Pride Toronto (PT) is making a last push to fill two senior positions, including the top job of executive director (ED).
The deadline to apply is Aug 22. Interim ED Glen Brown has held the position since the abrupt April departure of Tracey Sandilands, who headed the organization through one of the most tumultuous years in its history.
Brown says it will likely take several weeks after the deadline to draft a shortlist of the top candidates before interviews and negotiations can begin. Once someone is chosen, he says, the new ED will start immediately, preferably by the beginning of October.
In the meantime, Brown says, he has a list of community members in mind who “may need a gentle push” to be convinced to consider taking on the job of ED. He would not reveal any of the names on his list.
“I suspect there are some people who are very qualified for the position, who may need a little nudge,” he says. “I hope the organization is a much more attractive place to work now than it was six months ago.”
Brown says it was never his intention to stay on as ED. “I have enjoyed the position, but it’s not the sort of thing I want to do for the rest of my life.”
He describes his time with PT as a wonderful experience that has been just “as chaotic and crazy and unpredictable as I would have expected.”
The ideal candidate will be a person “brimming with integrity.”
The person will have a firm understanding of the local gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans community and will be a skilled communicator, he says. “It will be someone who is thoughtful, considerate and respectful, but is also prepared to make decisions when they need to be made.”
The other vacant position is that of volunteer program manager, which requires sharp communication and diplomatic skills to coordinate hundreds of volunteers who work behind the scenes to host the festival each year.
Brown would not reveal the salary for either position. “Let me put it this way: if someone is looking to get rich, these are not the jobs for them. We are modestly competitive.”
For more information on both positions see the Pride Toronto website.
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