Our Main Building and galleries will not be open to the public for Nuit Blanche. Access to “Hopes and Fears Assembly” will be on the northwest side of the Main Building.

Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience

The Power Plant
Application Deadline: March 22, 2024

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The Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery at Harbourfront Centre is Canada’s leading public gallery devoted exclusively to the art of our time and is recognized as an important centre for contemporary art in North America. Since 1987, The Power Plant’s mission has been to create an open culture and community for people to be face-to-face with thought-provoking contemporary art and ideas. We have a culturally diverse workforce and audience whose lives and communities we seek to enrich through encouraging exploration of self and society. More than a gallery, The Power Plant is a community hub that caters to adults, youth, and children through broad and unique programming. To learn more about us, please visit thepowerplant.org.

We are currently seeking a dynamic, organized and people-centric Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience to play a key role in building and developing a welcoming visitor experience that fosters the engagement of diverse audiences with contemporary art in meaningful ways, as well as to implement new standards and protocols for hosting visitors.

 

Position Title: Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience

Reporting to: Interim Director, The Power Plant and then in fall 2024 to the Head, Communications, Marketing & Visitor Experience

Direct Reports: Lead Gallery Attendants, Gallery Attendants and Volunteers 

Type of Employment: Contract, duration of 12 months to cover a parental leave

Hours of Work: 35 hours per week

Location: Toronto

Duties

  • Champions a progressive visitor experience and a welcoming environment for diverse audiences to enhance opportunities to engage with contemporary art in meaningful ways.
  • Implements and oversees welcome, information dissemination, and drives the collection and processing of visitor statistics and surveys with monthly reports.
  • Works to ensure visitor satisfaction and optimal visitor experience.
  • Manages the front of house design alongside contributing teams.
  • Coordinates all aspects of front of house operations by maintaining, reviewing, and enhancing procedures and ensuring that these protocols are followed in daily operations.
  • Monitors incident reports, security issues and exhibition equipment with Head of Installations and Facilities and Registrar.
  • Updates program and exhibition informational signage in consultation with Marketing & Communications staff.
  • Updates general telephone/email messaging and responds to inquiries. Leads visual merchandising and optimizing display of retail products.
  • Recruits, hires, trains, schedules, coaches and evaluates Lead Gallery Attendants and Gallery Attendants.
  • Leads daily briefings with gallery staff, performs regular checks throughout the day to ensure that the gallery is operating smoothly, and provides coverage as a LGA when required.
  • Acts as receptionist during office hours and installation periods responding to general inquiries, welcoming guests for appointments, processing mail, and performing other office duties as assigned.
  • Coordinates, schedules and leads tour bookings.
  • Coordinates front–of–house staff and volunteer support in galleries during public programs and members’ and fundraising events.
  • Recruits, trains, and schedules volunteers. Ensures timely distribution of incentives for recognition of volunteer benchmarks. Assists with Harbourfront Centre annual volunteer recognition event.
  • Provides evening and weekend event support with check-in and other duties as needed.
  • Supports various special projects when required.
  • Responsible for merchandising the in-person Shop, including styling and updating shop displays and vitrines, maintaining merchandise storage and store processes, Square (retail software), online shop and inventories.
  • Coordinates on-site and online retail by ordering publications, merchandise and supplies, ensuring accurate cash handling, financial reconciliation, inventory controls and facilitating deliveries.
  •  Selects/ orders publications and additional merchandise for sale, including consignments, with input from Curatorial Affairs.
  • Assists with development and distribution of artist-designed merchandise and/or limited editions.
  • Cultivates relationships with book distributors, keeping them current with available titles, negotiating prices, invoicing, and coordinating shipping.

 

Requirements

  • A postsecondary degree in Hospitality, Customer Service, Museum Studies or related field.
  • 3 to 5 years of visitor or customer service experience in a management capacity, preferably in a museum or visitor attraction setting.
  • Strong engagement with and knowledge of visitor service principles, practice and museum/attraction audiences.
  • Ability to work independently and coordinate multiple tasks with tight deadlines.
  • Familiarity with office systems and technical aptitude to operate office equipment (computer hardware and software, POS machine, audio/visual and exhibition equipment).
  • Detail-attentive.
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills to supervise diverse staff and volunteers and to liaise with other departments. A well-defined sense of diplomacy is also crucial.
  • Excellent judgment, professionalism and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive situations and information.
  • Positive attitude and demeanor and demonstrated skill in presenting information and facilitating positive dialogue with the public.
  • Proven track record in conflict resolution and championing a collaborative team environment.
  • Able to work a flexible schedule, including some weekends, evenings, and holidays as needed.
  • Prior management experience in a unionized environment is an asset.
  • Experience at an arts and culture organization in the not-for-profit sector is a plus.
  • Experience in visual merchandizing and optimizing display of retail products is desirable.
  • Experience working with individuals with Special Needs (Inclusion) is desirable.
  • Proficiency in French or other language is a bonus.
  • This role is based in Toronto and requires on-site work.
  • Must be legally eligible to work in Canada. All international applicants must have a valid employment Visa authorizing their ability to work in Canada on a full-time, ongoing basis. We are unable to sponsor employment visas.

Our Values

Open
We’re friendly, welcoming and inclusive, with an experimental attitude that thrives on collaboration.

Brave
To achieve our bold ambition we empower and support imaginative risk and we always try to learn from our mistakes.

Rigorous
We are committed to excellence in all we do, ensuring every visitor encounter is safe, memorable and enriching.

Kind
We value and respect each other and all our visitors, celebrating difference and striving to realise potential.

How To Apply

The Power Plant is committed to diversity and inclusiveness. We encourage qualified applicants of all backgrounds to apply. Applications must include a current resume and a cover letter indicating why you wish to join the team, how you would meet the criteria for this position, and your salary expectations.

To apply, please submit your application to jobs@harbourfrontcentre.com by no later than March 22, 2024. Please quote TPP Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience in the subject line of your application.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted. Suitable accommodations will be available upon request during the hiring process.