As one of the world’s leading theatre companies and Niagara’s 20 largest employers, The Shaw
is dedicated to an ongoing process of increasing diversity and inclusion in our audiences, our
programs, and in all of our hiring for staff, artists, and in the recruiting of board members. The
Shaw is committed to a future when our theatres joyously draw on and include all peoples,
fully reflective of the world around us. As such, the Shaw Festival is an equal opportunity
employer committed to a barrier-free recruitment and selection process. We encourage and
invite applications from applicants who identify as Indigenous, Black or as persons of colour
(IBPOC), the LGBTQ2+ communities and those identifying as gender female. In accordance with
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and in keeping with our wish to ensure
a fully inclusive environment, please advise Human Resources if you require an accommodation
throughout the recruitment process. We will be happy to assist.
We acknowledge and honour the land upon which we gather as the historic and traditional
territory of First Nations peoples. In particular, we recognize and thank the Neutral Nation, the
Mississauga and the Haudenosaunee for their stewardship of these lands over millennia.
Position: Coordinator, Governors Council
Department: Development
Salary: $41,000–$43.000/annual
Job Description
The Shaw Festival is supported by an incredible community of donors, corporate partners and
patrons, and our Governors Council members are among our most loyal and generous donors.
And we are growing. As a result, we are looking for a Coordinator who can take care of the little
things that matter, who has an eye for detail and who understands that every interaction with
one of our supporters is an opportunity to make their day and strengthen our relationship with
them.
This role is all about rolling up your sleeves, working hard and doing the work that is not always
glamorous, but which ultimately makes the difference.
A Day in the Life of…
As our Coordinator, Governors Council, you will be responsible for completing many of the dayto-day tasks that provide strong accountability to our Governors Council and help The Shaw to
sustain and deepen the interest and commitment of our donors.
You will work closely with all members of the Development team, but particular those involved
in our Individual Giving programs. This position also works with Box Office (in matters relating to
ticketing), Facilities, Distribution and Finance.
Reporting to the Manager, Governors Council, you will assist in providing a wide range of
stewardship, cultivation and service support to our Governors Council (GC – annual donors to The
Shaw from $2000 to $25,000), making sure the details that matter are taken care of.
This will include:
Governors Council Administration
– Working with the Manager, Governors Council and the Senior Development Officer, Individual &
Legacy Giving, this position will support the implementation of our ongoing stewardship processes,
gift management and recognition systems to ensure appropriate, timely and highly professional
responses in a manner consistent with the expectations of the donors. These include:
– Consistent and timely renewal and acknowledgement mailings; merging and printing of GC
renewal and acknowledgement letters
– Merging and printing of outgoing GC gift solicitations
– Support the timely and accurate processing of donations which may include contacting donors
for additional information to process their gift
– Finalizing the process of preparing tax receipts for donor acknowledgements (mail and email) and
membership cards
– Maintaining and updating donor records to ensure database integrity and filing material
documents: including regular scanning and uploading of key documents.
– Supporting regular updates to donor listings/recognition in various materials (house programmes,
annual reports, signage, website)
– Assisting with record-keeping and tracking of stewardship activities; coordinating action items
through calendar management
Governors Council Ticketing
– This position will be the primary ticketing contact for Governors Council members
– Concierge approach to ticketing for our GC members
– Additionally, assist with special requests from senior administration/development staff or other
ticket requests as required
Event Coordination
– In conjunction with other development staff assist with coordination of GC donor related events
including, but not limited to: Open and On-stage Rehearsals, special performance presentations,
receptions, as well as cultivation and stewardship events to support our initiatives for Individual
Giving.
– Support communications to donors for events including invitations, reminders, updates
– Accurate tracking of responses, and entering information into the database
– Creation of event reports, e.g. registration lists as needed
– Providing support and/or running events as needed
– Support tracking of RSVPs for events including monitoring RSVP lines
Governors Council Hosting
– Support the Manager, Governors Council with exceptional service and hospitality to our donors at
the Governors Council Lounge during Festival Theatre intermissions
– May involve monitoring the lounge for some evenings and on weekends
– Cross-train and back-up support for the Administrative Coordinator regarding administration for
the GC Lounge reports (attendance reports for staff) and seat notes
– With the Manager, Governors Council and Administrative Coordinator assist with the components
needed to ensure the GC Lounge is set-up appropriately (e.g. signage, furnishings, décor)
– document set-up for consistency
Other Tasks
– Dealing with donor requests and providing information on the Festival and its productions
– Assisting with special events including Openings as required
– Preparing reports, lists, extractions from Tessitura as needed
– Assist with ‘in memoriam’ and ‘tribute’ gift acknowledgements
– Assist with creation of donation processing forms as needed
What will make you successful?
To start with, you will love the arts and thrive in the creative and magical space that is The Shaw.
You’ll understand that it truly is the little things that make the biggest difference, so you will enjoy
paying attention to every little detail and feeling the thrill that comes from knowing the joy that your
care and thought brings to our supporters.
You’ll be really organized. Now, most jobs ask candidates to be organized, but to be successful here
you need to really geek out on this kind of stuff.
You also need to not be afraid to advocate for what you need to make sure things happen on time
and in a way that reflects the excellence of our art. This is not an admin role where you can hide away
behind a spreadsheet and colour coordinated flowcharts. You will be working with different team
members and different departments and the successful candidate will be able to hear what others
need, step in and work their magic while at the same time advocating for what they need to be
successful.
Candidates will have:
– Previous related work experience: experience in a high-performance fundraising environment
preferred.
– Excellent organizational and time management skills.
– Attention to detail and an ability to manage multiple priorities effectively. Ability to keep projects
on track with timely completion.
– A customer service centric approach to all donor interactions.
– Extremely effective interpersonal skills with a professional presence and manner; capable of
exercising independent judgment and flexibility.
– Excellent oral and written communication skills; tactful and diplomatic; experience in dealing with
discerning patrons.
– Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel) and high degree
of comfort with using a donor database for tracking prospect activity. Tessitura and Adobe
experience considered an asset.
– Ability to work in teams or independently with minimal administrative support.
– Event experience is an asset.
– Smart Serve certification.
– An appreciation for the arts and for theatre.
– Demonstrated commitment to the principles of equity and diversity, and experience promoting a
respectful work environment.
Work Hours and Location: 35 hrs/wk, Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., additional hours as
needed (evenings and weekends)
Please Note: All new hires must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination, (e.g. two earlier vaccinations +
booster or the current COVID-19 vaccination (after October 2023) at least five days prior to start date.
Interested candidates should submit their cover letter and resume prior to 5:00pm, August 14, 2024, VIA EMAIL ONLY, to:
Attention: Director Human Resources
Email: dlg@shawfest.com
Shaw Festival Theatre: 10 Queen’s Parade, Box 774, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0 Canada
We thank all applicants in advance for their interest in the position, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.