Manager, Visitor Services

Harbourfront Centre is a leader in providing internationally renowned artistic, educational and recreational programming across a beautiful 10-acre campus at the heart of Toronto’s waterfront. For more than 45 years, Harbourfront Centre has celebrated the best in Canadian culture and the rich mosaic of cultures from around the world, presenting thousands of events annually from music festivals to contemporary dance, to craft and design, to visual arts and more. Welcoming visitors year-round, there is something for everyone at Harbourfront Centre!

We are currently seeking a collaborative, forward-thinking and experienced Manager, Visitor Services who thrives on providing top-notch service to our patrons, audiences, visitors and user groups, and takes pride in fostering a positive, responsive and motivational atmosphere in the management of staff and the daily operations of our Box Office and Information Desk.

 

Position Title: Manager, Visitor Services

Department: Visitor Experience

Reporting to: Director, Visitor Experience

Direct reports: Visitor Services Supervisors, Visitor Services Representatives

Key Relationships: All departments campus wide, including the Board, tenants, external clients, and festival partners.

Type of Employment: Full Time, 35-hour work week

 

Summary of Function

Reporting to the Director, Visitor Experience this position offers the opportunity to work for one of the leading multidisciplinary arts institutions in the world! Harbourfront Centre operates a ten-acre site that encompasses five theatres – Fleck Dance Theatre (capacity 446), Harbourfront Centre Theatre (capacity 350), Studio Theatre (capacity 196), Brigantine Room (cabaret-style 250), and Lakeside Terrace (theatre 250); and various alternative multi-purpose spaces for presentations, workshops, school classes, camps and other activities. Outdoor stages include the large amphitheater-style Concert Stage (1200 seated, 3500 standing), the smaller Stage in the Round and summer music concerts in the Toronto Music Garden. The site also includes two art galleries; six working craft and design studios; various alternative exhibition spaces; and the central public spaces, Canada Square and Ontario Square.

The Manager, Visitor Services will be an active leader in the development and stewardship of exceptional visitor and client service for all Harbourfront Centre theatres and venues. The incumbent will be a leader of the Visitor Experience team and manage the daily operations of the Box Office and the Information Desk, generating revenue through ticket sales as well as welcoming and assisting our visitors with top notch customer service as the first point of contact. This includes developing and implementing a high-level customer service program for box office and information desk concierge staff that ensures an exceptional visitor experience befitting Harbourfront Centre. In tandem with our Digital Transformation team, the incumbent will also be responsible for the proper administration, maintenance, and training of technical software/tools such as Tessitura and Box Office phone system.

 

Duties

• Oversees the day to day operations of the Box-Office and Info Desk departments. Develops and implements policies and procedures pertaining to all aspects of the departments including, sales, service, cash handling procedures and reporting. Revises policy and procedures as required.
• Fosters a positive, collaborative, and responsive atmosphere with great attention to customer and client satisfaction as well as accuracy of data base information. Completes appropriate paperwork for the human resources department for new hires, verifies timesheets, and submits final payroll.
•  Manages a team of Visitor Services Supervisors and Visitor Services Representatives, directs activity, assigns responsibilities, evaluating performance and follows up on any performance improvement. Respond to employee concerns and issues and determines appropriate resolutions. Tactfully responds to customer feedback.
• Prepares estimates, contracts & requests for invoice. Provides quarterly staff costs expense transfers for finance. Troubleshoots reconciliation and deposit problems with Finance.
• Manages and monitors the department budget and determines resources required to accomplish department goals.
• Schedules and participates in regular department meetings, following through on ticket service actions.
• Prepares and/or oversees the preparation of a variety of reports relating to departmental activities for use by programmers, directors, ensuring financial integrity of the reports produced.
• Maintain a positive and proactive learning approach to evolving products and platforms, ensuring Harboufront Cenre ticketing services are at pace with leading industry trends.
• Pro-actively researches and makes recommendations to Digital Transformation team on software improvements and enhancements.
•  Represents the Box Office at various meetings to present the department’s plans, accomplishments and to discuss issues and coordinate activities on matters of mutual interest.
• Liaise with other departments and clients regarding ticketing issues.
• Oversees distribution of complimentary tickets and ensures compliance with ticketing policy.

 

Skills & Requirements

• 5 + years management/supervisory experience in ticketing operations.
• Previous experience with Tessitura Software, preferably in an administrator capacity.
• Advanced use and knowledge of leading digital trends as it relates to ticketing operations.
• Collaborative and open mindset, ability to seek win-win solutions by remaining open to alternative approaches and being proactive in generating new ideas.
• Expert level customer service and communication skills (both oral and written), to deal efficiently with the public, user groups and staff.
• Ability to maintain a balanced perspective and see all sides of an issue and manage problems in a timely and effective manner.
• Outstanding relationship-management skills, including the ability to work closely and collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Extensive experience with reconciliation, accounting, and departmental budgets.
• A well-defined sense of diplomacy, including excellent negotiation, conflict resolution, and people-management skills.
• Highly organized and detailed oriented, with a high degree of accuracy.
• A thorough understanding of marketing and publicity for the arts.
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite products.
• 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.
• This role is based in Toronto. Harbourfront Centre is following and complying with all local and provincial protocols associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. While we are currently accommodating employees on a work from home arrangement, when a return-to-work directive is communicated, all employees will be expected to return to work at our lakeside campus.
• Harbourfront Centre recognizes its heightened duty to protect employees from health and safety risks during the current pandemic. As such, an offer of employment shall be conditional on proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with a vaccine series approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization.

 

Apply

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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

At Harbourfront Centre we are committed to diversity and inclusiveness. We encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply and we welcome applicants from individuals who identify as belonging to equity priority groups. Suitable accommodations will be available upon request during the hiring process.

Acceptable applications must include a current resume and a cover letter indicating how you meet the essential criteria of the position, as well as your salary expectations.

Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply by contacting jobs@harbourfrontcentre.com by no later than January 24, 2022.  Please quote Manager, Visitor Services in the subject line of your application. We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those being considered for an interview will be contacted.