EDUCATION AND VISITOR SERVICE OFFICER
Reports to: Executive Director
Compensation: $20.50/hour. Fully bilingual candidates (French and English) will receive a $1/hour pay premium.
Location: Ottawa, ON (Stittsville)
Employment Type: Contract position November 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025
Hours and Days: 35 hours a week (five days at 7 hours a day).
Schedule: Minimum of three days a week on site. Days fluctuate throughout the calendar year to coincide with the Museum’s opening hours. Work on weekends and occasional evenings will be required.
Sick Days: Six sick days accrued at a credit of 0.5 hours a month.
Vacation: Ten vacation days accrued at a credit of 8.4 hours a month.
The Goulbourn Museum is a heritage institution located in Stittsville, Ontario. Built in 1872, the building which currently houses the Museum was once the old Town Hall for the former Goulbourn Township. The adjacent office building, built in 1961, was the former Clerks building. It is now used as administrative offices, as well as primary storage for the Museum’s collections.
Our organization strives to engage the community with stories of the area’s past and use the history of the area as a tool to facilitate dialogue. Our team is a tight knit group of four employees and 10 Board Members who are dedicated to representing and supporting our community by providing a space for people to connect, share perspectives, and build long-lasting relationships. We use local history as a tool to create unity and belonging through the delivery of educational programs, workshops, outreach and events such as on-site Family Craft Days, offsite school and seniors’ programs, specialty workshops, PA Day and March break activities. As a small team we work closely with community members and volunteers to support the facilitation of these activities and depend heavily on them for their success.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Education and Visitor Services Officer (EVSO) is a specialized educational and training position that is both creative and supervisory in nature. The EVSO is responsible for the development, delivery, and facilitation of engaging educational programs for all Museum audiences, both on site and off site. This work includes ongoing communications with teachers and community groups to increase program bookings; booking programs and if required, scheduling additional staff and volunteers to deliver them; training, supervising, and evaluating program volunteers and staff. Additionally, the EVSO must be warm, friendly and enjoy interacting with community members as they are responsible for creating a welcoming and memorable experience for visitors. The EVSO will provide front-line services and information on the Museum’s organization, exhibitions, collections, and community. At times the EVSO will be required to work on their own. The EVSO contributes to the Museum’s revenue generation effort by promoting and selling the programs and services related to Museum activities.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
● Plan and deliver educational and public programs for diverse audiences, both onsite and offsite at various locations in and around the Ottawa area.
● Implement a variety of learning strategies to engage diverse audiences in programming.
● Review and develop educational programs to ensure they comply with the Ontario Curriculum.
● Develop outcomes and performance measures for all learning activities, and regularly monitor and evaluate program performance.
● Exercise considerable independence of judgement, action, and initiative in coordinating program delivery in accordance with established policies, goals and procedures.
● Liaise with schools and community groups to increase group program bookings.
● Train, supervise and evaluate program volunteers and frontline staff on educational and public programs.
● Order, distribute, set, and maintain educational program supplies and equipment.
● Offer comprehensive information regarding programs, activities, facilities, and services to Museum visitors.
● Gather information on visitors by conducting surveys and collecting statistics.
● Assist with preparing and coordinating promotional and marketing information for public programs.
● Broaden the Museum’s outreach by building a database of and maintaining communications with relevant educators and community groups.
● Move large items such as programming and event supplies weighing up to 50 pounds to a height of 3-5 feet between buildings, up and down stairs, and across parking lots.
● Work with the Registrar to retrieve research and collections materials used to support Museum programs.
● Collaborate with the Communications Manager to use video and social media content to enhance and distribute educational opportunities.
● At times, open and close Museum grounds and work on site independently as the only employee.
● Support with grant writing when applicable.
● Contribute program data to written reports as required.
● Provide input into broader Museum processes, such as the development of the annual budget and work plan.
● Perform other duties as reasonably assigned.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS
● Degree or diploma in museum studies, education, recreation, project management, or relevant field is preferred.
● 1-2 years of professional experience in a relevant role or setting.
● Ability to provide Vulnerable Sector Check.
● Ability to provide First Aid and AED certification.
● A valid Ontario class G Driver’s License and access to a personal vehicle.
● Excellent organizational and multitasking skills.
● Advanced communication and interpersonal skills.
● Ability to set priorities and plan deliverables.
● Ability to work independently.
● Proficient with both Google Workspace and Microsoft Office Suite.
● Ability to follow written and verbal instructions.
● Ability to effectively communicate with and teach school children and adults.
● Ability to deal with the public efficiently, politely, and professionally.
● 1-2 years’ experience with cash systems, cash handling and tracking expenses.
● 1-2 years’ experience in a field related to customer service for the public, more specifically in disseminating information and greeting visitors.
POSITION ASSETS
● Proficient with Adobe Creative Cloud software
● Proficient with Canva
● Ability to produce and edit short format videos.
● Functional in both official languages.
● Interest in history.
TO APPLY
If you are interested, please send your cover letter and resume in PDF file format via email to [email protected] with the subject line “[Your Name]” – Education and Visitor Service Officer. All applications are due Sunday, October 6, 2024 at 11:59 p.m., any applications received through other platforms may not be considered.
Thank you to all applicants for their interest, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
Please note that there is no public transportation to the Goulbourn Museum.
Goulbourn Museum is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes diversity and inclusion in our workforce. We do not discriminate against candidates and employees because of their disability, sex, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, or socio-economic background. Please reach out to [email protected] with any accommodation or support needs during the recruitment process.
