Job Description

Lord Cultural Resources is the global practice leader in cultural sector planning. We offer a range of services for cities and counties, museums, science centers, gardens, conservatories, cultural centers, universities, and heritage sites around the globe. Since the firm’s founding in 1981, we have helped to create, plan, and operate cultural spaces and places in more than 460 cities, in 57 countries and six continents. We aspire to strengthen belonging, learning, and gaining strength from the many communities of gender, culture, race, and ethnicity we serve.

Join us to make the world a better place through culture.

About the Role

Lord Cultural Resources is seeking an entry level Research Associate to join our team on a contract basis. This is an opportunity for an emerging professional with a background or interest in arts, culture, and creative industries to gain experience working at the intersection of cultural planning, public art, and museum strategy. The ideal candidate brings curiosity-fueled initiative, excellent research and writing skills, and a foundational understanding of cultural ecosystems—whether through academic study, internship experience, or early professional roles.

As part of our collaborative consulting team, you will contribute to a range of projects that support cities, organizations, and artists in the advancement of arts and culture. We are seeking a strong and motivated collaborator who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys working on diverse projects, and is comfortable as an individual contributor to multi-team endeavors.

This role reports to a Senior Consultant, and is a full-time contract position for a duration of six months. There is the possibility of extended contract duration based on success and business needs. The hourly wage is $25/hour and there is a requirement to work in the Toronto office 3 days/week. There may be some travel required and ability to travel to the USA is a requirement.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Project Research and Support

• Support various projects by participating on project teams and attending client and internal project meetings
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative research, including literature reviews, landscape scans, benchmarking, stakeholder surveys and interviews, and policy scans.
• Contribute to project coordination, including scheduling, notetaking, and file organization.
• Help identify case studies, precedents, and emerging trends in cultural policy, public art, and museum practice, and funding.
• Support multi-phase client projects in a variety of ways, including tracking, coordinating, and evaluating project meetings; coordinating the graphic or logistical production of reports or other project deliverables with designers, developers, and content managers, including client marketing and communication collateral.
• Support communication and coordination with client and client representatives as needed and assigned
  on specific projects or tasks.

Strategy and Writing

• Assist in preparing written deliverables such as reports, memos, presentations, and proposals.
• Participate in internal discussions and brainstorming sessions to develop insights and recommendations.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement

• Assist with outreach, coordination, and material preparation, and documentation related to stakeholder engagement, including workshops, surveys, pop-up engagements, and interviews.
• Support the synthesizing of community engagement findings through analyzing data and community inputs (surveys, interviews, etc.)

Administration

• Handling administrative tasks such as responding to information requests, both internal and external, timely completion of timesheets and expense reports; following procedures and protocol for knowledge management, including proper storage and circulation of project files (subcontract agreements, budgets, invoices, project deliverables/reports).
• Other project-related tasks and duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS AND CAPABILITIES

The successful candidate must have an excellent work ethic, possess the motivation and willingness to learn on
the job, and be comfortable juggling multiple responsibilities simultaneously. This requires a high-level of
attention for detail and impeccable time and project management skills. The successful candidate must also
have a genuine enthusiasm for museums, culture, and the arts. Additional requirements include:

• Undergraduate degree from a 4-year accredited university or college in a relevant field of study.
• 1–3 years of relevant or translatable experience, which may include internships or early-career roles in arts administration, urban planning, public art, cultural policy, research, or a related field.
• Strong writing and communication skills.
• Proven research and analytical skills, including the ability to analyze qualitative and quantitative data, identify trends and support relevant industry-related recommendations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace; experience with data visualization or design tools (e.g., PowerPoint, Word, Canva) is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Flexible, with the availability to work across time zones based on client needs
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and the role of culture in shaping more vibrant and connected communities.
• Familiarity with Lord Cultural Resources’ methodologies and/or willing to excel in them as expressed in The Manual of Museum Planning, 3rd Edition 2012, The Manual of Museum Management, 3rd Edition2009, The Manual of Museum Exhibitions, 3rd Edition 2022, The Manual of Strategic Planning for Cultural Organizations, 2nd ed. 2017, The Manual of Museum Learning, 2nd ed., 2016 and other publications as required.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Direct experience (internships are acceptable) working in a museum or cultural institution.
• Familiarity with the U.S. arts and culture landscape, including nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and philanthropic foundations.
• Advanced experience with Microsoft Excel, including familiarity with pivot-tables and cross-tabulation and modeling of raw data.
• Proficiency with additional languages such as Spanish, French, German, or Arabic.

We value lived experience, creative thinking, and community knowledge as well as formal credentials. If this position resonates with you, please apply—even if you don’t check every box.

Interested applicants are requested to please send a cover letter and resume to hr@lord.ca

Our Toronto office is located within the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples. Our New York office is located on the traditional lands of the Lenape peoples. We encourage you to acknowledge the presence of the people who came before, wherever you are.

Lord Cultural Resources is an equal opportunity workplace and welcomes cultural diversity in our workforce. We are committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes, and work environment in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We will be happy to work with applicants requesting accommodation at any stage of the hiring process.