Application Deadline: May 26, 2023
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 dynamic, organized and collaborative Summer Festival Assistant with great interpersonal and communication skills to support our Development team with the on-site servicing of Harbourfront Centre’s philanthropic and corporate initiatives. If these attributes describe you, and you are passionate about art and culture, have a service-oriented mindset, are resourceful, and want to work at a beautiful location on Toronto’s central waterfront, we would love to hear from you!
Please note that as this position is supported by a funded program, eligible candidates must be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of employment and must be registered as a full-time student and intend to return to school in the next academic year.
Position Title: Summer Festival Assistant
Department: Development
Reporting to: Coordinator, Development Operations
Type of Employment: Seasonal contract, June 5, 2023 to September 8, 2023 (start/end date may vary slightly)
Hours of Work: 30-40 hours per week – will include weekends and evenings during our summer festivals
Rate of Pay: $17 per hour
Location: Toronto
Summary of Function
The Summer Festival Assistant will work with the Development department to aid in the on-site servicing of Harbourfront Centre’s philanthropic and corporate initiatives. Working closely with Harbourfront Centre staff, volunteers, and external sponsorship representatives, this position will assist with the servicing of client, partner and donor needs leading up to and during events and campaigns including but not limited to: coordinating the onsite summer community giving program, helping with sponsor fulfillment by servicing corporate partners, assisting in research and grant writing for the philanthropy and corporate teams, and reporting on development partner activities. This position will require evening and weekend work as well as within an office environment during regular business hours. This is an invaluable opportunity to gain experience in various facets of one of Ontario’s renowned arts and culture institutions.
Duties
- Represent Harbourfront Centre as an ambassador of the Development department.
- Act as one of the main contacts for sponsors and partners during festivals and events.
- Provide on-site activation support and sponsor servicing, from set-up through teardown and on-site troubleshooting any problems that may arise.
- Manage and support the training of volunteers to support Harbourfront Centre’s community giving initiatives.
- Assist in the execution of fundraising initiatives and campaigns.
- Support development department events and initiatives.
- Assist with office administration as needed.
- Manage the documentation and reporting processes of partners activities at Harbourfront Centre.
- Research and write grant proposals for philanthropy and corporate teams.
- Manage the tracking process for grant proposals with grants researcher/writer volunteers.
- Work with other departments such as Marketing, Production, Site Services and Visitor Experience to deliver exceptional partnership and donor experiences on-site and in-office.
- Work with Development Officers to support the delivery of exceptional client servicing of Harbourfront Centre corporate partners and donors.
- Assist the development department with individual and corporate prospect research, reporting, tracking and data entry as required.
Requirements
- Must be registered as a full-time student and intend to return to school in the next academic year.
- Must be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of employment.
- College or University degree in the field of arts, business or fundraising (in progress is acceptable).
- Work experience in the corporate or not-for-profit environment.
- Experience in a public facing customer service experience is a strong asset.
- Strong interpersonal and relationship management skills are required to respond to difficult situations and requests with tact and diplomacy.
- Solid research and organizational skills as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work well under pressure and be able to organize/complete multiple tasks within tight deadlines.
- Good computer literate with experience using relational databases, Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
- Ability to work outdoors and during live events is a necessity.
- A high degree of initiative, self-motivation, and a passion and interest in the arts is essential.
- Available to work evenings, weekends and some weekdays.
- Must be comfortable and capable of lifting heavy objects (up to 20lbs).
- Strong command of the English language with additional language skills an asset.
- 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.
- Harbourfront Centre 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 full COVID-19 vaccination with a vaccine series approved by Health Canada or the World Health Organization.
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
Harbourfront Centre values and is committed to diversity and inclusiveness in our teams, creative communities, programmes and services. We invite qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply.
Acceptable applications must include a current resume and a cover letter. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply by contacting jobs@harbourfrontcentre.com by no later than May 26, 2023. Please quote Summer Festival Assistant 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. Suitable accommodations will be available upon request during the hiring process.