Job title: General Manager
Organization name: Shakespeare in Action
Job location: York, Ontario
Wage: $45K to $50K/year (dependent on experience) with annual review, plus health benefits (Permanent salaried position)
Hours: 35-40  hours per week        
Working Conditions: Hybrid (remote/in-person)
Application Deadline: October 7th, 2022
Start Date: October 17th, 2022

Position Summary:
The General Manager position is a senior leadership position. The GM will be responsible for running Shakespeare in Action’s business operations, and overall management of the company. Together with SIA’s incoming Artistic Director, the GM will manage the organization collaboratively, with a hyper focus on budgeting and business, as the AD stewards SIA’s artistic vision and mission.

Position Specifics:
The General Manager will oversee all management of the company including budgeting, invoicing, bill payments, and banking; negotiate and manage contracting, bookings and rentals; and either create, support, maintain and/or update administrative processes, including HR policies and procedures. There will be overlap with the AD in areas such as donor management, grants management and production planning.

SIA is looking for someone who is hands-on and enjoys working with numbers, creative people, community partner organizations, and business matters in the arts and arts education, while maintaining financial responsibility.

Detailed Duties of the Role:

• Work with the AD on an annual operating budget, with main responsibility to monitor and revise said budget regularly and report on all updates, including progress budget targets
• Responsible for payroll; ROEs (Records of Employment); taking the lead and managing SIA’s annual audits, preparing all necessary documentation with support from external Auditors and Bookkeeper; working with SIA’s bookkeeper on a monthly basis to update supporting documents to ensure monthly financial reports
• Maintain oversight of production costs and ensure fiscal responsibility
• Communicate with the Board on operational and strategic matters, as well as report on financial matters with the Board’s Co-Treasurers on a regular basis, attending financial meetings when necessary
• Assist the AD in grant preparation
• Participation in and with SIA community activities
• Will perform duties at the SIA’s office and/or studio space located in Weston, with the flexibility to work remotely when that does not interfere with responsibilities and tasks

Qualifications:

• A graduate of an arts management program, and/or two years of professional management or arts administration experience in an arts and cultural organization
• A strong knowledge of financial management, including budgeting, reporting and estimating
• Exceptional attention to detail and planning
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication
• Impeccable time management and organizational skills
• Ability to organize and prioritize multiple tasks
• Ability to learn quickly
• Can handle sensitive information with discretion
• Familiarity with computer software programs including, or comparable to, Microsoft Suite, Google apps (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, etc), WordPress, and Mailchimp;
• Excellent problem solving skills

Assets:

• Knowledge of Canadian theatre agreements (CAEA’s ITAs) and Canadian theatre ecology, especially in TYA and arts education
• A passion for theatre, performing arts, and community engaged arts
• A relationship with Weston or northwest Toronto communities

Hiring Statement:
SIA is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion and to building an organization that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage applications from members of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities; Two-Spirit, non-binary, trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer people; disabled people; youth; and members of other equity seeking groups. SIA also prioritizes candidates that live, work, and/or have a relationship with the diverse communities in northwest Toronto, including but not limited to: Weston, Mount Dennis, Rockcliffe-Smythe, Pelham, and Rexdale.

How to Apply:
Interested candidates are asked to submit a letter of interest and resume to jobs@shakespeareinaction.org by Friday, Sept. 30th, with the subject line: “General Manager Position- First and Last Name”. Early applications encouraged.

We extended a very hearty thanks to all candidates who take the time to apply, however only applicants under further consideration will be contacted.

• Job title: Development Assistant
  Organization name: Shakespeare in Action
  Job location: York, Ontario
  Hourly wage: $18.00
  Hours: 15 hours/week
  Start Date: At earliest availability
  Length of assignment: 37 weeks

For more than 30 years, Shakespeare in Action (SIA) has made the language and stories of Shakespeare accessible, fun, and relevant to young audiences across the GTA through productions and interactive workshops in schools, libraries, and community centres. In 2019, SIA became the resident professional theatre company at the Artscape Weston Common, in Toronto’s Weston community. Since our move, we have shifted our mission and vision to focus on growing a sustainable and culturally-diverse performing arts ecology in northwest Toronto.

SIA seeks to hire a Development Assistant, who will play a pivotal role in SIA’s transformation in 2022 as we continue to grow relationships with donors and partners to support free and accessible performing arts programs for neighbourhood children and youth.

TASKS
The Development Assistant will be responsible for:

• Maintaining and improve donor relations by ensuring accurate and timely handling, processing, receipting, and acknowledgment of donations and gifts
• Entering and revising donor information in CRM, and creating monthly reports for board on donation progress
• Generate customized queries and reports
• Respond to donors’ concerns with discretion, insight, tact and sensitivity.
• Support the Managing Producer and Artistic Director to successfully cultivate, solicit and steward donors and prospects to meet the fundraising goals of SIA
• Use template text to fill in information in grant and sponsorship applications
• Support fundraising event for donors in November and December

QUALIFICATIONS

• The ideal candidate will possess the following skills or qualifications:
• Is enrolled or will be enrolled in college / university in 2022
• Demonstrated experience in data entry and collection
• Familiarity with gift processing and/or fundraising principles
• Knowledge of CRA guidelines (an asset)
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) and Google applications (Docs, Sheets, Forms)
• Strong focus and attention to detail along with high degree of accuracy
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to take initiative, and develop and implement process improvements
• Ability to manage multiple projects, set priorities and meet strict deadlines
• Highly effective written and verbal communication skills
• Solid customer service skills with the ability to build and foster reliable work relationships within a diverse work environment
• A passion for theatre, and community engaged arts
• A relationship with Weston and/or northwest Toronto (an asset)

COVID-19 and PROOF OF VACCINATION:
Given the ongoing uncertainty around the pandemic, SIA is committed to following all public health guidelines, and are presently planning to take the following steps to reduce COVID transmission: prioritizing outdoor activity, providing PPE to all staff and contractors, provide COVID-19 best practices training and resources to all summer staff, indoor mask-wearing for all staff & contractors, regular hand-washing, physical distancing and paid sick days.

Shakespeare in Action presently requires all staff, contractors and volunteers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 two weeks prior to the beginning of any in-person work.

Interested applicants are invited to send a resume and letter of interest to jobs@shakespeareinaction.org by 11:59 PM, June 26th, 2022. Early applications are encouraged.

Expected Start Date – October 3rd, 2022
Salary Range – $55,000 – $65,000 plus health benefits
Working Conditions – Hybrid (office / home)

About the organization

Founded in 1988, Shakespeare in Action (SIA) is a registered charity and professional theatre and arts education not-for-profit organization. For more than thirty years, SIA’s mission was to make the language and stories of William Shakespeare accessible, fun, and relevant for young audiences and their families. In 2019, SIA became the resident professional theatre company at the new Artscape Weston Common in Toronto’s northwest region. As one of the only professional theatre companies operating in this part of the city, and after a change in leadership as well as a recommendations report, SIA board voted in 2021 to change the mission of the organization. We now aspire to “nurture and develop the next generation of performing artists, arts workers, educators,
and audiences through the exploration and performance of classical and contemporary stories that are relevant to our community.” Our vision is to grow a performing arts ecosystem anchored in our community.

The position

Reporting to the Board of Directors and working in collaboration with the Managing Producer, the Artistic Director defines the artistic vision of the organization and develops its annual programs in alignment with the organization’s mission and vision. They are responsible for steering programming choices, hiring artistic and technical staff and contractors, developing and stewarding partnership opportunities, and fostering safe and equitable working environment for all staff, contractors, volunteers, and participants. In collaboration with the Managing Producer, they will take an active role in fundraising
activities including grant writing and planning and participating in special fundraising events. The Artistic Director will also work closely with the Board of Directors on a rebrand and communications strategy for the organization. The Artistic Director may be a creative project lead (ie. director, playwright, dramaturge) on an SIA project or separate creative endeavour during employment. The Artistic Director is expected to balance leadership responsibilities during any other creative engagement.

Roles and Responsibilities

• With the Managing Producer and Board of Directors, participate in the development of Rebrand Strategy, Communications Strategy, and Strategic Plan
  Programming all artistic activities
• Establish and carry out short and long term artistic goals
• Collaborates with the Managing Producer on budgeting and scheduling for
  all projects
• Hires and/or oversees hiring for all artistic and technical staff
• Stewards relationships with community partners, lead artists, and stakeholders
• Act as primary representative of the company to the public
• Participates in community organizing tables and advocates for growth of arts and culture initiatives and funding opportunities in our community
• Attends Board Meetings and creates artistic reports for the Board of Directors.

In Collaboration with the Managing Producer:

• Leading and supporting fundraising initiatives (grant writing, sponsorship requests, fundraising events, soliciting donations)
• Promoting a safe, healthy, and equitable work environments and recommending policy developments that mitigate toxic work expectations and environments
• Monitoring project budgets and timelines(with additional support from Managing Producer)
• Oversight of marketing and communication content and materials to ensure consistent messaging
• Supporting the growth of the company’s equity strategy, and commitment to addressing anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism, and other forms of discrimination

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience in leadership position in an arts organization
• Strong track record of creating culturally-relevant work for the stage
• Experience developing arts education initiatives and programs
• Strong leader with excellent communication, collaboration and team building skills
• Has knowledge/understanding of building/growing anti-oppressive work environments
• Commitment to expanding access to the performing arts in northwest Toronto
• Experience with grant writing & fundraising
• Familiarity with project reporting
• An understanding of organizational finances, season and project budgets
• Ability to manage and navigate multiple and competing needs and asks from various stakeholders including artists, community organizers, residents, politicians, etc.
• A natural networker: with a keen interest in growing and building innovative community partnerships and nurturing grassroots initiatives

How to apply:

Interested candidates are invited to submit a letter of interest and resume to board@shakespeareinaction.org by 11:59PM on Sunday July 31st, 2022. The letter of interest should include an answer to the question: What role does SIA have to play in the performing arts community? We encourage early applications.

Hiring Statement

Shakespeare in Action strongly encourages applications from those who reflect the communities in and around Weston (this includes Jamaican-, Somali-, Vietnamese-Canadian populations among many others), Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities; newcomer; Two-Spirit, non-binary, trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer people; disabled people; people with lived experience of poverty; members of other equity seeking groups; and/or those who have a relationship with this part of the city. SIA acknowledges we are at the early stages of our journey centring equitable practices, and invite you to follow our progression at www.shakespeareinaction.org/strategic-revisioning