NOW HIRING: PLACEMAKING ASSISTANT
APPLICATION DEADLINE: THURSDAY MAY 13TH, 11:59PM PACIFIC TIME
ANTICIPATED START DATE: MONDAY JUNE 7, 2021
COMPENSATION: $17 – $19/HOUR

WHO WE ARE:
STEPS fosters dynamic, inclusive and resilient communities through public art, community-engaged design and creative placemaking. We are a small but mighty team of creative entrepreneurial innovators. We attract high-performing, highly ethical employees who truly care about their community. Our team works well together because we hold ourselves accountable for strong project management and complement one another’s strengths. STEPS is a Canada Revenue Agency registered charity that provides professional public art and placemaking services, as well as support for artists. Our open-concept office along Toronto’s Waterfront has natural light and ample room for physical distancing. We have a flexible working arrangement policy that includes remote working options for staff.

THE ROLE:

We are seeking a creative, energetic and organized team player with a passion for placemaking who is eager to develop creative solutions to urban design challenges and transform underused spaces into safe, attractive, and vibrant places for local residents, workers and visitors. Reporting to STEPS’ Placemaking Services Coordinator, this role is responsible for planning, developing, and implementing placemaking activities on behalf of STEPS and our partners: property owners, developers, BIAs, community and business groups. For the contract length, this will be a virtual position so we are accepting applications from anywhere in Canada.

This is a 38 week (approx. 9 month) 35 hour per week contract position. Please read the job description and eligibility criteria in full.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Support the execution of public art plans and installations, like murals, construction hoarding exhibits, street furniture, storefront animations, wayfinding, and cultural plans.
• Outreach to potential partners and clients to educate them on public art opportunities.
• Respond to inquiries from prospective partners/clients and facilitate initial needs assessments, which may include reviewing site plans, performing site visits, or speaking to stakeholders.
• Support preparation of quotes and proposals for public art services to partners/clients/funders.
• Establish, foster, and maintain strong relationships with partners, clients, artists, and suppliers.
• Using organizational templates to prepare project contracts and work plans.
• Provide client/partner-centred customer service to ensure the smooth execution of projects.
• Maintain communication with project stakeholders, such as City Councillors or resident groups.
• Track project timelines, workflows, and progress against social and financial objectives.
• Collect project testimonials and feedback for marketing and improved service delivery.
• Draft promotional content, including blog posts, social media posts, and web updates.

 

 

WHO YOU ARE:

Our ideal candidate will be passionate about the role of the arts and artists in building vibrant inclusive public spaces and communities. You are creative, entrepreneurial, proactive, observant, well organized, and thrive in a fast-paced environment. You stay current on urban and cultural issues. You see what could be, rather than what is. You love brainstorming, problem-solving, and connecting with people. You’re often told by coworkers that they know something will get done if it gets passed to you, and you are not afraid to ask for support or clarification if needed. You have experience jumping in and putting processes in place that make an improvement on what has been built while being respectful of the work that has come before. You love talking to people and spreading the word about ideas, projects, or services or that you feel have value. You relish making sense of things, executing logistics, anticipating problems, and fixing them. You’re good at keeping information confidential. You thrive on each day being different and presenting new opportunities and challenges. If you are organized, not easy to overwhelm, and you have a positive attitude that makes people want to be your teammate, we are looking forward to meeting you! 

ELIGIBILITY: 

STEPS encourages applications from all qualified candidates that represent the full diversity of communities in Canada, including complexities of intersecting identities such as ability, class, gender, race and sexual orientation. We are particularly interested in receiving applications from equity-seeking communities, including those who identify as Black, Indigenous, or racialized persons.

This position is partially funded through the Canada Summer Jobs program. Preference will be given to candidates who meet the following criteria established by the funder:

• Are no more than 30 years of age during contract period (born AFTER February 25, 1992)
• Are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment
• Have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations

WE THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING: 

• Postsecondary education in urban planning, design, arts management, visual arts or marketing.
• 1+ years of experience in arts administration, customer service, marketing, design or similar
• An ability to flex a high degree of creativity in response to diverse public space challenges.
• Strong organizational skills, including setting priorities, budgeting, and juggling competing tasks.
• Great interpersonal skills, including meaningful collaboration with external groups on joint projects, as well as openly and respectfully communicating with colleagues.
• Excellent and confident communication skills — written, in person and via phone/web conferencing.
• Strong leadership and decision-making skills, including clear delegation as needed.
• Comfortable with numbers to review site measurements and develop budgets.
• High level of professionalism — you are a punctual, quick-learning and customer service-oriented self-starter.
• Independent worker who is detail-oriented, able to prioritize, and self-manage tasks and responsibilities.
• Highly self-motivated and achievement-oriented with ability to work individually and in collaborative teams.
• Positive, open-minded attitude that shines when working with diverse communities.
• Strong problem-solving skills — you ask questions to discover information and underlying issues, then roll up your sleeves to get things done, and resolve issues before a problem arises.
• Interest in improving our services and partnerships to take them to the next level.
• Critical thinker with an ability to keep calm and seek clarification ahead of deadlines.
• Commitment to organizational development by providing and receiving respectful feedback.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Zoom, and Google Drive
• Experience with Adobe Suite, Asana, and/or CRMs considered an asset).
• Capacity to diplomatically work with clients who sometimes have fluctuating high-pressure needs.
• Ability to work occasional evenings and weekends.
• Comfortable working within an open office environment and via video conferencing technology.
• Commitment to working within an equity framework.

APPLICATION PROCESS
We invite qualified applicants to apply via the online portal linked below by no later than Thursday May 13, 2021, 11:59pm Pacific Time. Applications will not be accepted by email. This interview process will make use of videoconferencing and respect public health guidelines. While we appreciate the interest of all applicants, we can only communicate with those shortlisted for an interview. For the immediate future, this will be a remote-work position so we are open to accepting applications from anywhere in Canada.

 **The deadline for this opportunity has passed. STEPS is no longer accepting applications for this role.
We encourage you to follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter for future opportunities.**

Featured image from PATCH Hoarding Exhibit “Canvas” by artist David Setrakian
Photo Credit: Sharon Mendonca