Associate Director, Student Experience

Job Category

Job Profile

Job Title

Department

Compensation Range

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge qualifications and experience for the the normal course employees will be hired transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

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

Job End Date

This is a leave replacement term position from November 1 2025 to December 31 2026.

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 Summary

The Associate Director Student Experience within the Science Advising & Student Engagement Office provides strategic direction leadership and coaching to a team comprised of advisors and frontline staff who support the academic and personal development of over 10500 domestic international and Indigenous undergraduate and professional graduate students.

This role provides senior professional leadership expertise knowledge and strategic planning in the design implementation delivery and evaluation of the Developmental Advising model and programming.

This role will provide leadership in the development and ongoing sustainment of the frontline transactional based advising activities. This includes both in-person and digitally-mediated frontline operations and the implementation of strategic communication and technological solutions.

This role also provides leadership and oversees a broad framework of student engagement programs that support strong student communities through meaningful orientation and transition experiences and fosters student learning and development.

The Associate Director acts as a champion for service excellence; and plays a key role in leading influencing and establishing the organizational culture and reinforcing cultural change necessary to implement a Developmental Advising model in the Faculty of Science.

Organizational Status

Working under the direct supervision of the Assistant Dean Student Academic Services the Associate Director Student Experience is a member of the Associate Dean Students leadership team. This role will work collaboratively with other Associate Directors Assistant Deans Associate Deans and other senior members of the Deans Office.

The Associate Director will partner with Departments advising offices in other Faculties student groups and academic and student affairs professionals at the University. This position will represent Science Advising & Student Engagement on teams committees and working groups internal and external to Science Advising & Student Engagement. The Associate Director is part of a network of advising and service professionals that collectively contribute to UBCs exceptional learning environment.

Work Performed

Strategic Planning

Plays a key role in the development implementation and evaluation of the units strategic priorities. Participates in defining and establishing organizational targets/metrics.

In collaboration with the Assistant Dean leads the development and implementation of strategies to build and enable an organizational culture in alignment with the units strategic plan.

Contributes to the strategic direction of Science Advising & Student Engagement by identifying best national and international practices in advising and student development determining those that best align with the units values and strategic plan and providing guidance through the implementation and evaluation of their effectiveness.

Plans Science Advisings Developmental advising priorities including identification development and assessment of advising delivery and programmatic initiatives. Leads and oversees opportunities and ideas for service enhancements. Develops initiatives and action plans to support service excellence and UBCs exceptional learning environment.

Oversees the strategic development and delivery of transactional advising through the units first point of contact services. Oversees that ongoing evaluation and improvement of services to ensure service commitments are consistently met.

Collaborates with the University Communication Directors and communication professionals to design implement and evaluate strategic communication strategies for various stakeholders including faculty members departments and students.

Project Development and Leadership

Responsible for strategic oversight for the development of transactional advising services. Leads and manages the development evaluation and implementation of Science Advising initiatives.

Works closely with Assistant Dean to develop advise and consult on and implement continuous improvement projects regarding tools and software to help facilitate Developmental Advising services. Responsible for project management change management implementation and training of such initiatives.

Identifies and analyzes ways in which Science Advising & Student Engagement can enhance student faculty and departmental advisor experience. Develops measures for evaluating service delivery and student programming effectiveness.

Leads strategic communications and consultations with stakeholders including faculty members and student leaders; facilitates discussion and develops plans to evaluate and integrate stakeholder feedback; communicates results and outcomes to stakeholder groups.

Oversees the design and evaluation of workshops presentations programs or events for the purposes of training and engagement for students staff and faculty.

Advising Professional Practice and Academic Policy

Applies expertise and models exceptional professional practice to all areas including: holistic academic degree planning complex student cases oversight of services for domestic international and Indigenous students the service delivery model liaison with faculty members and departments and other functional areas of service.

Mentors Advisors to build a robust advising practice and understanding of policy focusing on the intersection of individual situations with policy. Monitors the impact of policy on student population and Faculty. May research develop and propose policy changes. Ensures attention is focused on equity and inclusion in any policy review.

Works closely with the Assistant Dean to support broader UBC advising initiatives such a blueprinting of advising policies supporting campus mental health initiatives streamlining processes and developing policies and procedures to support student mental health and well-being. Provides advice and makes recommendations to other units (e.g. Enrolment Services International Student Initiative International Student Development) regarding the impact of policy process and programming issues that impede Science student success.

People Leadership

Builds motivates manages and evaluates an effective team of Academic Advising and Student Engagement staff. Leads and coaches a team of higher education professionals towards performance and service excellence.

Identifies and develops both team-based and individual learning and development plans to support staff through the transition to the new service delivery model. Identifies opportunities for continual growth and development of the staff. Mentors and coaches staff to ensure that they are able to effectively apply these best practices in their daily work.
Fosters an inclusive collaborative and respectful team environment.

Identifies and manages opportunities for staff to share knowledge and work cross functionally.
Recruits trains evaluates develops and when required disciplines and terminates staff.
Performs any other duties as required.

Campus Partnerships

Proactively seeks and develops opportunities to connect and foster collaborative partnerships with UBC student faculty and campus professionals in order to build a cohesive and integrated advising experience for students. Focuses on partnerships associated with project responsibilities.
Actively cultivate and foster partnerships with Departments advising offices in other Faculties student groups and academic and student affairs professionals at the University. This position will represent Science Advising & Student Engagement on teams committees and working groups internal and external to the Faculty of Science.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
This is a leadership position within the Associate Dean Students portfolio in the Faculty of Science. Decisions directly affect the operation of Science Advising and can directly impact the quality of outcomes of Science undergraduate students university experience. Decision-making is based on an in-depth and thorough knowledge of the policies and procedures of the University and the Faculty of Science. The incumbent exercises considerable judgment and autonomy and must demonstrate tact and discretion. Consequence of error is high and poor judgement and/or lack of cross-cultural sensitivity would compromise the wellbeing and academic of students the integrity of the Science programs as well as jeopardize the reputation of the Faculty of Science and UBC. Poor people management errors in judgment and/or inconsistency in decision making could have significant effect on morale employee retention productivity and service excellence.

Supervision Received

Reports directly to the Assistant Dean Student Academic Services Faculty of Science. Works independently within University policies and procedures to provide advising services. Performance is measured on achievement of unit goals and objectives. The incumbent will have latitude to make management decisions in alignment with strategic plans and goals.

Supervision Given

This position is responsible for leading a team of approximately 8 - 10 staff which will be a combination of Student Engagement Academic Advising front line and Communication staff within unionized and management level positions.

When leading projects the Associate Director may be required to provide supervision on projects involving other staff members faculty external stakeholders and/or students.

Minimum Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of seven to eight 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

• Graduate degree in Higher Education or an equivalent in education and experience preferred.

• Must have experience in university student administrative services preferably including student development academic advising admissions retention and counselling work.

• Demonstrated experience developing mass communications and interaction using digital platforms and web technologies to engage students.

• Experience with project planning and management required. Proven experience with analyzing and redesigning work flow/business processes to enhance efficiencies and align with organizational goals.

• Experience in managing policy development and implementation processes in a post-secondary setting.

• Considerable knowledge and experience in student program development implementation evaluation and relevant research.

• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning communications organizational development.

• Demonstrated leadership skills managerial experience and proven ability to lead coach and motivate staff.

• Experience with UBC systems is strongly preferred.

• Extensive command of UBC Faculty of Science policies is strongly preferred.

• Cross cultural experience an asset.

• Exceptional communication skills (oral written and presentation).

• Demonstrated ability to adapt and to work effectively in a multi-tasking environment under pressure with high volume of work and critical deadlines.

• Some domestic and international travel required. Ability to work flexibly on weekends or weeknights at certain times.