Details
Position type: Part-time employment
Closing date: November 18, 2022
Contract start date: January 9, 2023
Contract end date: December 29, 2023 (possibility of renewal)
Location: Ottawa, Canada (combination of at-home and on-site working)
Remuneration scale: $21-24/hour (commensurate with experience)
Schedule: 20 hours per week for 43 weeks, plus 35 hours per week (full time) for 8 weeks during major projects. The Programming Manager makes their own schedule, and the number of hours per week may vary depending on the project timeline.
Note: Candidates must be willing to use their own computer, phone, and basic office supplies for the position. Debaser is currently a spaceless organization, and staff either work from home or on-site at event locations depending on the task and timing.
Background
Since establishing in 2013, Debaser has become one of Ottawa’s leading independent and underground music presenters, best known for its experimental music curation and inclusive events. Our primary activity is curating, producing and promoting music and arts events, including the quarterly event series Pique. Debaser is an incorporated nonprofit organization whose mandate is to support and exhibit underrepresented creative artists.
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Programming Manager supports the development, coordination, marketing and production of music and arts programming in line with Debaser’s mandate. The Programming Manager works with artists, curators, programmers and organizational partners to coordinate programming, fulfill agreements, and oversee artist experience. The ideal candidate has an exceptional knowledge of diverse Canadian and international underground and experimental music and art scenes, has excellent project and time management skills, has a penchant for collaboration and team working, and approaches the work with passion and care.
Debaser encourages equity-deserving candidates, including Indigenous, Black, people of colour, 2SLGBTQIA, disabled folks, gender nonconforming folks, and women, to apply.
Roles and responsibilities
Programming
In collaboration with the Executive Director, the Programming Committee, various guest curators, and other staff, contribute to the curation and development of music and arts programming in line with Debaser’s mandat;.
Coordinate and manage the artistic submissions process;
Coordinate and facilitate the Debaser programming committee, including coordinating recruitment and membership, scheduling meetings, sharing relevant documents and information, facilitating meetings, and seeking feedback
Contact and send invitations and proposals to artists, curators and collectives
Communicate with artists and their representatives about artist performance requirements
Create, validate, and fulfill artist contracts based on artist offer details approved by Executive Director
Collect, organize and maintain program information for website, poster, live stream program and other graphic design collateral.
Oversee and manage artist information collection process, including creating and maintaining web forms to collect artist information and assets, and organizing information in shared drives.
In conjunction with the Executive Director, work with Graphic and Web Designer to communicate and share design specifications, copy and assets, and oversee production timelines alongside marketing and communications deadlines
Oversee and manage artist experience, including fulfilling hospitality riders and coordinating other artist requests with venue, technical crew, and staff
Create, coordinate and distribute artist advance information, including information on venue, production schedules, hospitality, merchandise vending and more, in collaboration with Executive Director and Technical Director
Create and distribute surveys and coordinate feedback forums for artists; report key takeaways to Executive Director and make recommendations on improving artist experience.
Research and remain abreast of artists, collectives, initiatives and trends relevant to Debaser programming guidelines and partnership goals
Foster, develop and nurture good relations with a network of artists, musicians, curators, presenters and other cultural organizations locally, nationally and internationally
Production
In conjunction with Executive Director and Technical Director, assist with collection and organization of technical requirements for participating artists and curators
In conjunction with Executive Director, create and maintain programming schedules, and work with Technical Director to build production schedules
Marketing, Communications and Community Building
In conjunction with other team members, coordinate event announcements, including developing and organizing event descriptions, creating event pages on website, Eventbrite and Facebook, posting on social media and in event listings; maintain and ensure consistency and accuracy of event information across all platforms
In conjunction with other team members, coordinate and fulfill creative assets and content for marketing and outreach campaign, including artist promotional engagements, audio/visual licensing, advertisement and outreach materials, etc.
In conjunction with other team members, develop, coordinate and publish content for social media, press releases, blog posts and newsletters
Administration and Organizational Development
Attend weekly staff meetings to provide updates, understand and collaborate on upcoming projects, and participate in discussions;
In conjunction with other team members, prepare monthly staff reports for the Board of Directors
Attend monthly board meetings to provide updates, answer questions and participate in discussions relevant to the Board of Directors
Prepare report for and attend Annual General Meetings
Ongoingly assess systems and processes, and suggest or implement ways to improve them with respect to efficiency, equity and/or impact
Contribute to policy development
Contribute to visioning and developing priorities and overall direction for Debaser
Other tasks as assigned by the Executive Director
Ideal Qualifications
Outstanding organization and communication skills
3+ years experience with program coordination in the arts and cultural field
1+ year(s) in a leadership or management role (responsible for overseeing own tasks, projects, timelines)
Exceptional time/project management abilities
Strong professional writing and language skills
Strong team-working abilities and openness to collaboration, input, and feedback
Ability to manage concurrent timelines and projects, and appropriately prioritize tasks
Experience working with graphic designers to coordinate production timelines and fulfillment of deliverables
Experience creating and fulfilling contracts or agreements
Experience with Google applications, including Google Docs, Sheets, Forms and Slides
Experience with adding, maintaining and updating web content on hosting platforms such as Squarespace and Cargo
Experience with online ticketing and marketing platforms such as Eventbrite, Mailchimp, Linktree, etc.
Intermediate reading, writing and oral communication skills in French
Strong artistic vision and values
Strong familiarity of and connections to local, national and international artistic/music scenes and movements of interest for Debaser programming and initiatives will be considered an asset
A demonstrated dedication to diversity, accessibility and inclusion in your personal leadership and artistic practices and an interest in continuing to grow in these areas
Interest in supporting an anti-racist, anti-oppressive, non-authoritarian team working environment
We encourage applications from candidates who meet some or all of the following qualifications. If you don’t have direct experience in some of these areas, we encourage you to let us know about any other experience that has equipped you to succeed in those parts of the role.
Additional Information
We strive to accommodate the access needs of a wide range of abilities, and appreciate any guidance or direction on how we may meet your needs.
Debaser encourages applicants from groups that are historically and currently identified as targets of oppression, including Indigenous, Black, people of colour, 2SLGBTQIA, disabled folks, gender nonconforming folks, and women. We recognize that in Canada, legacies of oppression are perpetuated through, among other things, hiring and recruitment practices. We strive to participate in restorative justice by implementing socially just recruitment practices that counter these pressures. Applicants are welcome to voluntarily self-identify as a member of one of these groups.
How to apply
Send a cover letter, CV, and phone contact information for three professional references to hello@debaser.ca. The deadline is Friday, November 18, 2022.