Research and Outreach Project Coordinator

The Research and Outreach Project Coordinator is a temporary part-time position providing administrative, communications, and event support for Critical Image Forum, a VPRI-funded UBC-based interdisciplinary research cluster. The Cluster Leads are Associate Professor Althea Thauberger and Assistant Professor Kelly Midori McCormick. The cluster is primarily concerned with establishing a body of outward-facing research led by its members and partners that shares and contributes to our collective work in photographic and expanded documentary practices. We maintain an online digital archive of discursive materials for research and pedagogical applications, and support public events and presentations that promote critical photographic literacy.

This position is responsible for overseeing the administrative coordination for the cluster. Key responsibilities include coordinating and monitoring project timelines, milestones, and budgets as set by the Cluster Leads; creating and updating contact lists and program calendars; coordinating travel and hospitality; coordinating audio/visual recordings of public events and the sharing of documentation; assisting in collecting research resources and updating the project website; organizing cluster meetings; generating emails, editing the cluster newsletter; liaising with cluster members, graduate Research Assistants, and associated researchers; assisting with financial accounting; and supporting communications between partners, faculties, and institutions.

The Research and Outreach Project Coordinator reports directly to the cluster co-leads. Liaises closely with members of the Research Cluster team, including faculty and staff from the Department of Art History, Visual Art, and Theory, as well as partner organizations The Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, and Polygon Gallery. Works with all faculty cluster members, the AHVA Administrator, and Program Assistant. Communicates with a variety of UBC departments and units, faculty, staff, students, and internal stakeholders across campus. Liaises with external partners and researchers.

Organizational Status

The Research and Outreach Project Coordinator reports directly to the cluster co-leads. Liaises closely with members of the Research Cluster team, including faculty and staff from the Department of Art History, Visual Art, and Theory, as well as partner organizations The Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, and Polygon Gallery. Works with all faculty cluster members, the AHVA Administrator, and Program Assistant. Communicates with a variety of UBC departments and units, faculty, staff, students, and internal stakeholders across campus. Liaises with external partners and researchers. May supervise Graduate Research Assistants and volunteers.

Work Performed

• Provides complex administrative and logistical support to the Cluster for its operations, events (including lectures, workshops, symposia, talks, seminars, exhibitions, and social events), and initiatives. Schedules meetings for the Cluster Team. Prepares event and meeting agendas and other supporting documents. Takes accurate and effective meeting minutes.

• First point of contact for external and internal inquiries about the Cluster: these inquiries range in complexity from routine through to complex, confidential inquiries that require discernment, discretion, accuracy, and professionalism.

• Communicates with project partners, participants, and the project team to coordinate and monitor project timelines, milestones, and budgets as set by the Cluster Leads; assists with the development and leads the maintenance of contact lists, event and program calendars, timelines, and milestones;

• Uses initiative, interpretation, and ingenuity in identifying and resolving potential or actual problems related to planning research, programs, and overall visioning of an emerging research cluster and student Research Assistant(s).

• Effectively organizes all pre-planning logistics associated with in-person, virtual, and hybrid events such as coordinating schedules, booking rooms, event registration check-ins, in-event moderation, advanced AV, video, and phone conferencing.

• Oversees intricate registration process for workshops including coordinating registration, overseeing waitlists, contacting participants, coordinating with facilitators, and preparing certificates.

• Assembles and maintains bring-forward materials from a variety of sources for meetings, travel arrangements, grant applications, and correspondence; sends reminders for upcoming deadlines and facilitates timely completion of tasks.

• Works with cluster co-leads to develop annual report, including compiling lists of events, activities, and expenditures throughout the year. Participates in drafting and formatting sections of the report using Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe software, and/or Canva.

• Coordinates travel arrangements for visiting researchers, participants, and speakers in consultation with Cluster leads and AHVA staff;

• Provides logistical, clerical, and technical support to the program. First point of contact for resolving any logistical and technical problems for Fellows, Research Cluster Leads, Research Networks, community research partners, and collaborators, faculty, and staff;

• Collates written and visual promotional material for project events and archive, ensures visual identity and copyright guidelines are followed in consultation with AHVA staff;

• Assists in website and social media maintenance and updates, including monitoring content to ensure that it is current and meets UBC and Faculty of Arts Branding, web, and marketing guidelines.

• Assists with creating simple promotional webpages, RSVP forms for events, and promotional materials. Ensures accuracy of both content and copy-editing matters throughout all materials. Supports with collecting and drafting content for program updates and newsletters.

• Assists with coordinating Audiovisual event documentation and editing; assists Cluster leads with coordination of media recordings of events, and handling media files. Coordinates editing and output of recordings for online archiving;

• Organizes Cluster's documents and processes, including setting up file organizing structures in Sharepoint and Teams, organizing and maintaining the Sharepoint site for easy access by Cluster members, and documenting administrative procedures to ensure organizational memory and continuity of processes.

• Liaises with personnel from other University departments and other institutions;

• Assists with accounting, keeps track of projected and actual expenses invoicing and coordinating payments through Arts Service Centre Finance and Workday, reconciles credit card statements, and answers complex questions about expense reimbursements and fund transfers;

• Other related duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Work is performed within authorized prescribed limits and/or approved plans. The Project Coordinator exercises independent judgment in selecting and interpreting information and reconciling deviations from standards methods. Job tasks are governed generally by broad instructions, objectives, and policies, usually involving frequently changing conditions and priorities. High level of tact and discretion is required in handling confidential and sensitive information and dealing with a wide range of internal and external contacts, including artists, guest curators, visiting lecturers, as well as other institutions, businesses, and diverse cultural groups. Errors in judgment could lead to inaccuracies in correspondence, reports, and records, cause delays, and could have a negative impact on the project's finances and project deliverables as well as the reputation of the project team, partners, and the University.

Supervision Received
Receives direction from Critical Image Forum co-leads and other lead members of the Research Cluster team. Receives direction from the AHVA Administrator regarding budget and personnel matters. Works under limited supervision and expected to perform most duties independently. Considerable initiative and decision-making is expected within established policy and procedural guidelines.

Supervision Given

May provide supervision to undergraduate and graduate student employees.

Minimum Qualifications
High School graduation, plus one year of post-secondary education, plus four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own

Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Training in office procedures and administrative practices. Post-secondary degree in a relevant discipline is preferred (art history, visual arts, media studies).

• Experience working in an arts research organization in a position with administrative, program, or event coordination responsibilities. Familiarity with UBC campus and financial systems is an asset.

• Knowledge of art and media history.

• Knowledge of discourses in contemporary photographic theory

• Outstanding and demonstrable written and verbal communication skills.

• Ability to compose correspondence, emails, assist with reports and presentations, and other written materials using clear concise business English.

• Ability to create and maintain organized records and filing systems.

• Ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail, including while working under deadlines and with interruptions.

• Ability to work effectively independently with limited supervision and in a team environment.

• Ability to use MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Adobe Acrobat at an intermediate level.

• Ability to use Adobe software (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere) at a basic level.

• Ability to perform word processing at 55 words per minute.

• Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.

• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities.

• Ability to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships.

• Ability to deal with a diversity of people in a calm, courteous, and effective manner.

• Ability to exercise tact and discretion.

• Ability to analyze programs, identify key information and issues, and effectively resolve.

• Ability to understand and apply policies, procedures, and instructions.

• Ability to exercise sound judgment.

• Ability to operate the normal range of office equipment.

• Ability to work flexible hours when needed.

• Serving It Right certification is an asset.