Initiative for Indigenous Futures 2021 Symposium

August 18-20, 2021, Yellowknife, NT

Posting for Symposium Coordinator

 

BACKGROUND

Western Arctic Moving Pictures (WAMP) is a non-profit arts organization based in the city of Yellowknife, NT. Canada. WAMP’s mission is to produce, support, showcase, and promote film, video, and digital media throughout the Northwest Territories (NWT).

For the past 5 years, WAMP has worked with Initiative for Indigenous Futures (IIF), which is a partnership of universities and community organizations dedicated to developing multiple visions of Indigenous peoples tomorrow in order to better understand where we need to go today. IIF is conducted by Aboriginal Territories in Cyberspace (AbTeC), a research network based at Concordia University.

IIF is extremely successful at planning and executing workshops and programs involving Indigenous artists from all over the NWT and southern Canada.

Through four main components – workshops, residencies, symposia, and archive – IIF will encourage and enable artists, academics, youth and elders to imagine what Indigenous communities and residents of the NWT will look in the future.

How do Indigenous people imagine themselves in the future? This is the central question of the IIF Symposium on the Future Imaginary. Our goal is to create a space in which visions of tomorrow’s Indigenous communities and cultures, including the work produced during IIF residencies, can be articulated, shared and discussed. We will be inviting community members, artists, academics, and technologists to join us in speculating about what life will be like for our descendants in seven, ten, even twenty generations–science fiction territory! We welcome the playful and the serious, the fantastical and the pragmatic, the traditional and the contemporary.

WAMP is seeking to hire a Coordinator for the IIF 2021 Symposium, which will be held in Yellowknife August 18-20, 2021. It is expected 120 people will attend the 2021 IFF Symposium from the NWT, Canada and around the World. If COVID-19 is still restricting travel, the Symposium will be executed virtually.

 

TERM OF EMPLOYMENT

• December 15, 2020 – May 31, 2021 (Casual Hours)
• June 1, 2021 – August 31, 2021 (Full-time Hours)
• Salaried Contract Position = $15,000

 

SUMMARY

The Symposium Coordinator will work cooperatively with WAMP staff (i.e. full time / part time, permanent, and contractually limited staff) to ensure the goals of the Symposium are met. This position will be accountable to the IIF Symposium Committee, which is made up of members of the WAMP staff, and volunteers as well as members of the IIF Research Team.

 

The successful candidate must be able to work flexible hours; at times you will be required to work longer hours based on demands of the Symposium and, as such, will be expected to schedule and document your time appropriately. The heaviest periods of work for this position will be in January 2021 (in follow-up with speakers) and August 2021 (when the event takes place).

 

DUTIES

General Logistics:

• Work with the Symposium Committee to develop the symposium agenda and programming including panels, workshops, tradeshow, evening events, etc.
• Develop and coordinate symposium programming based on solicited material and call for submissions.
• Coordinate the exhibit aspect to the symposium, including art, merchandise, and relevant information tables.
• Liaise and follow up with speakers, panelists, workshop facilitators, symposium participants.
• Work with the venue to coordinate room set up, catering, childcare, and plan for special requests for accessibility and/or food.
• Develop a delegate list of registered participants, gathering all relevant information for their attendance.
• Work with a local travel agency and liaison with them on participant and speaker travel coordination.
• Manage online delivery of conference, in case COVID-19 restrictions preclude gathering in-person.
• Coordinate and manage symposium volunteers and other IIF paid staff.
• Hire and coordinate local photographers and videographers to document the symposium.
• Manage contracts/be point of contact with third-party contractors like the designers, printer, venue, travel agency, etc.

 

Marketing:

• Prepare programming descriptions for online and print applications.
• Coordinate the design, printing and distribution of promotional materials.

• Connect with local media to create print advertising, PSAs, and to book speaking time on local programming.
• Manage social media posts and advertising.
• Develop and print name tags based on the registration list.

 

Committee Assistance:

• Assist with general tasks as assigned by the Symposium Committee.
• Help develop symposium timelines and task-lists.
• Coordinate grant applications and partnership/sponsorship negotiations.

 

Operations during Symposium:

• Coordinate the registration table name tag pick up and distribution of symposium materials to participants.
• Work with the venue to ensure accessibility needs, childcare, catering etc. are executed as planned.
• Handle enquiries from speakers, facilitators and participants.
• Work closely with WAMP staff, volunteers and the Symposium Committee to ensure all symposium logistics are executed smoothly.

 

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of 2-3 years demonstrated experience (including paid and/or volunteer) managing events or projects.
• Excellent English language skills, both written and verbal, fluency and communication.
• Having a second language is an asset.
• A demonstrated understanding of and commitment to promoting Indigenous Futurism.
• Proven knowledge, expertise and experience in community engagement, especially in implementing activities that are geared to bring about social, cultural engagement.
• Proven skills and abilities are essential in the areas of computer software, media (i.e. internet, newspapers, and radio), and financial management.
• An ability to professionally represent WAMP in a variety of public forums is essential.
• The Symposium Coordinator should have:
  • A calm professional manner yet be energetic
  • The ability to cope with pressure
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • The ability to coordinate and evaluate
  • Meticulous attention to detail
  • Effective time management, troubleshooting, and organizational abilities.
• WAMP welcomes the contributions that individuals from marginalized communities bring to our organization, and invites Indigenous folks, folks of colour, queer, trans and non-binary folks, single parents, migrants, disabled folks, and folks from other directly affected groups to apply.

 

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants should submit a resume, a one (1)-page letter outlining your skills, and a one (1)-page statement of interest in Indigenous Futurism no later than December 10th, 2020 at 11:59 PM (midnight)

 

In-Person or by Mail:

PO BOX: 2487

4916 49th Street (lower level)

Yellowknife, NT. X1A 2P8

 

By Email:

davis@wamp.ca (only PDF or Word documents will be accepted)

please include the heading “ IIF Symposium – Coordinator Application”

 

Interviews will be held on the week of December 14th, 2020.

The job will start as soon as possible.

Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.