At a glance          

Employment: Permanent, Salaried

Hours: FT (40 hrs); includes overtime, weekend and evening work as based on a schedule of shows and events

Start Date: ASAP

Salary: $56,000- $61,000 annually

Location: Calgary (in-office)

Closing Date: July 29, 2025

Join us today and see for yourself some of the many reasons why we were voted one of Alberta’s Top Employers!

To apply, send your resume and cover letter to:

Reporting to the Associate Director, Event Services, the Patron Experience & Training Lead is responsible for supporting the development, evaluation, and continuous enhancement of the patron and visitor experience at Arts Commons. With a strong focus on service excellence and equity, this role ensures the consistent delivery of high-quality client service across all events and public-facing interactions.

You are someone with expertise in supporting and training teams to deliver world-class customer service with an innovative and inclusive mindset. You approach everyday challenges, regardless of their size, with empathy, adaptability, and a solution-focused attitude. Thriving in fast-paced, customer-centered environments, you bring strong leadership and clear communication skills, setting the tone for professionalism, respect, and care at every touchpoint.

This role is a key part of the Client & Patron Services team, responsible for leading the training, mentorship, and operational preparedness of our cross-functional casual workforce and volunteer teams. Drawing on your experience in service delivery, performance coaching, and team development, you play a vital role in fostering a culture of accountability, learning, and service innovation. You bring not only frontline service expertise but also a strategic mindset for cultivating high-performing, empowered teams that reflect the values and mission of Arts Commons.

As a collaborative team player, you work seamlessly across departments to ensure smooth operations and consistent service delivery, while maintaining high standards in administration systems and documentation processes. You lead with integrity, passion for client service, and always go the extra mile with exemplary communication. 

Who we are:

Arts Commons is an ecosystem inclusive of artists, resident companies, and community groups. As one of the largest and busiest performing arts centres in Canada, Arts Commons strives to break down barriers to cultural participation by providing a modern, open, and inclusive gathering space in a central location.

Currently in transition, Arts Commons is ushering in a new era as we become Werklund Centre. We invite our community to join us in redefining Calgary’s culture through the power of arts, education, and civic engagement.

At Arts Commons:

Our belief

• That equitable access to the arts is a human right

Our responsibility

• To redefine a bold and adventurous Calgary by championing and investing in creativity

Our Mission

• To be an inspirational force where artists, community and organizations celebrate cultural identities, experience the full breadth of human emotions, and ignite positive change

What we offer:

On top of the excitement of working with a team of committed performing and visual arts professionals at one of Canada’s top performing arts facilities, Arts Commons offers:  

• A collaborative, engaging and values driven work environment 
• An annual salary in the range of $56,000 - $61,000 
• A comprehensive health and dental benefits package, with RSP matching and access to an Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)
• A positive working culture, keeping employee health and wellness a priority with generous paid time off policies and an annual lifestyle allowance
• A dynamic role that will have you engaging with the arts and communities in many different areas, and through different types of events and productions

What we value:

We are looking for individuals who share our vision of building a creative and compassionate society, inspired through the arts. Our team is made up of people with a diverse range of interests — singers, actors, musicians, playwrights, coaches, teachers, gamers, bakers, photographers, athletes, dancers. People whose interests encompass the widest spectrum. We even have furry, four-legged friends in the office. We value people who strive to do the right thing, and work to be their best. People with open minds, hearts, and arms

What you will get to do here:

You will contribute to the smooth and efficient functioning of our client-facing services by managing the administrative and operational systems that support them. Each day, you’ll be immersed in a vibrant, creative environment where your focus is on maintaining the safety, comfort, and overall experience of visitors, staff, and community members attending a wide variety of live performances and events, ensuring all interactions are aligned with internal processes and best practices.

As the Patron Experience & Training Lead, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and elevating patron experiences through expert leadership and supporting with the management of client-facing team members. You will lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of customer focused training programs, ensuring part-time and casual staff, as well as volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to deliver exceptional, consistent customer service aligned with Arts Commons’ values, strategic goals, and equity frameworks.

Within this role, you will oversee frontline service training systems, mentor and coach team leads, and develop resources that support a culture of accountability, professionalism, and excellence. You will collaborate cross-functionally with department management and HR, and other key teams to ensure seamless coordination and operational efficiency. Additionally, you will coordinate operations documentation and administrative systems to ensure quality, consistency, and timeliness of all service-related documentation.

Your leadership will help foster a safe, inclusive, and welcoming atmosphere while maintaining Arts Commons’ commitment to outstanding customer care. Your experience mentoring, training, and empowering teams will be essential in equipping our staff and volunteers to deliver remarkable experiences and service. Through your efforts, you will contribute to an environment where safety, professionalism, and community connection remain at the forefront.

Where you fit within our ecosystem:

The Client & Patron Services Team is part of the Venue Operations department, which is responsible for liaising with clients, booking events, providing Front of House (FOH) services to ensure the smooth execution of events, and maintaining the day-to-day operations of Arts Commons’ venues. This role works closely with the Event Services, Bar Operations, Production, and Stage Door Security teams to ensure the seamless coordination of duties and delivery of exceptional patron experiences. This role also collaborates regularly with Human Resources to ensure consistency in training programs and that documents and materials created are comprehensive and effective. 

You will be a great fit if you…

Must haves:

• 4+ years experience in a lead customer service position
• Minimum 3-5 years experience in administrative, documentation or training roles, preferably within an arts, cultural, or non-profit environment
• Post-secondary certificate or degree in Event Management or Arts Administration, or relevant experience
• Superior Leadership - leads by example in professionalism, presentation, communication, and customer service
• Proficient at an intermediate level of Word and Excel, with some basic accounting knowledge
• Full cycle supervision of large teams of casual staff, including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training and performance management throughout the entirety of the employment lifecycle, an asset
• Previous event management experience and volunteer program coordination is considered an asset
• Comfort working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment that requires focus and prioritization, with a proven track record of meeting project timelines and deliverables
• Strong executive functioning skills, including time management, task prioritization and follow-through
• Exceptional customer service skills with the ability to resolve issues proactively, efficiently and effectively for internal and external clients
• Experience producing audience-facing or staff-facing procedural content and training with clarity and consistency
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills, with a demonstrated ability to successfully manage multiple overlapping administrative projects with competing deadlines
• Experience, ability, and commitment to working with individuals and teams that are mixed across lines of difference such as race, gender-identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability, age, class and immigrant status
• A passion for the arts!

Working Conditions – Physical Requirements:

• Valid Standard First Aid Level C/CPR certificate or higher
• Completion of ProServe Liquor Staff Training
• Able to lift 25lbs.
• Able to stand for prolonged periods of time
• Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends, is required

If you are interested in applying to this exciting opportunity, please forward your resume and cover letter in confidence to:

Human Resources

Arts Commons

205 - 8th Ave SE Calgary, Alberta T2G 0K9

Email:

Interviews will be conducted on an on-going basis and the job posting will officially close when a suitable candidate is found. For best consideration, please apply by the deadline date. While we hope to fill this position as earliest as possible, our commitment to finding the right candidate may require more time.

We thank all interested applicants in advance but will only be contacting those selected for an interview.

If you have any specific questions to ask in relation to the role, please send them to the email address above and a member of our team will do our best to respond to you in a timely manner.

Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility (IDEA): As part of our organization’s commitment to IDEA, we work to remove barriers in collaboration with a broad range of voices. Removing these barriers begins with the hiring process. To that end, we are committed to recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, and providing accessible employment practices. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process, and applicants are asked to make their accommodation needs known.

We strongly encourage applicants who identify as part of underrepresented groups, including women, people of colour and those with disabilities to apply. Even if your past experiences do not align perfectly with every qualification, we strongly encourage you to apply anyway! An excitement and passion for Arts Commons can go a long way here, whether it’s in this role or another.