PARADE TEAM LEAD Volunteer Role Description

Organizational Overview: Pride Toronto is a registered not-for-profit organization that exists to celebrate the history, courage, diversity, and future of our communities, whose mission is to hold an international celebration incorporating activism, education and culture of global communities. One of the premiere arts and cultural events in Canada, and the largest pride celebration in North America, Pride Toronto’s festival takes place each year during the month of June.

Pride Toronto is a volunteer-driven organization, with 150 year-round volunteers that produce the festival in conjunction with full-time staff. During the festival, over 1500 volunteer shifts are required in order to efficiently run the event.

Pride Toronto Mission: Pride Toronto exists to celebrate the history, courage, and diversity of our communities.

Position Purpose: The Parade Team organizes the Pride Parade. This Team works with the community at large, other Teams and in conjunction with the Executive Director and Operations Director, to ensure that the Pride Parade is safe and fun for both participants and spectators.

Term/Time Commitment: There are three Team Leads on the Parade Team. Each Team Lead is appointed to a two-year term, and each position requires a commitment of approximately 5-8 hours per month from August through to February, and approximately 10-20 hours per week from March through to June. Team Leads must also be available for the entire duration of Pride Weekend, and are expected to be on-site in advance and for the duration of the Pride Parade, from 5a.m. to 7p.m.

Responsibilities:

Parade Team Portfolio Tasks: • Works with Staff and Pride volunteer Teams to execute annual Pride Parade o Director of Development – identify sponsor related needs and ensure they are factored into the correct category Revenue Registrations & partnerships Group o Work with Director of Development and Director of Operations to review previous parade application process, make enhancements and manage roll out for upcoming Festival year, ensuring all necessary payments are processed for each application o Identifies potential risk to Pride Toronto based on parade applications received o Plans Parade contingents with special attention paid to placement of controversial groups o Works with Public Safety Team to arrange Pride wide Parade radio updates o Works with the Site Team on arrangements for barricades, the staging area and the route set-up

• Develops and maintains the Project Parade database • Develops and distributes information kits to entrants, and provides Parade updates for the web including: Rules of Parade Entry (R.O.P.E.S.) • Organizes and maintains the flow of the Pride Parade • Responds to all inquiries from volunteers, Pride Parade entrants, and spectators in a timely fashion • Additional tasks as required

Team Coordination: • Attends Monthly Team Meetings • Works collaboratively with all Pride Toronto volunteer Teams, Board and Staff • Submitting orders on time as requested • Communicates effectively responding to emails in a timely fashion • Recruits, trains and manages a reliable team of Team Members • Team specific interview questions and materials provided by Volunteer Program Manager • Development of Team work plan identifying key deliverables, dates of completion and budgetary impacts (if any) • Creates Team specific training initiatives required for Weekend Volunteer Training in conjunction with the Weekend Volunteer Team and Staff • Facilitate trainings to Weekend Volunteers in advance of the Festival weekend • Develop Festival weekend schedule for Leads, Members and Weekend Volunteers allowing for appropriate rest periods • Executes and manages portfolio tasks/deliverables over the course of Pride

Organizational Support /Overarching Team Mandate: • Works within the limits of the approved budget and adheres to Pride Toronto’s financial principles • Provides courteous and professional customer service to all potential and registered participants of Pride Toronto • Refers donations, sponsorships and partnerships to the organization by referring prospective donors of cash / service / product / venue / promotion to the Director of Development • Ensures any partnership or commitment of any organizational resources with any external person, organization or venue is approved by staff • Ensures any communications with the media are referred to the Communications Manager and/or the Executive Director • Respects the importance of a Team Lead position and is committed to fulfilling the position requirements and Team Lead term

Skills required: • Must be 18 years of age or older and have a Police Records Check completed (please see the PRC Volunteer screening policy)

• Demonstrated experience and working knowledge of community groups and organizations representative of our communities • Demonstrated leadership skills • Good conflict resolution skills and an ability to practice diplomacy • Strong organizational and communication skills • Ability to work in a team environment and motivate a team of volunteers • Creativity is an asset • Professionally-minded

This is not an exhaustive list of the duties/skills required for this role. For a more detailed list of the work involved, please contact Alanna O’Connor, Volunteer Program Manager, [email protected].

Pride Toronto adopts and upholds the City of Toronto’s policy statement which prohibits discrimination and harassment and protects the right to be free of hate activity, based on age, ancestry, citizenship, creed (religion), colour, disability, ethnic origin, family status, gender identity, level of literacy, marital status, place of origin, membership in a union or staff association, political affiliation, race, receipt of public assistance, record of offences, sex, sexual orientation or any other personal characteristics by or within the organization.