IA3 – Public Relations Assistant - International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO)

Position: IA3 – Public Relations Assistant - International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO)

Desired Contract Length: 26 Weeks    Start Date: January 19, 2026 End Date: Initial term approved to the Province of Ontario’s current fiscal year end, March 31, 2026.  Additional weeks pending the approval of Ottawa Festivals’ fiscal year (2026-2027) JCP program agreement with the Province of Ontario.

Work Schedule:  4 business days / 32 hours per week  Work Location:  Arts Court, 2 Daly Ave

Job Summary:  This position is funded through Ontario’s Job Creation Partnerships (see more details below). IFFO brings the best of the film festival circuit to Ottawa.  The Festival includes 30+ film screenings, filmmaker talks, and industry events Screen Summit and Save As.  The IFFO public relations assistant will report to the managing director and work on community outreach and special events.  They will also help with social media during the Festival doing some photography and videography.

Responsibilities:

• Research groups in the community with which to collaborate.

• Create promotional materials, including posters, social media posts and general communications.

• Assist the CFI communications manager during IFFO by capturing photo and video content.

• Plan and execute special events at IFFO, such as pre or post-screening meet and greets.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Excellent communication and people skills (verbal and written); good organizational skills and initiative

• Attention to detail and accuracy; able to consistently meet deadlines

• Experience in event and project management is an asset

• Experience working in customer service is an asset

• Experience capturing and editing content for social media is an asset

• Strong computer skills: the ability to quickly learn new programs/platforms and take the initiative to troubleshoot

Learning Opportunities and Additional Benefits

• Work behind the scenes of a dynamic, local film festival

• Learn and/or level up your proficiency in platforms like Airtable, Eventive, Canva, Eventival, and more

• Dedicated in-house seminars to learn about all aspects of event management

• Meet people within the local, Canadian, and international film industry

Additional Qualifications Required:

Candidate eligibility for JCP is determined according to the following criteria:

1. An unemployed job seeker or those employed less than 20 hours per week.

2. A permanent resident living in Ontario who is legally authorized to work in Canada.

3. Meet at least 1 of the following criteria:

4. Has an established Employment Insurance (EI) benefit period.

5. Previously established an EI benefit period that has ended within the previous 60 months.

6. Paid employee EI premiums (e.g. Box 18 on the T4) in at least 3 of the last 10 years while earnings have been at least $2000 in each of those years.

7. Received the Employment Insurance Emergency Response benefit (CERB) within the previous 60 months.

NOTE: Persons currently enrolled in full-time academic studies are not eligible for consideration. Those who qualify to establish an Employment Insurance (EI) claim must do so prior to being considered for JCP participation.

Remuneration:

$704 (gross) per week paid biweekly by the Province of Ontario (average hourly rate: $22.00 based on 4 days/32 hours)

What’s Next?

Forward your resume and cover letter to jobs@ottawafestivals.ca. Please note, only selected candidates who meet the JCP eligibility criteria will be contacted for an interview; applicants must indicate how they meet the eligibility in their email and/or cover letter. To learn more about the JCP program, please visit:  http://www.ottawafestivals.ca/jobs/jcp-overview/. Ottawa Festivals welcomes and encourages applications from all eligible individuals.