NOW HIRING:
CULTURAL CONTENT WRITER

APPLICATION DEADLINE:
SUNDAY DECEMBER 5TH, 11:59 PM PACIFIC TIME

ANTICIPATED START DATE:
MONDAY DECEMBER 6TH 2021

COMPENSATION:
$22.25 / 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, currently based across four provinces, works well together because we hold ourselves accountable to 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.

THE ROLE:

This is a 12 week virtual contract position. The number of hours per week can be up to 35 hours, depending on candidate availability. The working hour schedule is flexible. This opportunity is partially funded by Canada Summer Jobs and candidates who meet the criteria outlined by the funder will be prioritized. Please read the job description and eligibility criteria in full.

Our ideal candidate will be passionate about the role of the arts and artists in building vibrant inclusive communities. You will be creative, proactive, observant, well organized and thrive in a fast paced environment. You must be a skilled writer who has a knack for story-telling and can customize our messaging for different audiences and platforms. You have some knowledge of both the arts and urban issues and have an interest in forging partnerships across industries. You love brainstorming, problem solving and connecting with people. You’re good at keeping information confidential. If you’re able to work independently, are a collaborative team player, organized and not easy to overwhelm, we are looking forward to meeting you!

DUTIES:

• Produce well-researched content for publication across STEPS communications platforms (e.g. web, blog, newsletter, social media) that reflects values and brand identity of organization. Content anticipated to feature both STEPS’ projects, as well as work that is relevant to our sectors (e.g. public art, cultural planning, placemaking, community arts, etc.)
• Arrange interviews with featured artists, clients, partners or other stakeholders.
• Gather research and other forms of content by attending STEPS events (e.g. panel discussions, conference presentations) and reviewing available materials (e.g. event recordings, website pages, surveys, etc.) 
• Collect quotes and audio-visual content from featured artists, partners, clients and industry stakeholders
• Organize writing schedules to complete drafts of content or finished projects within deadlines set by the Engagement Team
• Utilize industry best practices and familiarity with the organization’s mission to inspire ideas and content
• Follow an editorial calendar, collaborating with other members of the Engagement Team to ensure timely delivery of materials
• Develop related content for multiple platforms, such as websites, email marketing, product descriptions, videos, and blogs
• Support monitoring and analyzing the performance of key performance indicators (KPIs) to offer suggestions for improvement
• Use search engine optimization (SEO) strategies in writing to maximize the online visibility of digital content in search results

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

• A talent for writing clear, concise copy for multiple audiences
• An Impeccable grasp of the English language, including idioms and current trends in slang and expressions
• Experience creating content across different platforms (e.g. print, digital, etc.)
• Motivation and discipline as a self-starter, and cultural enthusiast, who can passionately communicate the value of public art to diverse audiences
• Ability to work independently with little or no daily supervision
• Strong interpersonal skills and willingness to communicate well with artists, clients, community partners and colleagues
• High attention to detail
• Ability to work on multiple projects with different objectives simultaneously
• Strict adherence to the style guides of organization 
• Good time management skills, including prioritizing, scheduling, and adapting as necessary
• A thirst to be a team player who is independently resourceful in a fast-paced organization
• Good judgment and discretion in relation to community and stakeholder relations
• Excitement for bringing personal creativity and experimentation to a startup environment
• Proficiency with computers, especially writing, cloud-based and conferencing technologies, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Docs, PowerPoint, Zoom and Google Meets
• Access to a personal computer, as well as high-speed internet, with the ability to use video conferencing with ease for meetings, interviews and other content collection
• Knowledge of the Canadian arts and culture sector is a strong asset
• Experience with audio or video recording and production platforms is an asset, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Audition and Zoom
• Commitment to working within equity and anti-racism frameworks. Experience working with diverse stakeholders is a strong asset
• While most of our content is in English, Fluency in French would be a strong asset

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, such as those who identify as Black, Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit and Métis), people of colour, as well as individuals living with a disability.

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 the 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

As this is a remote-work position, we are accepting applications from candidates who meet the eligibility criteria, regardless of their current physical location.

APPLICATION PROCESS – NOW CLOSED

We invite qualified applicants to submit the following no later than Sunday December 5, 2021, 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis leading up to the deadline.

• a cover letter outlining:
  1. why you are interested in the position
  2. your qualifications for the role
  3. how many hours per week you are available, and
  4. whether you meet the funder eligibility requirements (outlined above)

• 1-3 writing samples. Please combine these into one PDF with your cover letter and send it as an attachment that is no more than 10 pages total.
• Optional: resume or content other than writing samples that you have produced (e.g. a short video, a social media account you manage)

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview via video-conferencing the week of December 6th. It is our intention to make a hiring decision and for this role to begin as soon as possible following the application process. While we appreciate the interest of all applicants, we can only communicate with those shortlisted for an interview.

Featured image from Daily Migration, a multidisciplinary community arts project produced in collaboration with artist Shalak Attack, as well as artistic mentees Edan Maxam and Kseniya Tsoy in North York, Ontario.

Photo Credit: May Shi