Administrative Coordinator (1 year with possible extension)

Five days a week in our office at 174 Spadina Avenue, Toronto · Between four to seven evenings or weekend days throughout the season during concert periods.

About Esprit

Esprit Orchestra, founded 44 years ago by composer/conductor Alex Pauk, is Canada's only full-size orchestra devoted entirely to new orchestral music. As an international leader in the field, we commission and perform new works by composers from Canada and around the world. Our 75 musicians perform an annual concert series at Koerner Hall featuring top soloists and the world’s best composers. We also produce recordings, videos and education programs.

Role Summary

This role provides administrative and operational support for the planning and delivery of the orchestra’s artistic activities, organizational operations, and audience engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Artistic & Production Coordination: Coordinate concerts, recordings, workshops, and special projects, overseeing related logistics including musician and guest artist engagement, venue arrangements, contracts, scheduling, travel, hospitality, equipment, and production requirements.
• Organizational & Administrative Support: Support the Music Director and organizational team (musicians’ contractor, music librarian, venue and box office personnel) with meeting preparation and communications, research, scheduling, and deadline tracking.
• Records & Financial Administration: Maintain calendars, databases, contact lists, files, budgets, invoices, payment records, work with suppliers and contractors, grant applications and reporting, organizational documentation.
• Communications & Audience Engagement: Publish newsletters, concert announcements, press releases, website and social media updates, and artist information. Support ticketing and front-of-house guidance and maintain relationships with partners and collaborators.

What you'll do

You'll work closely with the Music Director and help keep our office running. Most of your time will go to two things:

• Supporting the Music Director. Managing the calendar and correspondence, preparing for meetings, tracking deadlines, serving as a liaison with musicians’ contractor, music librarian, bookkeeper, organizational partners, venue and production staff.
• Building and maintaining relationships with donors, funders and audiences. Assisting Music Director in fundraising, sustaining audience and stakeholder and VIP relations, writing thank-you letters and keeping donor updates and records accurate, and helping put together grant applications and reports.

You'll also:

• Support our bookkeeper with processing invoices (expenditures and payments) and assist with budget development.
• Help coordinate concert schedules, contracts, travel and hospitality for musicians and guest artists and work with relevant suppliers and contractors.
• Guide audience development initiatives through email campaigns, social media and website performance, contact lists and box office data.
• Help to create marketing materials, newsletters, website updates, printed materials and social media posts.
• Be on site at concerts and some rehearsals.

Using AI and better tools

We want the office to work efficiently so that more time can be spent supporting artists, donors and audiences. You'll help us find practical uses for AI and simple automation, like drafting routine emails, organizing information and setting up reminders. You'll also check that the results are accurate and keep private information safe.

Who we're looking for

You'll do well with Esprit if you:

• Follow through. You keep track of details and deadlines and are thorough.
• Have excellent organizational and time-management skills. You can manage multiple projects and priorities involving stakeholders, artists, collaborators and patrons.
• Communicate clearly. You can write and converse clearly in all communications including grant applications as well as when corresponding with or speaking to donors, board members and artists. You provide consistent, cohesive messaging across all platforms (blogs, newsletters).
• Use good judgment. You handle funds carefully and treat private information with discretion, check your work, ask for clarification or help when you're unsure, and speak up quickly about mistakes, including your own.
• Learn quickly. When you don't know how to do something, you find out, and you know when to ask instead of guessing.
• Stay calm when plans change. You can work independently and creatively in a multi-tasking environment and adjust your priorities and keep the right people informed as needed.
• Are comfortable with everyday office tools. Email, calendars, documents and basic spreadsheets, plus a willingness to learn new systems.

What you don't need

• Arts or music experience. More important is a curiosity and open mind about new and contemporary music.
• A long work history. There's no minimum number of years. School, volunteer experience, customer service and part-time work all count if they show how you work.
• Every skill on this page. Much of this job is learned by doing it. If most of this sounds like you, please apply.

Nice to have, not required

• Experience at a charity, nonprofit or arts organization
• Experience with donor databases, fundraising or grant writing

What we offer

• $55,000 to $62,000 a year, full-time
• Training and support to help you feel confident in your role
• Vacation time
• Opportunities for professional development
• A close view of how a professional orchestra works, from commissioning new music to concert night

How hiring works

1. Apply with your resume and short answers to the three questions below.
2. Short interview. About 30 minutes with Esprit’s Music Director and a Board member
3. Reference checks for the final candidate.

We’ll let everyone we interview know the outcome.

How to apply

Send your resume and short answers to these three questions to jobs@espritorchestra.com by November 15, 2026. You don't need a cover letter.

1. Tell us about a time you kept track of a lot of moving pieces at once. How did you do it?
2. Tell us about a time you made a mistake at work or school or noticed someone else's. What did you do next?
3. What's something you taught yourself to do recently? How did you learn it, what were your challenges in the process and how did you overcome them?

Examples from school, volunteering or personal projects are welcome. You're welcome to use AI to help you write. Please tell us how you used it.