Job Title: Symposium 2024 Coordinator, External (Outreach and Promotion)
This is a contract position. The coordinator will work with the Symposium Committee, OPIRG staff, and the OPIRG Board of Directors to organize Rebel Knowledge, OPIRG Guelph’s Social and Environmental Justice Symposium. The 2024 symposium will focus on food and housing insecurity.
This year the Symposium will take place on either March 2-3 or March 9-10, depending on the availability of rooms on campus. As we do not currently know which weekend it will be, applicants must be willing to commit to being available for either.
There is another 200 hour position posted for an Internal Symposium Coordinator. Applicants are welcome to apply for both; for the right candidate the two can be merged into one 400 hour position.
Terms:
Part-time, Casual Contract Position
Term of Employment:
- November 13 – March 22, 2023: an average of 10 hours/ week
- 20 hours of work on the Symposium weekend
- One week of unpaid holiday over the winter break
Work is flexible depending on needs and capacity; the total number of hours is 200.
Wage: $20/hour
Responsibilities:
Pre-Symposium Outreach and Promotion
- Create print, radio and online promotional materials and coordinate their distribution
- Connect with CFRU, the Ontarion, and other local media to create ads and set up interviews
- Assist with Symposium-related content for RadiOPIRG, OPIRG’s weekly radio show on CFRU
- Connect with professors, campus groups, local organizations, and allies to promote the Symposium and encourage people to attend – this could involve creating slides, submitting content to email listservs, classroom talks, speaking at organizations’ meetings, etc.
- Write and disseminate press releases
- Develop a program guide for the Symposium (paper and online versions)
- Remain active on social media in the leadup to the Symposium weekend
- Create signage for the Symposium weekend
- Create a feedback form for participants (paper and online versions)
Operations During Symposium
- Oversee the set up and take down of Symposium signage
- Handle enquiries from speakers, facilitators and attendees
- Be active on social media
- Work closely with OPIRG staff
After the Symposium
- Ensure that the online feedback form is distributed to registered participants and posted on social media; collect and compile the feedback we receive
- Write a final report and/or answer exit interview questions
- Attend a debrief meeting with the Symposium Committee, OPIRG Staff and the OPIRG Board of Directors
Other Responsibilities
- Attend weekly Symposium Committee meetings
- Assist with general tasks as assigned by the committee, where time permits
- Contribute to Symposium timelines and task lists that can be used in the future
- Attend additional OPIRG/other meetings as required
Qualifications:
- Must be available for the entire Symposium: Friday evening plus full days on the Saturday and Sunday – March 1-3 or 8-10
- Proficiency with Instagram, Facebook, and other relevant social media platforms
- Experience using Google suite
- Knowledge of and experience using Canva
- Public speaking skills
- Strong attention to detail and effective time management
- Excellent English language oral and written communication skills
- Comfort with navigating the University of Guelph campus and communicating with students, professors, and campus organizations
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to anti-oppression theory and practice
- Knowledge, expertise and experience in community activism/engagement, especially in implementing activities that are geared to bring about social, political, economic, or environmental change
- Ability to work as part of a committee but with little day-to-day supervision
- Ability to effectively represent OPIRG Guelph in a variety of public forums
- Ability to stay calm under pressure
Assets:
- A demonstrated interest in and understanding of food insecurity and/or housing insecurity, ideally in the Guelph context.
- Experience with radio, podcasting, and/or conducting oral interviews
- Understanding of and experience with accessible design
OPIRG welcomes the contributions that individuals from marginalized communities bring to our organization, and invites indigenous folks, folks of colour, queer, trans and nonbinary 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
- a one (1) page statement on power and oppression.
Only PDF or Word documents will be accepted.
- Application deadline: Monday November 6th, 2023 at 5:00 PM
- Please email your application to both organizational@opirgguelph.org and vpce@opirgguelph.org.
- Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Interviews will be scheduled and conducted the week of November 6th. Please check your email often during that time.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the position more, please reach out to mandy at organizational@opirgguelph.org.