General Manager, Unison Choral Festival 2026 (Part-time)
Job Description
Description
Unison Choruses Canada is a federal not-for-profit organization and a registered charity that began in 1991 with the first all-Canadian gathering of gay choirs at a concert in Ottawa – a small but very enthusiastic group including representatives from Calgary and Vancouver. Today, Unison is a hub for over twenty-five Canadian 2SLGBTQIA+ choruses from coast to coast to coast, with a mission to build community by fostering connections between choruses and to support them by providing and sharing resources on chorus administration, fundraising, programming, and other topics of interest to the choral community.
Unison’s flagship event is the national Unison Festival held every four years over the May long weekend in a different Canadian city. It brings together choruses from across the country for a joyful, non-competitive celebration of choral music in the queer community. The next festival will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia from May 15 to 18, 2026, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. It will welcome 800 to 900 delegates and hundreds of local concert goers. The program includes not only musical performances as the main activity, but also a banquet and dance, workshops, cultural gatherings and social events for the delegates.
The Vancouver-based Planning Committee is looking for a Festival General Manager.
The ideal candidate is energetic, detail-oriented and self-motivated, with the ability to work independently and as part of a dynamic team. The General Manager reports to the Festival Co-Chairs and works in collaboration with the Festival Artistic Directors, the Unison Administrators and volunteer committees.
The General Manager plays a lead role in organizing, promoting and overseeing Festival activities – working with Coordinators responsible for social events, concert programming, workshops, and operations such as marketing, communications, and volunteer coordination. At the Festival itself, key responsibilities include managing logistics and ensuring the event runs smoothly, while nurturing relationships with local partners and supporters.
Contract Period and Compensation:
• Contract period runs from June 2025 to June 2026, requiring an estimated 400 hours in total:
o Part-time activity at the outset of approximately 20 hours per month but ramping up regularly to 30 and then 40, with more hours needed as the Festival draws near.
o The General Manager must be available for evening and weekend commitments such as Planning Committee Meetings and Unison events.
o During the Festival itself the time commitment will likely be 10-12 hours on-site per day from May 14 to 18, 2026 inclusively.
• Compensation will be negotiated between $35-50 per hour, depending on experience. This is a contract for services, not an employment agreement. No benefits or overtime are provided, and the General Manager is responsible for their own taxes and transportation.
• In the event that a personal vehicle is required to be used on Unison business, reimbursement will be in accordance with Unison Choruses Canada policy.
• The successful candidate will sign a service agreement with Unison Canada and will be required to submit monthly invoices to the Financial Administrator.
Responsibilities:
Planning and Administration in advance of the Festival (approx. June 2025 to March 2026):
• Assist the Festival Co-Chairs in hiring and directing paid Festival Coordinators for Fundraising, Volunteers, Accessibility, Communications, Choral Events, and Social Events.
• Ensure time worked by all personnel, including self, is recorded, and that invoices are approved and submitted to the Unison Financial Administrator for
Company
Alliance for Arts and Culture
Location
, BC, Canada
Country
Canada
Salary
150.000
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