Jobs at Ottawa Chamberfest

Box Office Manager

The Ottawa Chamber Music Society (OCMS) is a not-for-profit organization with charitable status. Our mandate is to present chamber music of the highest possible artistic standard, and to make classical music accessible to everyone. We program up to 120 concerts and events every year, with a specific emphasis on the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival (Chamberfest). Chamberfest is one of Ottawa’s signature summer festivals. It attracts more than 80,000 music lovers to Canada’s national capital. We also program a fall/winter Concert Series, educational programs, fundraising events, and receptions. Our overall operating budget is $2.3 million.

We seek a dynamic Box Office Manager to provide oversight of box office and customer relations. The position also provides support to the Director of Development and the Director of Marketing and Communications.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the coordination, training and supervision of contract staff, volunteers, students, and job creation employees who are assigned duties in support of the box office, especially during the summer festival and fall/winter concert series. You possess effective communications skills (oral and written) in both official languages, good knowledge of cash management, strong computer skills and an exceptional attention to detail. You have in-depth knowledge of the arts and entertainment industry, with strong database skills.

Key Responsibilities

Box Office

Exercises exemplary customer relations, courteously answers telephone enquiries, personally assists patrons, and works the box office at all events.
Builds season, company, and festival events within our box office software system (Choice Ticketing).
Oversees the preparation and sale of tickets and subscriptions; processes and deposits event funds.
Maintains the company’s database and updates it, as required, to ensure the integrity of our patron information; strictly adheres to all privacy laws and the Society’s privacy policies.
Trains seasonal personnel and festival volunteers as users of the box office software system; ensures these and other staff are trained in generally accepted procedures.
Establishes a positive working relationship with our box office software provider; this includes developing expert-level proficiency in the management of our software system, reporting features, and data manipulation, among other functions.
Troubleshoots and ensures the smooth operations of box office setups, especially in relation to Internet ticketing and remote box office operations.
Receives and records donations; prepares tax receipts and thank-you letters.
Prepares data downloads and mail merges for direct mail campaigns and special event invitation lists to ensure the timely execution of mailings.
Assists with Development campaigns, grant and proposal writing and other donor cultivation activities as required.

Administration

Prepares daily reports that reconcile the ticketing and donation activities between Choice Ticketing and Simply Accounting.
Works closely with the finance department to ensure accurate and timely reconciliation between box office and accounting systems.
Participates in administrative functions related to office management and other Society activities; this includes ordering supplies, checking mail, and other administrative functions.

Candidate Profile

The successful candidate has:

Oral and written excellence in both official languages.
At least one year’s experience working in a box office environment.
Post-secondary education.
Excellent time management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines.
Strong customer service experience.
A highly organized self-starter work ethic; independence and self-direction; a team spirit with strong leadership skills.
A detail-oriented approach, with strong organizational and analytical skills and the ability to quickly grasp new technical material.
Highly effective interpersonal skills: warmth, tact, diplomacy, and creativity.
Strong computer skills and troubleshooting abilities; proficiency in Word, Excel, Outlook, Windows software; experience with a ticketing database a strong asset.
Valid driver’s license.
A background in classical music or arts and culture, though not absolutely necessary, is considered a very strong asset.