Financial Administrator

Company Overview

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq. The company is privileged to work on the unsurrendered lands of the Mi’kmaq People and continues to prioritize and create opportunities for Indigenous artists and underrepresented voices.

Inclusivity Statement
Mermaid Theatre is committed to inclusive recruitment and will consider all submissions, without regard to age, different ability, ethnocultural identity, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We welcome and celebrate the stories that make up the diverse communities of Nova Scotia, and we strongly encourage submissions from those who self-identify as members of underrepresented communities. Mermaid prioritizes candidates from underrepresented communities, LGBTQS+, BIPOC, those living with different abilities, or candidates faced with systemic challenges.

Organizational Mandate
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia’s mandate is:

• To introduce to family audiences, at home and abroad the excitement of innovative performing and visual arts

• To promote the art of puppetry through live performance, digital programming, and instruction

• To serve as cultural ambassadors for Windsor, Nova Scotia, and Canada

• To provide a touring and digital showcase for Atlantic Canada’s artists

• To encourage literacy, storytelling, and the love of reading

Context
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia began fifty years ago when its three founding members made it the company’s mission to make the arts accessible to children in outlying communities around Atlantic Canada.  Since then, the company’s reach has grown exponentially with initiatives that directly promote Nova Scotia talent, provide sustainable employment opportunities for artists and technicians, increase domestic and international audience engagement, and embrace digital technology to diversify the company’s creative output.  During the past fifty years, Mermaid has:

·       Engaged Canadian and international audiences through the organization’s substantial touring operations - Mermaid’s energetic professional touring theatre for family audiences has won international acclaim for original productions with a strong emphasis on puppetry and the incorporation of original music.  Mermaid Theatre’s touring productions at home and abroad serve as a continuous showcase for the Atlantic Region’s performing artists, writers, directors, designers, and technicians.

·       Provided Community Enrichment and Engagement Activities - Mermaid has a strong local and regional presence as the result of teaching, mentoring, and presenting activities. These include the Loft artist residencies, the Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts presenting series, and inventive education and outreach programs by way of the company’s Institute of Puppetry Arts.

·       Developed Innovative Digital Work – Mermaid has elevated the company’s portfolio to include original film and television programming created at Mermaid’s creative complex in rural Windsor, Nova Scotia, promoted across Mermaid’s digital platform - MermaidTV.  The company’s robust digital portal celebrates original digital storytelling, technology-enhanced learning tools for educators, animation, and cinematically captured live theatre.

Objectives & Goals
The company’s objective is to produce professional work in both live performance and digital programming that is entertaining, informative, and stimulating to all the senses. As important is the goal of encouraging literacy, public participation in the arts, generating enthusiasm for the art of reading, propelling the art of storytelling in innovative ways, and building creative confidence in today’s children and youth.

The company’s choice of material is based on the belief that young people can benefit substantially both in their emotional and social development from early exposure to literature, the performing arts, visual arts, and the power of imagination.

About
Mermaid Theatre has been in continuous operation since it was founded in 1972 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. We moved to the neighboring town of Windsor in 1987, and helped to revitalize the historic town’s downtown business core. Our extensive headquarters encompass production studios, administrative offices, rehearsal quarters, a versatile studio, animation studios, film & television recording capacity, and an elegant 400-seat performance facility known as The Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre (MIPAC). The enthusiastic response to our innovative family audiences programming has enabled us to establish unparalleled touring circuits.

Each year we present more than 400 performances for 200,000 spectators – many of them new to the theatre experience.  
Mermaid regularly crosses Canada and the United States, and has represented Canada in more than a dozen countries.  Recorded narration featuring outstanding international artists facilitates performances in English, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, French, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Closer to home, Mermaid’s Institute of Puppetry Arts offers puppetry instruction at both community and professional levels. The Institute’s imaginative curriculum-based touring programs entertain and inform students and teachers throughout the region, as well as encourage educators to incorporate the performing arts in the teaching of science. Our MIPAC Performing Arts Series attracts audiences of all ages. Many travel from nine counties to join local fans in enjoying our Family Fare program, unique to Nova Scotia.

Our contributions to the local economy as well as the role we play as cultural ambassadors for Nova Scotia and for Canada have merited Export Excellence awards from both the Governments of Canada and of Nova Scotia.  We’re proud to have been recognized by CAPACOA with an award for Best Performing Group, and to have received the Crystal Tourism Ambassador Award from Nova Scotia’s tourism industry leaders in the fall of 2008. Several of our productions have earned coveted Citations of Excellence from UNIMA-USA. Simultaneous tours have enabled the company to appear in Canada, the United States and the China on the same day! Mermaid continues to make theatre history, both in Nova Scotia and in Canada.

Job Description

Financial Administrator
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada

Job Purpose
The Financial Administrator supports and assists the Executive Director in all financial aspects of Mermaid Theatre’s international touring shows, (The Mermaid) - Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre presenting series, The Emerald Room – community outreach and emerging artist space, Institute of Puppetry Arts, LOFT Artists in Residence program, Production, MermaidTV, and internal office operations.

Job Description
Reporting directly to the Executive Director, the Financial Administrator supervises and provides daily maintenance of financial systems, procedures, coordination of finances, payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank reconciliation, financial statements, and reports.  This position is a supportive role to the Executive Director, requires austere confidentiality of all financial and payroll affairs, and maintains a secure digital environment.

Requirements
College diploma or University degree in Accounting and or Financial Management
Minimum 4 years experience working in an administrative, financial, and accounting role
Excellent organization and planning skills
Excellent interpersonal communication skills
Ability to adapt to rapidly changing environments
Eager to work with a team of artists, technicians, actors, administrators, and managers
Familiarity with CTA and or ACTRA; Canadian Theatre Agreement is a plus
Basic knowledge of theatre technology and terminology is a plus
Must have reliable transportation and mobile phone
Proficient in MS Office and accounting software
Experience working at a non-profit in a financial capacity 

Physical Requirements
Ability to perform daily work in a typical office environment seated for extended periods with exposure to computer monitors and repetitive operation of mouse & keyboard is required.  Occasional light to moderate lifting, 50lbs or less. 

Preferred Requirements
Experience working in entertainment, the performing arts, or touring companies
Experience working in a fast-paced environment that changes frequently

Type of Position
This is a full-time flexible position; 4 Days per week; 32 hours, work from home and at the office.

Compensation
The role of Financial Administrator is challenging and rewarding, salary and benefits are competitive and based on experience. 

Position Start Day
February 2023 or earlier