Audience Sales and Services Manager

Company Overview

Founded in 1933, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is a learning organization built upon an extraordinary legacy of excellence in artistic and creative development. What started as a single course in drama has grown to become the global organization leading in arts, culture, and creativity across dozens of disciplines. From our home in the stunning Canadian Rocky Mountains, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus – artists, leaders, and thinkers – to unleash their creative potential.

Job Description

Audience Sales and Services Manager

Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus – artists, leaders, and thinkers – to unleash their creative potential.

We acknowledge, with deep respect and gratitude, our home on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. In the spirit of respect and truth, we honour and acknowledge the Banff area, known as “Minhrpa” (translated in Stoney Nakoda as “the waterfalls”) and the Treaty 7 territory and oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney Nations – as well as the Tsuut’ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. We acknowledge that this territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Metis Nation of Alberta, Rockyview District 4. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place.

The Opportunity

As an integral part of the Marketing & Communications team, the Audience Sales and Services Manager leads the Audience Services team to help facilitate, promote, and provide an exceptional audience experience for all Banff Centre public events.

Specifically, this position will be responsible for managing the front facing services that include the Box Office and Front of House, as well as financial management and operations of the ticketing process and ushering services. This includes hiring, training and supervision of the box office and usher staff, developing regular sales reports, maintaining an audience database, and assisting Marketing & Communications in sales, audience and event development.

Roles and Responsibilities

Reporting to Executive Director, Marketing & Communications, below are some key accountabilities:

Business and Financial Planning

• Develops an operational plan for the Box Office and Front of House, which addresses hours/days of operation, budget, and staffing plan and schedules.
• Prepares annual budgets and forecasts; monitors departmental budgets in association with the management colleagues in Events.

Ticketing/Registration System

• Manages the box office ticketing system and registration system.
• Maintains Box Office relationship with ticketing system vendor including contract negotiations.

Front of House/Digital Front of House

• Manages the front of house activities including staffing (ushers), food and beverage service, and ensuring safety for all patrons at all public events and venues both on and off site and online.
• Organizes, manages and reconciles merchandise sales for internal and/or with presenting partners.

Human Resource Management, Team Building and Interdivisional Cooperation

• Hires, trains, coaches, and evaluates a highly customer service oriented staff.
• Creates a positive working environment through establishing open communication with staff, and role modeling the desired standards of professionalism, teamwork, and customer service.
• Possesses a thorough knowledge of the Collective Agreement and ensures compliance in the workplace.

Relationship Building

• Maintains positive, open lines of communication with internal departments and external promoters in regard to their ticketing and event needs. 
• Works with the other Banff Centre departments to explore opportunities to facilitate sales opportunities. This would include hospitality packages with tickets, and other experiential offerings.
• Collaborates with other Banff Centre departments who help ensure the audience experience is exceptional be it Food and Beverage, Physical Facilities and Production teams.
• Collaborates with all internal event producing departments for annual festivals and series as well as individual events and external theatre rentals. 

Reporting

• Compiles daily, weekly, and/or monthly sales reports and audience information as required. 
• Manages the allocation of revenue (ticket and merchandise) and charges to internal departments and external clients in accordance with established practices.

Patron Service Deliverables

• Ensures that staff provide exemplary customer service at all times, and that staff are knowledgeable about specific details of all events, processes and protocols including safety.
• Resolves customer complaints and secures long-term relationships with customers, and provides feedback to internal departments with respect to customer comments and concerns.

Marketing & Communications

• Supports Banff Centre’s marketing plans by maintaining and building an audience database and assists marketing staff in using the data base to ensure successful promotion of events.
• Assists as needed for collecting audience feedback either informally or formally through administration of audience surveys.

Qualifications and Educational Requirements

• 3+ years of Box Office Management experience
• 5+ years of management/team leading experience
• 5+ years customer service experience
• Diploma/Degree in Business or related experience
• Previous business and talent planning experience
• Financial management and reporting - cash management, financial reporting and budgeting
• Specialized knowledge of events, computer operations and financial reporting requirements
• Customer centric approach which results in exceptional customer service
• Proven technical skills and aptitude to use ticketing management software (Audience View) or other box office software such as Tessitura, SQL and HTML communications is an asset. 
• Technology experience working with an excellent working knowledge of the Microsoft suite of products (i.e., Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access)
• A team player that is highly motivated and leads by example
• Ability to work with broad direction without close supervision
• Proven organizational and project management competency to successfully manage multiple tasks and projects in a deadline oriented environment
• Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities and tasks
• Strong attention to detail with effective communication skills
• Interest in arts and performances
• Creative and collaborative problem solver

Special Requirements

• Due to the nature of the job, this position requires the candidate to be available to work a flexible, irregular schedule and weekends.

Employment Terms and Benefits

• In accordance with the terms of employment governing Management/PSP employees, this is a salaried, fulltime position, subject to a 6-month probationary period.
• The salary range for this position is $58,328 - $86,614 based on experience.
• The successful candidate will enjoy twenty paid vacation days and four personal days annually, extended medical and dental benefits, and participation in an employer-matched pension plan.
• Benefits of working at Banff Centre are:
  • Transitional staff housing options (based on availability)
  • Professional development
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Health care spending account
  • Staff cafeteria and restaurant discounts
  • Onsite fitness facility at a discounted rate – first month free for new staff!