Audience Services Manager

Join the hardworking and dedicated team delivering exciting arts and culture programs and activities to our community – and beyond. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Audience Services Manager will be accountable for supporting the operations of the Aurora Cultural Centre to realize the mission of the Aurora Cultural Centre (ACC) and support operational requirements of Aurora Town Square (Town-owned facility). The Audience Services Manager builds and implements audience services to ensure a safe and the highest quality customer service experience to patrons who attend ACC programs and rental client events at Aurora Town Square.

This full-time position requires the successful candidate to be available on a flexible schedule evenings and weekends to support Front of House Team and events as well as office administrative time Monday – Friday from 8:30 – 4:30pm to connect with the rest of the team. It is expected that the role will become more of an administrative role once Aurora Town Square business is fully operational. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, have proven Front of House and volunteer management skills and be a generous and compassionate team member. They will be a key member to deliver on the Centre’s reputation for highest customer service quality. The Audience Services Manager will maintain strong relationships with Town facilities and operational staff as needed, the rental clients, patrons, and volunteers.

At ACC, we embrace everyone’s uniqueness and recognize the strength that lies in differences. We believe in the power of our collective potential and strive to achieve a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace to empower and create opportunities for all. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their gender, age, religion, race, ethnicity, and nationality. Particularly equity deserving groups, such as members of the Persons with Disabilities, Black, Indigenous, other racialized candidates and/or candidates from the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and anyone who may contribute to the further diversification of the Aurora Cultural Centre. Together we unite and inspire all Canadians to influence and affect the future of our community through the arts.

Context and Summary

The Aurora Cultural Centre is the resident tenant of Aurora Town Square’s Aurora Museum and Cultural Centre. There are two main elements of this position.

1. Front of House: ACC has a robust performing arts program that currently hosts 27 professional live performance events from September – June (2024-2025 Performing Arts Season). As an additional service to the Town, we support rental clients who book Aurora Town Square and require technical and Front of House services. This position facilitates all Front of House requirements for both ACC and rental events.
2. Volunteers: As part of Front of House services and support of our operations, we work with a diversity of volunteers who offer their services to participate at ushers, ticket takers, event support, co-op placements, administrative support, education class support, gallery program docents, ambassadors in outreach events etc. This position recruits, manages, schedules, and trains volunteers for positions required, including all reporting requirements. You can find information about the Volunteer program here. We have a complete volunteer handbook that meets the standards of Imagine Canada.

As with all positions at the Centre, the Audience Services Manager will be required to be flexible, punctual and possess excellent customer service skills. This position will require multi-tasking and liaising with various members of the staff team on a variety of projects.

The successful candidate would be responsible for the following:

• Provide Front of House services for all ACC events and rentals at Aurora Town Square as required including
• • personnel (staff and volunteer) needs,
  • signage, house programs, and facility needs,
  • coordinating refreshments, cash/host bar where applicable, including artist hospitality,
  • patron management,
  • coordinating any pre or post show lobby needs,
  • troubleshooting and problem solving.
• Communicate with ACC program managers on requirements of programmed events
• Recruit, schedule, train, and supervise part time Front of House Managers
• Prepare Front of House instructions for every activation requiring a Front of House Manager in Aurora Town Square Build and implement Front of House Manager post-show report template
• Review Front of House post-show reports day after event (or as soon as possible)
• Manage ACC wearables for Front of House team, including volunteers
• Manage, train, and communicate audience fire, health & safety programs and protocols to Front of House Manager and Volunteers
• Enthusiastically engage visitors to the Centre
• Receive and code Audience Services and Volunteer Program invoices for payment including
• • Expenses related to Front of House operational expenses,
  • Reconciling Aurora Town Square client activations with finance.
• Support documentation of events (filming, photography, hashtags, social media) in a manner that is appropriate for the event
• Determine ideal Front of House practices to respond to health & safety requirements for local, national, and/or international health crisis
• • responsible for health screening of volunteers, support staff, and audience (if applicable),
  • organize patrons and support staff to ensure they have strict adherence to local health protocols related to events.
• Provide feedback and be responsive to the Joint Health & Safety Committee
• Manage Volunteer Program within Imagine Canada standards including
• • Maintain volunteer program policy and procedures manual
  • recruit, train, supervise the Centre’s volunteers (including co-op students)
  • coordinate, promote, schedule, supervise and evaluate all volunteer opportunities
  • build relationships with the schools to enable co-op opportunities
  • monitor, communicate, and manage the volunteer program policies
  • report on volunteer engagement statistics
  • manage volunteer appreciation and recognition
  • maintain up-to-date volunteer information and shifts in volunteer database
• Other duties as required

The staff of the Centre work in a team atmosphere and as such all employees of the Centre may be expected to step beyond what is regularly thought of as their own duties to assist members of the team as required

As with all roles at the Centre, the successful candidate needs to be flexible, punctual and possess excellent customer service skills. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, proven artistic programming skills in live performance, be flexible in their ability to shift from one task to another, and be a generous team member.

Education, Skills and Experience

We recognize that candidates may not meet all the criteria listed in this posting. We encourage all those interested in this posting with a combination of relevant complementary experience and an interest in the arts to apply.

Education

• Minimum 2-3 year post secondary education in an arts related field
• Volunteer management training and implementation
• Event management training and implementation

Experience

• Minimum 3 years experience in a previous Front of House performing arts environment
• Experience in volunteer-run settings required
• Experience working directly in Front of House for events
• Event coordination experience
• Supervisory experience with hired staff
• Experience working with and/or delegating tasks to event volunteers
• Smart Serve and First Aid/CPR-C certified required

Skills

• Enthusiasm, creativity, and strong organizational skills
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills (written and verbal)
• Sensitivity and diplomacy
• Information presentation and delegation skills
• Excellent customer service skills
• Coaching
• Ability to work in a setting individually and as part of an active team
• Ability to maintain events as scheduled and fulfill demanding deadlines
• Troubleshooting skills
• Social Media skills an asset
• POS system experience an asset

How will you create impact?

• By bringing fresh, dynamic ideas to the table
• By contributing to the team with a strong and thoughtful work ethic
• By using your knowledge of customer service to help provide new ways to serve our patrons.

How will you fit into the team?

• Being outgoing and adaptable
• Be a resilient and flexible personality as plans can change from day-to-day.
• You are a consummate professional and can represent the Aurora Cultural Centre not just creatively but also in experience, insight, and attitude.

Salary:

The salary range for this position is $47,000-$52,000 per year. Upon successful completion of a 3-month probation period, the successful candidate will also participate in a full suite of employee benefits including: group medical and dental benefits, Life and AD & D, LTD and STD benefits, an Employee Assistance Program, an optional employer RRSP contribution, paid personal and vacation days, paid time off for 14 recognized holidays, and professional development opportunities.

Location:

In person at Aurora Town Square, 50 Victoria Street, Aurora Ontario

Additional information:

A criminal record search will be required of the successful candidate, at their own expense, that is acceptable to the Aurora Cultural Centre.

This position is open to Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents only.

We recognize that candidates may not meet all the criteria listed in this posting. We encourage all those interested in this posting with a combination of relevant technical experience and an interest in the arts to apply.

How to apply:

Please visit this link to apply online to Suzanne Haines, Executive Director. No phone calls please.

We are committed to providing a workplace that is inclusive and accessible to all. Should you require accommodation during the staffing process, please do not hesitate to contact us at 905-713-1818 or info@auroraculturalcentre.ca with Audience Services Recruitment Accommodation Inquiry in the Subject Line.

We thank all applicants for their interest in joining our team, and all responses will be held in strictest confidence. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Applications deadline:

September 13, 2024; Applications will be reviewed and assess as received with interviews starting with those qualified candidates. Posting will remain open until filled. Apply early for best opportunity to be considered.

About the Aurora Cultural Centre

At the Aurora Cultural Centre, we believe that arts, culture, and heritage can play a role in changing our world and our community. This is the fabric that deepens our understanding of our shared experience and creates a more compassionate society. Since 2010, the Centre has welcomed the community to create and participate in diverse experiences for all ages. We proudly program four vibrant gallery exhibition spaces, a range of instructional classes for children, teens and adults, an eclectic live music series, special family events and summer arts camps.