Managing Director
A full time position
Fully remote: working with a UK-based team at Crossed Wires.
Job Description: Managing Director (MD), Crossed Wires
Location: Hybrid - regular visits to the Sheffield office required Reports to: Board of Directors Employment Type: Full-time
About Crossed Wires
Crossed Wires is the biggest podcast festival in the world - a fast-growing live events and podcasting brand that brings together leading talent, emerging creators, and passionate audiences for a standout weekend of live podcast recordings, exclusive shows, and immersive experiences across Sheffield’s most iconic venues.
With a distinctive creative identity and a rapidly expanding national and international profile, Crossed Wires has established itself as one of the UK’s most innovative destinations for podcast culture and community.
Now entering an exciting new chapter, the brand is poised to evolve beyond its annual festival into a year-round platform - expanding into new content formats, merchandise, partnerships, and international opportunities. Our mission is to elevate the power of storytelling and create meaningful spaces, both live and digital, where creators and audiences connect, discover, and grow together.
Position Summary
- This is an exciting opportunity to lead the transformation of Crossed Wires from a once-a-year live event into a sustainable, year-round, content-focused business.
- The Managing Director will provide strategic, creative, and operational leadership across all aspects of Crossed Wires. This person will drive revenue growth, expand the brand, ensure exceptional execution of events, and cultivate a culture of innovation and collaboration.
- This is a highly entrepreneurial role requiring full-time focus, creativity, and strong operational execution. The MD will become the central driving force behind growth, innovation, and day-to-day leadership of the brand.
- The ideal candidate has deep experience in live events, entertainment, or festival operations and thrives in fast-moving, entrepreneurial environments. They will ideally have knowledge and understanding of the international podcast and live events market - particularly in the UK and the US.
Key Responsibilities
Business Expansion & Growth Strategy
- Work with the founders to develop a long-term strategy and vision for Crossed Wires
- Build and execute a year-round growth plan, evolving the brand beyond its current annual live event in line with long-term objectives
- Identify and launch new revenue streams - including merchandise, e-commerce, podcasts, video content, membership programmes, touring shows, and international expansion
- Create scalable business models that diversify income
- Develop KPIs, forecasts, and multi-year financial strategies to support long-term growth
Entrepreneurial Leadership
- Serve as the primary full-time leader focused exclusively on driving Crossed Wires’ evolution, strategy, and execution
- Operate with a founder’s mindset - experimenting, iterating, and rapidly testing new ideas
- Build and formalise infrastructure to support growth from a small, passion-driven team into a mature organisation
Live Event & Content Expansion
- Take ultimate responsibility for delivering a successful annual festival in Sheffield, overseeing all aspects of festival operations - from venue hire to talent booking and partnerships
- Oversee the growth of the annual event and explore opportunities to expand into touring, pop-ups, workshops, and satellite events throughout the year
- Identify global markets and opportunities for international expansion and replication of the Crossed Wires Festival
- Partner with talent, creatives, and producers to develop new forms of owned content that extend the brand’s reach
Partnerships, Sponsorship & Community Growth
- Create partnership and sponsorship strategies that support year-round revenue
- Build relationships across media, entertainment, tech, and live events to unlock new collaboration opportunities
- Grow the Crossed Wires audience through marketing, community building, and digital engagement
- Operational & Organisational Leadership
- Implement systems and processes needed to scale operations across content, production, merchandising, and events
- Manage budgeting, P&L oversight, financial forecasting, and organisational planning
- Recruit, lead, and inspire a hybrid team of full-time staff, contractors, and contributors
Required Qualifications
- Demonstrated experience running and scaling a live events, entertainment, or media business - especially with new revenue models
- Proven entrepreneurial track record in building new products, lines of business, or creative ventures
- Strong understanding of community-driven brands, digital engagement, and audience development
- Ability to own the vision and drive execution in an environment where processes and infrastructure are still developing
- Exceptional creativity paired with strong operational discipline
- Comfortable working autonomously as the primary full-time leader
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with brand licensing or international market expansion
- Strong network across entertainment, content production, live events, or experiential marketing
- Experience launching merchandise, e-commerce, digital content products, or premium media offerings
Additional Details
- Work Environment: Flexible/remote, with significant travel as needed for events, scouting, partnerships, and growth opportunities. You will be required to attend regular meetings and site visits in Sheffield and to be in the city during the week leading up to - and the weekend of - the festival itself.
- Culture: Entrepreneurial, collaborative, experimental, and impact-driven
- Compensation: Competitive executive package with performance incentives
To apply
Please email hello@crossedwires.live with the subject line 'Managing Director'. You must have the right to live and work in the UK. Due to the high volume of applications, we regret that we are unable to respond to candidates who are not selected for interview. Applications close Friday 10th April 2026.
Please mention podnews.net in your application.
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