Undergraduate Student Relations Officer

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Posting Information:
This posting is for an existing vacancy.

The internal posting deadline for this position is October 8 2026 at 11:59PM

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

The Undergraduate Student Relations Officer will provide direction on the implementation of initiatives that develop support and guide strategies that increase student engagement and improve the student experience from the time of admission until graduation. The incumbent is also responsible for academic and non-academic advisement of students in the Faculty of Mathematics with a particular focus on first year students and academic plans that are the responsibility of the Mathematics Undergraduate Office. They are the undergraduate student contact for orientation and new student transition.

Key Accountabilities

Student Engagement and Support

• Provide decision support to the Associate Dean Undergraduate Associate Dean Co-op and Director Math Undergrad Office (MUO) for all student engagement issues and opportunities.

• Lead develop coordinate and promote programs and services aimed at enhancing the students experience.

• Oversee the peer connector program.

• Hire and supervise a co-op student each term to maintain and run the operational aspects of the program.

• Recruit manage and interview student volunteers.

• Initiate opportunities for undergraduate student recognition; administer existing undergraduate recognition activities and manage the related promotions and communications.

• Represent the Faculty in collaboration with SSO and Marketing and Undergraduate Recruitment to coordinate the Facultys participation in transition events (e.g. Waterloo Ready).

• Lead communication strategy for class photos and establishes means for posting composites.

• Engage with Associate Dean Undergraduate Director MUO and MathSoc Math Graduation Committee to develop criteria and scope for the process to select valedictorian(s).

• Promote the valedictorian opportunity to undergraduate students coordinates the nomination and selection process and works with selected valedictorian on speech preparation.

• Serve as liaison for all Math Undergraduate Office student experience initiatives providing counsel and direction on the facultys policies and procedures.

• Coach student members who serve on Faculty committees. Teach proper protocols etiquette best practices procedural requirements and act as liaison between student member and Committee Chair as needed.

• Manage content of electronic communications aimed at undergraduate students including web pages mass mailings and social media.

• Collaborate with Academic Advisors on creation and execution of webinars enhancing the undergraduate student experience.

• Respond to inquiries and feedback from internal and external stakeholders.

• Stay informed of the services benefits and perks exclusively afforded to Waterloo Undergraduate students.

• Work with faculty and university equity offices to ensure communications are compliant with current issues pertaining to equity diversity and inclusion.

Student Advising

• Provide academic advising on course/program selection and changes degree requirements preregistration and all academic issues for a designated group of students.

• Interpret and apply regulations procedures and policies for students e.g. enrollment transfer appeal processes course records admissions.

• Monitor the academic progress of specific groups of students and provide outreach/academic counselling to students in academic trouble.

• Report on and monitor academic progressions for one or more cohorts of students.

• Assists with the academic advisement for one or more cohorts of students to determine degree requirements.

• Assist department advisors with academic progression and academic advisement.

• Advise and respond to inquiries of students interested in enrolling in the program/major that the advisor is responsible for.

• Deliver immediate support to students in distress; follow up with appropriate referrals.

• Summarize and document advice given to each student to ensure continuity and consistency.

• Assist students in the preparation of petitions letters of permission and other requests.

• Receive ongoing training and apply a continually evolving understanding of both the breadth and boundaries of their authority in relation to their duties:

• Mathematics undergraduate curriculum and academic requirements for all programs.

• Mathematics admissions regulations and practices including transfer credit regulations pertaining to a wide variety of academic institutions.

• the areas of expertise that are of a particular relevance to their position.

• the University policies and Faculty regulations of particular relevance to student issues.

• The sources of support and help that are available to students both within and outside the University.

Student Orientation

• Plan organize and evaluate the math undergraduate orientation program

• Serve as the Facultys orientation advisor.

• Manage and supervises orientation events with the O-Team

• Supervises reviews and approves all decisions.

• Hire and supervise 3-4 student leaders and assist with the selection of over 100-200 student volunteers providing direction in the areas of training evaluation program management and recognition.

• Work in collaboration with campus partners Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association the Student Success Office other academic units the Safety Office and the Mathematics Undergraduate Office to develop and implement successful orientation programming.

• Source and manage services with internal service departments and external vendors required to support programs events and activities.

• Serve as the Facultys representative on University-wide committees including the Orientation Planning Committee.

• Work with Academic Advisors to support students in receiving a proper orientation to the University and appropriate subsequent support.

• Provide administrative support oversight and reconciliation for programs events and activities including adhering to budget projections payment of invoices tracking of monthly results and reconciliation of actuals against plan.

Collaboration and Integration

• Ensure representation and engagement of Faculty participation on student committees and boards.

• Maintain a network with a variety of departments on campus to facilitate the effective and efficient coordination of programs events and activities.

• Provide functional direction to colleagues/staff/faculty supporting undergraduate programs and/or events.

• Stay informed on communication trends and platforms available to undergraduate students locally and globally.

• Develop and build strong relationships with university faculty staff and students in support of successful programs events and activities.

• Ensure that program and event promotion registration and outcomes are communicated effectively.

• Ensure that students have a primary point of contact for the activities clubs and events that they manage.

• Communicate relevant policies and faculty planning processes to student leadership.

• Serve on Faculty Wellness committee as MUO liaison.

• Oversee all Deans delegations to MathSoc committees and report to the Dean (or delegate) as needed on vacancies and possible candidates.

• Serve as Deans delegate on various MathSoc committees the most likely being the Board of Directors the Council the Graduation Committee and the Executive Evaluation Committee as requested.

• Serve as point person resource and coach for MathSoc Executive on the functioning and policies of the faculty and university.

• Provide functional direction to colleagues/staff/faculty supporting undergraduate programs and/or events that increase student engagement and improve the student experience.

• Manage communication projects/initiatives draft correspondence and reports for the Dean/Associate Dean Undergraduate and Director MUO as required.

Research and Evaluation to inform strategy

• Conduct research into best practices used at other institutions.

• Prepare and provide input for reports on programs events and activities including environmental scans statistical reports proposals and post-event reports.

• Facilitate focus groups involving students to determine needs and evaluate progress. Monitors and reports regularly on student engagement.

• Participate in undergraduate team meetings and committees as appropriate to support measurement and evaluation.

• Establish and tracks metrics for annual evaluation of the Facultys success in engaging students in consultation with Associate Dean Undergraduate and Director MUO. Those may include retention metrics conversion metrics student participation in programs events or activities.

• Analyze and produce reports for decision-making or for consultation as part of decision-making process.

• Remains knowledgeable and up to date on student engagement research and best practices used at other institutions.

• Undertake professional development to remain current on issues pertaining to equity diversity and inclusion and anti-racism and apply learning to leadership and strategy development.

Required Qualifications

Education

• University undergraduate degree required.

• Current standard level of first aid certification.

Experience

• Three to five years of progressive experience performing duties related to student advising including demonstrated experience providing sound academic advice and interpreting academic policy.

• Three to five years of experience working with diverse student groups preferably in an academic setting.

• Experience working with student clubs societies volunteers or student leadership preferably in an academic setting would be considered an asset.

• Demonstrated experience of mentoring and providing guidance to student leaders or volunteers is essential.

• Project management and event management experience involving multiple stakeholders is required.

• Proven crisis management experience and familiarity with campus resources and knowledge of policies related to health and safety and ethical behavior is required.

• Must demonstrate sound judgement tact and diplomacy.

• A record of and commitment to participating in ongoing learning and engagement in the areas of equity diversity inclusion anti-racism and accessibility. Demonstrate experience applying this learning to their leadership and helping inform strategy.

• Must be an accomplished problem-solver. Demonstrated ability to make independent decisions required.

• Experience writing and executing communications to various channels (email web print social) preferably to a student audience.

• Budget experience is an asset.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Ability to collaborate influence build consensus and motivate others often with different perspectives and backgrounds.

• Ability to use independent judgement in areas of time management task prioritization and decision-making.

• Proven ability to identify problems or issues and deal with difficult or complex situations by probing information analyzing key information determining implications and facilitating solutions.

• Proven ability to work independently with limited supervision.

• Demonstrated ability to manage concurrent projects with tight deadlines.

• Proven ability to deal with confidential and sensitive issues.

• Ability to maintain and work within the allocated budget.

• Proven ability to prepare and monitor program success through analysis data tracking statistical reports and surveys.

• Ability to network and confidently represent the University at undergraduate events.

• Familiarity with university student life and student services.

• Confidence in public speaking with the ability to address large audiences is important.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills showing confidence communicating with individuals from different cultures.

• Advanced understanding of social media and web communications.

• Expertise in MS Office programs (Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook MS Teams and SharePoint).

• Expertise in digital platforms (Publication Drupel Own Cloud WebEx and Zoom).

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research learning teaching and community building and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students faculty and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity anti-racism and inclusion. As such we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized including applicants who identify as First Nations Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit) Black racialized a person with a disability women and/or 2SLGBTQ.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application interview or workplace accommodation requests please contact Human Resources or ext. 45935.