Festival Patron Services Manager
One Yellow Rabbit is seeking an enthusiastic and experienced team player to fill the contract position of patron services manager for its 36th Annual High Performance Rodeo, Calgary’s International Festival of the Arts.
A key member of the High Performance Rodeo team, and reporting to the producer, the patron services manager oversees the festival’s box office and front of house operations; to provide exceptional customer experience. With responsibilities before, during and after the festival, the patron services manager leads a team of approximately 20 front of house and box office staff, including an assistant box office manager during the Festival and works closely with our volunteers.
Deadline to Apply: September 17, 2021
Contract Fee: $18,000 (approximate, and will be based on the actual start date if different from below)
Contract Dates:
- Part-time (0.5 FTE) starting to be negotiated.
- Full time (1.0 FTE) starting October 25, 2021.
- Contract ends February 18, 2022.
Note: This position will be filled when an appropriate candidate is found, and the start date is flexible
Anticipated Hours
This contract position is based on a full-time equivalency (FTE) of 44 hours per week with some extended hours required during the festival dates in 2022. It is an expectation of all applicants that they be available for full-time festival hours, including evenings and weekends.
Key Accountabilities
- Support and assume responsibility for ticket builds and Tessitura operations.
- Contribute to the staffing and operations plan for all patron services deliverables including but not limited to volunteer schedule, FOH and venue security plan, health and safety measures and digital ticketing systems.
- Manage daily operations of the festival box office, venue box offices and front of house for all High Performance Rodeo venues.
- Work closely with fellow festival team members to ensure the best available standards of hospitality, access, and inclusiveness for audiences at the festival.
- Provide front-line customer service including ticket sales in person and over the phone, responding to patron queries, troubleshooting and resolving escalated patron complaints when needed.
- Scheduling and supervision of casual box office staff for all High Performance Rodeo, including training as needed.
- Coordinate HPR satellite box office locations at venues across downtown Calgary, multitasking and troubleshooting multiple venues at the same time.
- Coordinate & distribute box office kits for satellite venues in coordination with marketing and production team.
- Establish and build a group sales clientele, including sourcing, contacting, arranging and maintaining all aspects of group sales.
- Attend HPR team meetings, and contribute to pre-festival planning.
- Prepare and distribute weekly ticket sales reports for HPR team.
- Prepare final sales reports for HPR.
- Work with OYR’s business manager to manage cash floats for all HPR venues.
- Attend monthly Tessitura user group meetings.
- Liaise with Arts Commons box office.
- Manage invitation lists for openings and receptions.
- In coordination with the festival team, coordinate artist pass distribution.
- Other box office, front of house and administrative duties as required.
We Are Seeking a Candidate Who Has:
- Experience as a supervisor and/or hiring manager leading a team of staff and volunteers.
- A background in ticket sales and use of Tessitura Network ticketing software to sell tickets, create reports, and manage patron databases.
- A passion for building community; supporting an inclusive environment for all festival patrons, artists, staff, and volunteers.
- A strong background in performing arts, festivals, and/or live events. Those with relevant experience from other fields are encouraged to apply.
- A proven background in managing front of house operations.
- A valid driver’s license will be considered an asset, as the ability to drive a rental vehicle and/or access to a vehicle for use during the festival.
The High Performance Rodeo is committed to employment equity and diversity, and encourage applications from all interested individuals. We invite, but do not require members of equity-seeking groups to self-identify. We can provide training in certain aspects of the position, and want to support the right candidate to be successful in this contract role.
It is an expectation of employment with One Yellow Rabbit that all employees are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and can show proof of vaccination.
To Apply
To apply for this position please email the following materials to reception@oyr.org by September 17, 2021, with the subject heading PATRON SERVICES MANAGER HPR2022:
- A cover letter detailing your interest in the position addressed to Oliver Armstrong, Producer.
- A resume that highlights your relevant experience.
- Two references with current contact information.
We thank everyone who applies for their interest, but only those candidates offered an interview will be contacted.
About the High Performance Rodeo
For three wild weeks in January, One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo, Calgary’s International Festival of the Arts, is where the action is. It’s a chance to watch touring performances from across Canada, acclaimed international shows, and new and experimental work from artists here in Calgary. The programming is bold, cutting-edge, funny, frank, and full of heart. There’s theatre, dance, music, film, free lunchtime concerts, late-night cabarets, and so much more. Shows in the basement of the Calgary Tower, at the Royal Canadian Legion, in the +15’s, a wrestling ring, an elevator, in City Hall, Eau Claire Market, the Glenbow, Central Library, Big Secret Theatre, Lunchbox, DJD, and the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
The High Performance Rodeo takes over downtown Calgary in all shapes, sizes, and sounds—defying description and tantalizing the tastes of arts and culture lovers. Audiences brave the January cold or revel in the chinook heat-wave, comb over the festival guide, and come out to play. The High Performance Rodeo is about championing creativity, building community, celebrating diverse voices, and promoting self-expression in all forms. For 33 years, the festival has been a launching pad for local artists and a spotlight onto the world’s stage.
It’s a unique experience that only happens here, visit hprodeo.ca and use @HPRodeo.
