Schools Engagement Associate

Company Overview

Geordie Theatre is currently seeking interested candidates to fill the position of Schools Engagement Associate.

We are an award-winning professional theatre company that has presented live English-language productions for young audiences in Quebec and abroad since 1980. Currently led by Cree artist Jimmy Blais, Artistic Director, we are one of the first non-culturally specific theatre companies in Canada with Indigenous leadership. Our current goal is to grow our Indigenous programming and Indigenous relationships within our province and beyond. We offer a variety of cultural activities for youth and the adults in their lives, including performances, acting classes and workshops.  We focus on providing educational components in all our programming, about topics that are relevant and important to young people.

Currently, we reach 41,000 young people and their communities annually through the following activities:

• 2Play Tour, travelling plays that visit hundreds of elementary and high schools across Eastern Canada.
• Mainstage series, which presents shows in local Montreal theatres for the general public and schools.
• Geordie Theatre School, which offers acting classes and workshops for children, teens and corporate team members.

For more information, please visit: www.geordie.ca 

Job Description

Summary of Position:

The Schools Engagement Associate (SEA) is the bridge between Geordie Theatre and the communities we serve—schools, educators, and youth across Quebec. This public-facing role supports outreach, logistical coordination, and relationship building for our touring shows (2Play), School Matinees, workshops and shows supported by external funding and Indigenous partnerships, ensuring our productions reach and resonate with young audiences. They work in collaboration with the Schools Liaison and support the vision of the company, as provided by the Artistic Director, and works under the direct supervision of the Executive Director.

Main responsibilities and abilities:

• Public Engagement & Outreach
  • Build and maintain relationships with educators, administrators, and school boards.
  • Promote workshops to educators, administrators, and school boards.
  • Collaborate with the Schools Liaison to track outreach progress and adapt strategies based on tour schedules and booking timelines.
  • Represent Geordie Theatre at conferences, school matinees, and select tour performances.
• Tour Management Support
  • Serve as an on-call support for the Tour Manager, in conjunction with the Executive Director in the event of emergencies.
  • Coordinate regional logistics and special programming, including away legs (e.g., Lower North Shore, Quebec City, Gaspé).
  • Visit tour at minimum once per month (when local) to ensure a strong supportive link between tour and Geordie
  • Address interpersonal or logistical issues.
  • Ensure touring plays are contextualized for educators and students, including framing sensitive content with guidance from a mental health consultant.
  • Collaborate with the Schools Liaison to maintain tour-related records and operational workflows.
• Mainstage Matinee (Field Trip) Management
  • Manage all logistics related to school matinee performances at mainstage venues.
  • Coordinate seating charts, volunteer schedules, and Front of House (FOH) collaboration.
  • Facilitate post-show talkbacks and guest coordination.
  • Gather and respond to feedback from participating schools.
• Indigenous Relations
  • Cultivate and maintain relationships with communities in Eeyou Istchee, Kahnawake, Kahnasatake, Rapid Lake, and other First Nations.
  • Understand the role of Truth and Reconciliation in education and how it shapes Geordie’s approach.
  • Support culturally responsive programming through collaboration with schools and Indigenous educators.
  • Work with school boards and Indigenous education departments to sustain partnerships and programming.
• Educational Development & Partnerships
  • Read all plays in the season and communicate their core themes and artistic intent in accessible language for educators.
  • Collaborate with study guide authors to create supplemental educational tools, including pre-show slides and mental health guides (where applicable).
• Professional development
  • Continue learning about salesforce and coming up with new/more efficient systems for organization and record keeping.
• With Schools Liaison, build tour schedule/itinerary
  • Show first draft to previous tour management for feedback.
  • Show second draft to Executive and Artistic Directors for approval.
  • Send out intent to book forms (start pre-booking with schools that are ready)

Qualifications

• Must have strong English written and oral communication skills.
• Strong relationship-building skills with educators and school administrators
• Experience in touring theatre, education, or youth programming an asset
• Familiarity with the realities of Quebec’s education system an asset
• Demonstrated ability to manage logistics and collaborate across departments
• Bilingualism (English and French) is an asset
• Knowledge of Indigenous education systems & reconciliation frameworks is an asset
• Ability to work flexible hours and travel as needed

Hours: 25 hrs/week – hybrid position (3 days in office, 2 days at home)

Salary: $18.75/hr

Start date: June 16, 2025 (1 week orientation); July 14, 2025 (contract start)