Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience

The Power Plant
Application Deadline: June 13, 2023

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-centred Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience to play a key role in building a welcoming visitor experience that fosters the engagement of diverse audiences with contemporary art in meaningful ways.

 

Position Title: Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience

Reporting to: Head of Public Programs & Outreach

Direct Reports: Lead Gallery Attendants, Gallery Attendants and Volunteers 

Type of Employment: Full-time, 35 hours per week

Location: Toronto

 

Summary of Function

The Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience plays a key role in building a seamless and welcoming visitor experience. As Canada’s leading public contemporary art gallery, visitor experiences are key to The Power Plant’s success. The Assistant Manager, Visitor Experience will focus on leading plans aimed at developing an engaging visitor experience, as well as implementing new standards and protocols for hosting visitors. Key responsibilities include: co-creating and implementing our vision for The Power Plants visitor experience; coordinating frontof-house and Shop; devising and delivering training programs for Gallery Attendants, protocols and standards for in-person visitor experience; tracking and reporting statistics and visitor data; coordinating retail operations on-site and online including maintaining inventory; coordinating distribution of publications; performing administrative duties such as reception, database entry; coordinating support for other departments as needed. 

Duties

* Visitor Experience

  • 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. 

* Front of House Operations

  • Manages the front of house design alongside contributing teams.
  • Coordinates all aspects of front of house operations by maintainingreviewing, and enhancing procedures in Front Desk Resource Manual 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 all 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. 

* Staff Management

  • Recruits, hires, trains, schedules and evaluates Lead Gallery Attendants (LGA) and Gallery Attendants (GA), as well as assigns projects, and reviews timesheets to ensure accuracy of pay. 
  • Organizes and leads training and educational meetings for gallery staff as well as for additional staff (e.g. Exhibitions, Installation, Membership, etc.) as needed.
  • 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. 
  • Provides ongoing coaching and feedback to gallery staff and  volunteers. 

* Administrative, Staff/Volunteer Support, and Tours

  • Acts as receptionist during office hours and installation periods responding to general inquiries by telephone and email, welcoming  guests for appointments, processing mail, arranging and signing for deliveries, and performing other office duties as assigned.
  • Coordinates tour bookings in collaboration with Public Programs colleagues. Schedules Gallery Attendants to facilitate tours and/or leads tours for individuals/groups as needed. 
  • Coordinates with Curatorial and Development teams to ensure frontofhouse staff and volunteer support in galleries (visitor engagement, security, etc.) during public programs (lectures, in-gallery programs, etc.), and members and fundraising events, including Power Ball.
  • Recruits, trains, and schedules volunteers. Records volunteer hours accurately. Ensures timely distribution of incentives for recognition of volunteer benchmarks. Provides assistance 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.

* Retail Services & Publication Coordination

  • Responsible for merchandising the in-person Shop, including styling and updating shop displays and vitrines and maintaining well-organized merchandise storage.
  • Maintains 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, and inventory controls (in consultation with Head of Finance), and facilitating in-coming/out-going deliveries. 
  • Selects and 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, as needed.
  • Cultivates relationships with book distributors, keeping them up-to-date on 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, practices, and procedures and museum/attraction audiences.
  • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and able to coordinate multiple tasks with tight deadlines despite frequent interruptions.
  • 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. 
  •  Professional and positive attitude and demeanor, with exceptional communication skills in both public-facing and internal meetings and discussions, including demonstrated skill in presenting information and facilitating positive dialogue with public. 
  • Proven track record in conflict resolution and championing a collaborative team environment is essential
  • Ability and willingness to work a flexible schedule, including some weekends, evenings, and holidays as needed.
  •  Prior management experience in a unionized environment is an asset.
  • Prior 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.
  •  French language proficiency and additional language skills 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.
  • The Power Plant recognizes its heightened duty to protect employees from health and safety risks associated with COVID-19. As such, an offer of employment shall be conditional on proof of COVID-19 vaccination (2 doses) with a vaccine series approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization.
Apply

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 June 13, 2023. 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.