Job Description

Competition # : 48464

Crown Agency: Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

Location: HALIFAX

Type of Employment: Term

Union Status: NSGEU - NSPG

Closing Date: ​04-May-26 ​ (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

As a celebrated Canadian gallery, the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (AGNS) is deeply connected to the cultures and communities of Atlantic Canada, a region shaped by its enduring relationship with the sea. It is committed to this mission as an agency of the Province of Nova Scotia and one of the premier arts institutions in Canada.

Since its beginnings in 1908 as the Nova Scotia Museum of Fine Arts, the gallery has been at the heart of the province’s cultural evolution. It officially became the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia in 1975. Over the years, the AGNS has cultivated an impressive permanent collection of nearly 20,000 works, including Canadian and Indigenous art, contemporary installations, and a renowned folk-art collection featuring Maud Lewis’s iconic painted house and the largest public collection of her work.

As a gallery, we invite collective engagement, interaction, and dialogue; examination, reflection, and the disentanglement of historical and contemporary narratives. Through our work, the AGNS challenges individuals to take risks, re-imagine, and make changes for a more equitable and just world.


Please note, due to legislative changes, as of January 1, 2023, Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (AGNS) employees are no longer Civil Servants and are instead direct employees of the AGNS.

About Our Opportunity

As a Visitor Experience Associate, you play a vital role in shaping the visitor journey at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia. As the first point of contact, you provide a warm welcome, share information, and ensure an engaging experience for all visitors, while aligning with the Gallery’s mission and brand.

Working between the Welcome Desk and Gallery Shop, you will process admissions, promote memberships, assist with program registration, and support retail operations – all while upholding the Gallery’s commitment to excellence. You will also support special events and facility rentals, ensuring seamless visitor experiences during programs and private functions.

You will help maintain a welcoming environment by ensuring public spaces are well presented and responding to visitor inquiries about exhibitions, programs, featured artists, and local cultural attractions.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys working with the public, has strong communication skills, and thrives in a dynamic cultural environment.

Primary Accountabilities

• Deliver excellent customer service by greeting visitors, providing information, maps, and promotional materials, and ensuring a welcoming experience for both tourists and locals.
• Respond to emails, phone calls, and in-person inquiries at the Welcome Desk and Gallery Shop.
• Process admissions, memberships, programs, and retail sales using the Point of Sale (POS) system.
• Supports the Visitor Experience Coordinator with special events, facility rentals, and group bookings to ensure smooth operations.
• Assist with group visits by providing tailored information for tour groups, schools, and other organizations.
• Maintain knowledge of exhibitions, artists, and Gallery Shop products to provide engaging insights for visitors.
• Ensure Gallery Shop products are stocked, displayed correctly, and accurately priced.
• Process, pack, and ship online and wholesale orders.
• Supports the Gallery Shop Coordinator with inventory management, product sourcing, and retail best practices to ensure smooth operations.
• Ensure visitor safety by understanding emergency procedures and responding appropriately when needed.

Qualifications and Experience

To succeed in this role, you must have:

• High school completion and at least three (3) years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience, such as training/certification in tourism, hospitality, museum/gallery studies, or a retail environment.
• A dependable and customer-focused approach, consistently delivering high standards of service.
• A team player with the ability to adapt quickly to changes in priorities and information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint) and Point of Sale and/or customer relationship management systems.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
  
  

Assets considered for this role include:

• Knowledge and interest in the visual arts.
• A sound understanding of local culture, and heritage.
• Proficiency in a second language.
• First aid certification.

We will assess these qualifications and competencies through one or more of the following: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interviews, and reference checks.

Equivalency

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees

Additional Information

This an 11-month term opportunity with anticipated start date of May 3, 2026, until March 29, 2027.

One (1) part-time (14 hours/week) positions are available.

This opportunity requires individuals who can work shifts over a seven-day week including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

This opportunity requires individuals who can stand, sit, and walk for long periods of time.

This opportunity requires individuals who can navigate noise, interruptions, and crowds while maintaining focus and actively listening.

What We Offer

• Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career
• Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies

Pay Grade: CL 13

Salary Range: $670.26 - $717.38 Bi-Weekly

Employment Equity Statement:

Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Art Gallery of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

Accommodation Statement:

We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Candidates may request accommodations based on any grounds protected by the Human Rights Act. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please contact us at competitions@novascotia.ca.

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.