AN ORGANISED PEOPLE-PERSON WHO CAN GET STUFF DONE!

About Midsumma

Midsumma Festival is one of Australia’s premier LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural festivals, for and by communities who live with shared experiences around diverse gender and sexuality.

Midsumma Festival works year-round to provide artists with support, to develop, create, present and promote their work with its primary activity being an annual multi arts festival presented over three weeks (approx. 22 days). The upcoming festival dates are Sunday 17 January – Sunday 7 February 2027.

Midsumma Festival brings a diverse mix of artists, performers, venues and audiences together under a single umbrella for a celebration and innovative presentation of queer arts and culture. The diverse festival program is made up of a wide range of events and activities including visual art, digital arts, theatre, spoken word, cabaret/variety, film, live music, parties, sport, social events and talks/public forums.

Role summary:

The Midsumma Stalls & Trader Coordinator works within the Finance and Administration team and is responsible for coordinating community and commercial participation across Midsumma’s major events, including Victoria’s Pride. The role contributes to both the successful delivery and financial sustainability of these events through the coordination of stalls, traders, food vendors and related event activations.

As the primary point of contact for these participants, the role manages all aspects of stallholder and trader engagement, including applications, registrations, contracting, invoicing, communications, and event delivery. The position is responsible for coordinating the participation of more than 300 stallholders, vendors, traders and local businesses annually, maintaining strong relationships while supporting broader event and organisational objectives.

Working closely with the Finance & Administration Manager, Midsumma Head of Production and Operations, and the Victoria’s Pride management team, the role ensures participants are supported throughout the event lifecycle, and that operational, compliance, and logistical requirements are effectively managed and communicated to relevant departments.

While the role applies consistent systems and processes across all events, the nature of stakeholder relationships, decision-making frameworks and delivery requirements varies significantly between events.

The position requires the ability to adapt communication and engagement approaches to suit different event contexts while maintaining a high standard of participant support and administration.

In addition to coordinating stallholders and vendors, the role supports trader and precinct engagement activities associated with major events, particularly Victoria’s Pride, where strong relationships with local businesses and stakeholders are essential to successful event delivery. The position assists participants to navigate event processes, provides considered guidance where required, and helps balance community participation, commercial outcomes and operational requirements.

The role demands a broad range of administrative, organisational and interpersonal skills, including exceptional time management, a high level of administrative accuracy, strong financial and database management capability, and excellent written and verbal communication skills. The successful applicant will be a proactive problem solver with a flexible approach, capable of adapting to competing priorities, while maintaining positive relationships with a diverse range of community and commercial participants.

The Midsumma Stalls & Trader Coordinator plays a vital role in creating positive participant experiences, strengthening community engagement, contributing to the organisations financial sustainability, and supporting the successful delivery of Midsumma Festival and Victoria’s Pride.

Key working relationships

The position is a valued member of the small but dedicated Midsumma Festival delivery team. Day to day the role works most closely with:

• Midsumma Finance and Administrative Manager
• Midsumma Head of Production and Operations
• Victoria’s Pride Project and Program Manager
• Victoria’s Pride Production Manager

Key Accountabilities:

Community Engagement and Coordination:

• Act as the primary point of contact for stallholders, food vendors, traders, and local businesses participating in Midsumma-produced events.
• Coordinate all aspects of the stallholder, vendor and trader experience including applications, registrations, contracting, communications and event delivery.
• Responsible for managing Expression of Interest (EOI) processes, participant selection, and curation of activations as required across major events.
• Develop, coordinate and maintain positive relationships with stallholders, food vendors, traders and local businesses in line with event objectives and operational requirements.
• Respond to enquiries in a timely manner and follow up with appropriate action.
• Assist in identifying and supporting trader participation and activations that contribute to event vibrancy and stakeholder engagement.
• Create and distribute stallholder, vendor and trader information packs, relevant to each event.
• Organise and host online information sessions for traders and participants and assist in gathering relevant content for outgoing communications.
• Maintain strong relationships with traders through proactive, face-to-face engagement within event precincts.

Planning and Operations:

• Coordinate all logistical aspects of stallholder, vendor and trader participation, including layout and allocations of marquees, infrastructure requirements, signage, event schedules and operational planning.
• Research, develop and maintain participant resources and compliance documentation, including health and safety guidelines, licensing, insurance, permits and other event requirements, and provide guidance to support participants throughout the event lifecycle.
• Collect and maintain insurance, permits and compliance documentation from participants.
• Work closely with the Production and Operations department on logistical and technical requirements including furniture, power supply, and site access.
• Obtain relevant street trader permits and any other permits as required by council to support event permit submissions.
• Ensure that all participant information, requirements and operational needs are communicated to relevant Midsumma departments in accordance with event timelines.
• Work closely with the relevant event management teams on participant selection and curation processes, balancing event objectives, community participation, and local trader involvement.
• Assist in the management of volunteers assigned to work with vendors and/or stalls.
• Supervise and monitor participant experience during event operations, acting as a key point of contact to resolve issues and facilitate positive outcomes.
• Be present and work in a ‘hands-on’ capacity at all Midsumma produced events and contribute to working in a positive team environment.

Administration and Finance:

• Work closely with the Finance & Administration Manager to manage participant contracting and ensure all invoicing, payment and financial administration processes are completed in accordance with organisational procedures.
• Update and maintain accurate participant records, databases and communication systems.
• Develop and maintain effective administrative systems and processes to support the efficient delivery of the role.
• Assist with general office administrative tasks and enquiries as required.
• Comply with all Midsumma Festival financial control, procurement and administrative procedures.
• Prepare comprehensive post-event reports, evaluations and participant data as required.

General Responsibilities:

• Undertake any other duties reasonably requested by Managers that are within the scope of the role and with regard for the skills and qualifications relative to the role.
• Adhere to Midsumma Festival recruitment, induction, performance management and workplace procedures.
• Attend and participate in team meetings as required.
• Participate as a positive member of the festival team across all Midsumma produced events.

Person Specification

Key required competencies:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders and participants.
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with a demonstrated ability to prioritise tasks, manage competing demands, and meet deadlines.
• Attention to detail and a methodical approach to administrative accuracy.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating logistics for large-scale events, preferably within outdoor environments.
• Experience building and maintaining positive relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including community organisations, traders, local businesses, council, event participants, and event staff.
• Experience coordinating or managing staff or volunteers in an event setting.
• Proficiency in the Microsoft 365 Suite, particularly Excel and Word, with a confident and flexible approach to learning and developing new systems and processes.
• Experience using Xero or similar financial management software is desirable.
• Ability to think laterally and maintain a calm manner in a fast-paced or high-pressure environment.
• Demonstrated respect for, and understanding of, diverse communities, particularly LGBTQIA+ and DGS communities.
• A collaborative and flexible working style, with a commitment to Midsumma’s values, strategic objectives and organisational culture.

Key Projects and Events:

Current key events include:

• • Midsumma Launch – 24 November 2026 - TBC
  • Midsumma Carnival – Sunday 17 January 2027
  • Midsumma Pride March – Sunday 31 January 2027
  • Victoria’s Pride Street Party – Sunday 7 February 2027

Employment Conditions

• A full time, fixed term contract Tuesday 29 September – Thursday 18 February 2027
• $73,500 per annum pro rata, paid on a full-time basis, plus 12% super.
• Start September 2026
• Due to the nature of festivals, working hours outside of core business operating times (evenings and weekends) will be required during the core festival delivery period and for limited lead up events and functions.

next steps

To submit your application, please click 'Apply Now' by the closing date.

Festival Dates: Sunday 17 January to Sunday 7 February 2027

A position description is attached.