Publications Officer

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 looking to bring on board an experienced, organized and resourceful Publications Officer with excellent communication skills and a keen attention to detail, to plan, coordinate and manage publications and exhibition texts, as well as to provide exceptional copy editing and proof reading.

 

Position Title: Publications Officer

Reporting to: Head of Curatorial Affairs

Type of Employment: Full-time, 35 hours per week. This is a bargaining unit position and a member of OPSEU.

Compensation: $56,650 per annum, plus a comprehensive employee benefit package

Location: Toronto

 

Summary of Function

The Publications Officer will be responsible for the planning, coordination, and financial management of all publications and exhibition catalogues at The Power Plant, as well as copy editing and proofreading of program guides, annual reports, exhibition didactics, grant applications and other public-facing texts. In addition, this role manages the production of two to five publications per year in collaboration with cross functional teams at the gallery, liaises with design and production colleagues and collaborators, directs a team of independent contractors, and manages the department budget.

 

Duties

• Lead and oversee the production of all Power Plant publications in collaboration with The Power Plant Curatorial Department.
• Copy edit and proofread gallery texts, program guides, family guides, annual reports, grant applications and fundraising materials in collaboration with relevant teams  across the gallery (Curatorial team, Communications & Marketing team, Development team).
• Assist with the production of Family Guides in collaboration with The Power Plant Power Kids & Outreach Coordinator.
• Serve as The Power Plant’s lead contact for publication coordination/planning, website, shop etc.
• Manage independent contractors including, authors, graphic designers, proofreaders, translators, publishers, and other vendors to convey editorial comments, resolve issues, and ensure deadlines are met, and facilitate clear communications between internal staff, authors and external vendors, and freelancers.
• As needed, manage volunteers, interns, and contractual staff hired in a support role within the department.
• Read, correct, rewrite, or revise the material to ensure that it is presented clearly, in precise language and proper grammatical form.
• Evaluate and insert requested author revisions and final editorial changes using Adobe Acrobat, review typeset revisions for accuracy, and check final print–ready files for quality and completeness.
• Prioritize and schedule work, organize workflow in accordance with agreed printing and publishing deadlines.
• Monitor, update and manage the publication budget on a regular basis overseeing invoicing, chargebacks and accounts payables/receivables,  reconciling them in collaboration with the Finance Manager, ensure that invoices and reconciliations are done in a timely manner and that each publication stays within budget. Participate in budget development by summarizing, researching, and analyzing past expenditures.
• Coordinate the search for photographic material to illustrate a publication, manage copyright procedures for the gallery’s publication and apply for Library and Archives Canada (LAC) catalogue listings.
• Ensure publishing agreements for all texts and images are documented; coordinate post-production activities such as mailing publications to authors and key collaborators.
• Research potential distribution opportunities for publications in consultation with the Director, the Head of Curatorial Affairs and the Curator of Exhibitions.
• Develop and keep up-to-date The Power Plant’s organizational style guide.
• Perform special projects and other duties of a similar nature or level as needed and as assigned.

 

Requirements

• University graduate or equivalent combination of education (degree in Communications, English or Journalism) and experience
• Minimum of  4 years of experience in publishing or related environment, including planning and managing publications, editorial, design, and/or production.
• An understanding of financial priorities and budgets associated with publications.
• A thorough awareness of copyright law.
• Familiarity with the publishing industry.
• Ability to organize and plan multiple and simultaneous activities to meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to manage an interdisciplinary team of independent contractors and contractual staff.
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with impeccable attention to detail.
• Excellent written and spoken English, knowledge of French or another language is an asset.
• Superior writing, editing, and proofreading skills. Expert knowledge of grammar, the ability to use language precisely and capacity to understand the intention of the author and, when necessary, rephrase their words so they read more precisely.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and relationship management skills to build positive relationships with colleagues and deal tactfully with a variety of stakeholders.
• Must be computer literate and familiar with current publishing and presentation software: Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop.
• Ability to work within different teams, as well as  independently.
• An understanding of, and commitment to The Power Plant’s mission and values.
• Must be legally eligible to work in Canada. Non-Canadian applicants must have a valid employment Visa and proper documentation authorizing their ability to work in Canada for the full duration of the contract.
• Proof of COVID-19 vaccination with a vaccine series approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization is required and will form a condition of employment.

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

The Power Plant is committed to diversity and inclusiveness. We encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

Acceptable applications must include a current resume and a cover letter addressed to Adelina Vlas, Head of Curatorial Affairs of The Power Plant, indicating why you wish to join the team and how you would meet the essential criteria of the role. Also, please provide 2 different writing samples 2-3 pages each, single space, with one sample that demonstrates your copyediting skills (attach a Word doc that includes your mark-up and comments, or mark-up a hard copy and send us the image in a PDF file).

To apply, please submit your application to jobs@harbourfrontcentre.com by no later than July 13, 2023. Please quote TPP Publications Officer 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.