Guest Services Coordinator

Overview

IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is the world’s freshwater laboratory. A series of 58 lakes and their watersheds in northwestern Ontario, Canada, IISD-ELA is the only place in the world where scientists can research on and manipulate real lakes to build a more accurate and complete picture of what human activity is doing to freshwater lakes. The findings from over 50 years of ground-breaking research have rewritten environmental policy around the world—from mitigating algal blooms to reducing how much mercury gets into our waterways—and aim to keep fresh water clean around the world for generations to come.

IISD-ELA is operated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)—an independent think tank headquartered in Winnipeg situated on Treaty 1 Territory—the ancestral lands of the Anishinaabe (Ojibwe), Ininiw (Cree), Anisininew (Ojibwe Cree), Dene, and Dakota Nations, and the homeland of the Red River Métis Nation. The IISD-ELA field station is situated on the traditional land of the Anishinaabe Nation in Treaty 3 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation.

Job Description

As the Guest Services Coordinator, you are acting as an ambassador by providing outstanding customer services to all arrivals and assisting the Operations group with all levels of administrative support and custodial duties, including:

Responsibilities

Welcoming arriving guests; coordinating their accommodations, food services, and field equipment; and providing camp orientation when required.

Communicating operational policies to arriving guests and soliciting guest feedback.

Providing logistical support for accommodations scheduling.

Coordinating transportation and vehicle scheduling for people and supplies.

Safely driving the cargo van from the research station into Kenora (1.5 hour drive) to purchase supplies and return recyclable materials.

Managing office and cleaning supply inventory.

Performing regular inspections of dormitories, offices, and laboratories for health and safety compliance.

Coordinating the physical spaces on-site (set-up and tear-down of meeting rooms, related equipment, and custodial work).

Assisting with data entry and management of the site log for emergency services, accounting, and communications.

Assisting in the completion of reports in MS Excel and documentation in MS Word and other related software.

Improving systems and procedures as needed in cooperation with the Operations group.

Facilitating the recreational and wellness activities at camp.

Other duties as assigned.

Skills & Abilities

Basic computer skills and experience with administrative tasks and software.

Understanding of occupational health and safety protocols and workplace logistics.

Excellent organizational, written and oral communication skills.

Enjoy working with people and providing logistical support to the team.

Ability to work and live in a remote location in dormitory accommodations.

Must possess a valid First Aid/CPR certificate and driver’s licence.

IISD-ELA will require the completion of a criminal record and child abuse registry check.

Working Conditions

The work schedule is Monday to Friday, with a company shuttle arriving from Winnipeg on Sunday evening and returning to Winnipeg Friday afternoons (4 hour drive).

Boarding and meals are provided. The Guest Services Coordinator must live on-site at the IISD-ELA facility.

Physical Demands

Ability to lift materials (up to 20 kg) into cargo van

Safely driving a cargo van on weekly supply runs

Term:  The contract is for a full-time term position starting immediately and ending November 27, 2026, with possibility for extension.

Employment Type: recurring seasonal role.

Employment Type: Existing position (recurring seasonal role)

Salary:  CAD $24 - $32 per hour. Placement in the salary range will be based on factors such as market conditions, internal equity, and candidate experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to the role.

Closing date:  Open until filled.

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English. Accommodations for job applicants with disabilities are available on request.

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for Canada.

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR. Please include the following:

A CV (required; no longer than two pages)

A cover letter (required; one page)

IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional; right-click to download)

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for 1 year. 

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+, to apply for this position. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants' advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply. 

IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

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