Visitor Engagement and Volunteer Coordinator
Job Title: Visitor Engagement and Volunteer CoordinatorLocation: Contemporary Calgary, 701 11 St SW, Calgary, ABFull or Part-Time: Full-TimeHours of Work: 40 hours/week. Occasional evening and weekend work requiredPermanent/Temporary: PermanentSalary: $55,000 per annumClosing date: October 7, 2023Reports To: CEO
We are seeking a full-time visitor engagement and volunteer coordinator to join the Contemporary Calgary team.
Contemporary Calgary provides Calgary and its visitors with a significant visual arts destination dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Contemporary Calgary shares a passion for art that is relevant, meaningful and challenging, and we believe in the power of art to transform the places and the lives we live.
Contemporary Calgary is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse, respectful and inclusive environment, and encourages applications from all qualified candidates for this position.
Please apply with a cover letter and resume by October 7, 2023 to careers@contemporarycalgary.com with the subject line: Visitor Engagement & Volunteer Coordinator.
Not all applicants will be contacted for an interview.
Job Description
Reporting to the CEO, the visitor engagement and volunteer coordinator’s primary role is to ensure a high-quality experience for all visitors and volunteers before, during and after their visit. The visitor engagement and volunteer coordinator will act as an interpretive and engagement resource to visitors, helping to foster deeper, richer knowledge and understanding of the art and its relationship to our local and national context.
The visitor engagement and volunteer coordinator is responsible for establishing an inclusive and dynamic atmosphere by welcoming guests, providing information and facilitating engagement with regards to the organization and our programming. The ideal candidate is a leader, energetic, outgoing and wants to be a vital part of our growing team here at Contemporary Calgary!Role and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Acting as the main point of contact at reception while the galleries are closed to the public.
- Greeting guests, answering the general gallery line and email and accepting deliveries.
- Supervising or performing the opening and closing of the gallery space as per gallery procedures.
- Supervising or ensuring exhibitions are properly opened and closed, eg. lights, a/v equipment, etc.
- Communicating any security issues to the staff, and any artwork, equipment, or exhibition space issues to the chief curator.
- Hiring, onboarding and managing a team of gallery attendants and volunteers and scheduling all attendants and volunteers as required.
- Provide leadership to all gallery attendants and volunteers, and uphold standards and procedures for recruitment, onboarding and training.
- Designs and oversees the management of the volunteer program including recruitment, orientation and recognition.
- Manage front-of-house operations and maintain responsibility for ticketing and point-of-sales systems as well as the closing of daily sales.
- Maintain the operations of the gift shop, including inventory and sales, vendor relationships, and sales reports.
- Tracking the intake of cash and conducting monthly counts alongside the business manager.
- Recording gallery attendant hours and submitting payroll to the Business Manager on a bi-weekly basis.
- Tracks visitor numbers for all exhibitions, events, and programs and provides this information to departments as appropriate.
- Implements optional systems for tracking non-identifiable visitor information.
- Works closely with the associate curator and events manager to understand staffing and volunteer requirements for special events and programs to ensures appropriate people are on-site for all events.
- Works with the membership officer to promote, maintain and grow Contemporary Calgary’s membership program.
- Is passionate about providing inclusive customer service and actively researches and implements strategies to improve visitor experiences.
- Perform, supervise and train others in the roles and responsibilities of gallery attendant to achieve superior customer service standards and confidently communicate with visitors at the gallery. This includes:
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- Greeting visitors and offering programming information
- Answering questions from visitors in person, by telephone, and by email
- Receiving and forwarding calls to gallery staff, or taking messages outside of office hours
- Tracking attendance statistics
- Tracking and receiving payments for memberships
- Maintaining cleanliness of the front entrance and other public areas as required (sweeping, keeping front desk organized, etc.)
- Maintaining all in-gallery interpretive materials
- Completing required exhibition readings as assigned to develop a deeper understanding of all current exhibitions
- Engaging the public in conversation about exhibitions and the key messages of the exhibitions and training gallery attendants in visitor engagement
- Booking and coordinating public and private tours as needed
- Managing the gallery membership database on an ongoing basis
- Working at occasional special events: opening receptions, public programs, etc.
- Upholding and communicating gallery rules and regulations
- Maintaining professional museum standards and ethics by working within the Ethical Guidelines outlined by the Canadian Museums Association
Experience and Qualifications:
- 1–3 years of post-secondary education in fine arts, art history or related subject matter.
- 5–7 years of related experience with increasing responsibilities.
- Experience working in customer and/or visitor services.
- Experience working in a supervisory role and managing a team of employees.
- Has training in customer relations and conflict management.
- Has experience with a variety of POS systems and software.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Fluency in French is considered an asset but is not essential.
- Understanding of Calgary’s art community.
- Demonstrated ability to work with diverse audiences and effectively interface with colleagues, artists and the public.
- Comfortable in a public speaking role and effective communicator.
- The ability to work independently under general direction and in a team environment.
- Excellent organizational skills, especially in creating and maintaining schedules.
