Associate Director Student Academic Support

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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Please provide a cover letter as part of your application as applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

At UBC we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research innovation and learning for all faculty staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Description Summary
The Associate Director Student Academic Support is responsible for managing a large and complex caseload of graduate student and graduate program advising matters particularly where academic financial personal or health-related circumstances may affect student success progression or well-being.

The position serves as a primary point of contact for students staff and faculty seeking support with complex graduate student situations and is responsible for managing GPS involvement from initial consultation through to resolution. The role gathers and assesses detailed information from appropriate parties formulates intervention plans and provides advising guidance policy interpretation referrals and recommendations as appropriate

Working in collaboration with relevant parties and other support professionals the Associate Director develops and supports action plans to address complex and sensitive situations. The role provides direction to students staff and faculty regarding the administrative actions required to support resolution plans for complex cases.

The Associate Director Student Academic Support is a senior professional resource for managing the Universitys response to highly sensitive complex and consequential matters involving UBCs diverse graduate student population. The role also provides key input into the development and implementation of organizational strategies initiatives and policies that promote graduate student wellness.

Organizational Status
The Associate Director Student Academic Support reports to the Director Academic Support. The position also works with the Vice-Provost/Dean Associate and Assistant Deans and other senior staff within Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. The role interacts with senior academic and administrative staff across the University particularly in graduate programs and student service units such as the Centre for Accessibility Counselling Services Early Assist Student Conduct and Safety Student Housing International Student Development Enrolment Services the Ombuds Office and other units related to graduate student success and well-being. The position also liaises with colleagues at other higher education institutions both nationally and internationally as well as professional associations accreditation bodies and governmental agencies.

The incumbent works in a standard office environment at UBC Vancouver. Some evening and weekend work may be required.

Work Performed
Complex Case Management - 80%

Assessment Advising and Intervention

• Independently manages a large caseload of complex and sensitive graduate student issues particularly those involving significant academic financial or personal difficulties from initial consultation through to closure.
• Serves as a primary point of contact for students staff and faculty seeking assistance with complex graduate student situations.
• Draws on knowledge and skills in mental health and counselling to conduct comprehensive assessments and formulate intervention plans. This includes gathering detailed information and histories from appropriate parties through active listening personal interviewing and documentation review and making referrals and recommendations to students faculty and staff as appropriate.
• Provides direct advising recommendations to staff and faculty regarding complex cases involving individual students or groups of students.
• Provides confidential individual advising to students facing complex and diverse challenges either in single sessions or on an ongoing basis depending on case complexity.
• Chairs complex case management meetings involving students faculty and staff to facilitate productive discussion and collaborative resolution of complex issues.
• Mediates between students and faculty where conflict exists helping parties establish a common understanding of the situation consider available options and work toward resolution while prioritizing student well-being.
• Communicates directly with students staff and faculty involved in complex situations to summarize action plans options and highly complex cases where a student is significantly unwell and advanced guidance is required the role may serve as the single point of contact.
• Provides coordinated support by bringing together relevant campus partners and program faculty to assist students who are interrupting or re-entering their studies particularly where mental health is a factor.

Consultation Collaboration and Coordination

• Serves as the GPS liaison to the UBC Early Assist team coordinating and leading appropriate responses to Early Assist submissions involving graduate students.
• Provides consultative support and contributes to regular case briefing meetings with Managers Student Support Services to support coordinated and holistic approaches.
• Consults with Counselling Services Student Health Services the Centre for Accessibility and other campus partners regarding students of concern in order to facilitate and expedite resolution of issues.
• Collaborates and consults with Faculty Relations Department Heads Equity and Inclusion and the Investigations Office regarding formal and informal complaints filed by graduate students against faculty members.
• Develops and maintains relationships with Graduate Advisors Department Heads Associate Deans Deans campus partners and community resources serving as a key resource and point of expertise in addressing complex and sensitive student cases.

Policy Interpretation Decision Support and Appeals

• Interprets and applies University policies in ambiguous and complex situations using discretion and judgment to determine appropriate courses of action.
• Advises the GPS Dean and Associate Deans on highly consequential decisions affecting graduate students up to and including withdrawals from the University.
• Oversees GPS involvement in students academic appeals including gathering and analyzing relevant information drafting formal responses consulting with stakeholders as appropriate and appearing at Senate hearings.
• Participates in the development of GPS policies and processes related to graduate student well-being and student-supervisor relationships.
• Identifies service gaps and policy issues arising from case management work and contributes to the development and implementation of policies processes and strategic initiatives that enhance graduate student well-being and support effective student-supervisor relationships.

Identifying and Tracking Trends

• Develops and maintains systems to track case progression and outcomes.
• Analyzes trends and patterns in complex graduate student cases.
• Provides data and recommendations to the Dean and senior leadership to support decision making and resource allocation.

Training and Outreach - 15%

• Supports the development implementation and continuous improvement of training and outreach initiatives that enhance the experience of a diverse graduate student population with a focus on well-being inclusion and academic success.
• Delivers training and outreach through proactive programming and tailored sessions designed to meet the specific needs of individual graduate programs faculties or service and support units.
• Develops and maintains GPS website content related to complex graduate student cases.
• Serves on or advises campus committees or task forces related to graduate student success.
• Maintains connections with colleagues at other universities to share information and best practices related to complex graduate student cases and student success.

Other Duties - 5%

• Performs other duties commensurate with the skills and experience of the position.
  

Consequence of Error/Judgement
This is a key senior administrative position responsible for managing highly sensitive situations involving graduate students at risk of non-completion of studies including situations involving mental health and interpersonal crises. The actions recommendations and decisions of this role may be binding to the University and are critical to the academic and personal welfare of students. They may directly affect admission academic progress the right to continue in a program and the determination of qualifications for graduation. Incorrect actions advice or decisions may negatively affect students academic progress or careers and may lead to academic appeals or legal action.

Supervision Received
Reports directly to the Director Academic Support and receives direction from the Vice-Provost/Dean and Associate Deans. Works independently within established case management practice guidelines University policy and provincial privacy legislation. The role operates within a model of collegial consultation and collaboration. Work is reviewed for overall effectiveness.

Supervision Given
Provides functional direction to the Student Academic Services team including M&P and CUPE staff regarding administrative actions required to address complex student situations.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of four to five years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives including perspectives in conflict with ones own
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing ones own awareness knowledge and skills related to equity diversity and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• 
  Counselling social work law or a related field education from a recognized university or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Relevant professional and/or advising experience.
• Experience working directly with domestic and international graduate students faculty and staff.
• Experience managing and collaboratively resolving complex administrative interpersonal and personal conflicts.
• Counselling social work or similar case management experience.
• Demonstrated skills in case management dispute resolution and problem-solving.
• Strong communication skills including oral written and presentation skills.
• Ability to exercise tact diplomacy and sound judgment when facilitating dialogue and managing difficult situations.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective working relationships.
• Ability to adapt and work effectively in a multi-tasked environment with a high volume of work and competing deadlines.
• Ability to think creatively and support innovative solutions to organizational challenges.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team and contribute to shared team goals.