to creating meaningful opportunities for new and diverse talent.

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries.

Please make sure that you state in your application that you found this role via Creative Access.