Lead Strategic Initiatives – Talent Development

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

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This position is expected to be filled by promotion/reassignment and is included here to inform you of its vacancy at the University.

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 Talent & Organizational Development (T&OD) unit empowers the University to achieve its strategic goals through the engagement and optimization of its most valuable assetits people.

The role of T&OD is to design and implement successful leadership programming professional and staff development programs providing consulting services that support team-related initiatives across distributed HR offering targeted learning opportunities for staff and facilitating change management communications and engagement initiatives across the University to enhance employee skills performance and overall organizational effectiveness.

T&ODs aim is to cultivate a thriving work environment where staff members can grow and that UBC can achieve its strategic goals. By combining various talent-related and organizational practices HR professionals can not only boost the effectiveness of the HR function itself but also drive improvements that impact the entire University.

One foci of the Organizational Learning & Leadership Development (OL&LD) team within the Talent & Organizational Development (T&OD) unit is the design development and implementation of leadership programs with an emphasis on influencing learning culture at the University.

The leadership programs include:

• Emerging Leaders Program

• Developing Leaders Program

• Advancing Leaders Program

• Senior Leaders Development Program

As Lead Strategic Initiatives Talent Development the position plays a consultative role in advancing organizational and leadership development at UBC. Partnering closely with faculties and portfolios the position supports the design and implementation of tailored initiatives and turnkey programs that address key organizational and leadership development needs.

A primary responsibility of this role is the design delivery and evaluation of UBCs flagship Advancing Leaders Programfor Directors Executive Directors and Managing Directorsand the Senior Leaders Development Programfor AVPs Deans and those reporting directly to a VP. The Lead also contributes to and influences the Emerging Leaders Program and Developing Leaders Program to ensure a consistent leadership pipeline and program integration. These programs target clearly defined audiences and are complemented by ongoing open-enrollment leadership and management sessions offered monthly for leaders awaiting program entry program alumni seeking continued growth and leaders wishing to sharpen specific skills.

The position also leads cross-functional initiatives in support of organizational development succession planning and strategic talent readiness. The position designs and implements frameworks that embed UBCs leadership competencies across the employee lifecycle and partners with internal stakeholders to ensure leadership development is integrated into broader talent change and culture strategies. The position serves as a strategic advisor to senior leaders and operates with high autonomy and accountability.

Organizational Status
Reports to the Associate Director Organizational Learning & Leadership Development (OL&LD). Works closely with other members of the Organizational Learning & Leadership Development Team and specifically the Manager Talent Development Programming the Talent & Organizational Development (ODE) Team Central Human Resources team and distributed HR colleagues faculty and staff.

Work Performed
Serves as a conduit between Central HR and Faculties/ Portfolios to identify customised leadership and organizational development needs.

Acts as a consultant and collaborates with HR teams and leaders across the organization to assess needs and to create learning and leadership development strategies and tailored initiatives that enable UBC to meet its strategic objectives (Inclusion Action Plan Indigenous Strategic Plan Focus On People Anti-racism Wellbeing).

Designs and delivers timely and customized learning interventions (e.g. Difficult Conversations Leadership Skills for Experienced Managers) in collaboration with HR leaders in the Faculties/ Departments.

Supports the design delivery and evaluation of Phase 2 of the Senior Leaders Development Program (SLDP) and the Advanced Leaders Development Program (ALD). This includes and is not limited to: aligning program content and focus areas with the organizations new strategic direction ensuring leaders are equipped to drive and embody current priorities integrating feedback and outcomes from the previous cohort to enhance the learning experience sharpening both relevance and impact embedding practical high-impact projects that tackle real business challenges requiring cross-functional collaboration and reinforcing learning through partnership with faculties and departments.

Works with University stakeholders to ensure deliverables are consistent with the leadership and learning frameworks program goals and desired learning outcomes.

Evaluates and plans the Emerging Leaders Program ensuring alignment with UBCs leadership development framework.

Collaborates with the Manager Talent Development Programming to co-design the next iteration of the Developing Leaders Program (DLP).

Co-Leads special initiatives focused on advancing academic leadership capacity including the design and implementation of the Academic/Staff Mentoring Program.

Contributes to UBCs enterprise-wide succession planning strategy by designing and facilitating processes such as talent calibration leadership readiness assessments and development planning for critical roles.

Designs and implements scalable frameworks to accelerate the development of high-potential talent and ensure leadership pipeline sustainability across diverse organizational contexts.

Partners with the Manager Talent Development Programming to co-create a unified leadership development architecture and ensure strong alignment between early-stage and senior-level leadership offerings.

Collaborates with the ODE team and the Talent Acquisition team to embed UBCs leadership competency model across the employee lifecycle including integration with recruitment onboarding career development and performance frameworks.

Advises senior HR leaders and academic partners on organizational development priorities and helps translate leadership learning into action through change-capable leadership.

Manages relationships and communication with various stakeholder groups such as Senior HR leaders ensuring strategic alignment.

Advises and consults on program goals design and delivery mechanisms. Ensures that initiatives deliver to the goals outlined by the program stakeholders in service of broader UBC objectives.

Leads strategic initiatives and tailored programs and may oversee the work of consultants and subject matter experts.

Curates world-class interventions using a variety of learning tools such as eLearning video audio print etc.

Provides consultation to develop strategies that enhance the effectiveness of an overall leadership development initiatives embed learning solutions into broader talent and change initiatives and integrate special initiatives & turnkey assignments into the broader learning framework.

Supports coaches and provides ongoing feedback to instructional designers program managers and HR team members in regards to project deliverables and outcomes to support a client-centric/learner-centric experience.

Manages timelines budgets and vendor/partner relationships.

Performs other related duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Exercises considerable judgment and initiative in program development. Decisions made can significantly impact HRs ability to achieve its strategic direction or goals on leadership programs. This position plays an important role in attaining the strategic goals that have been committed to the University community.

Supervision Received
Reports to the Associate Director Organizational Learning & Leadership independently within broad objectives. Exercises considerable judgment in carrying out assignments and is accountable for the effectiveness of the programs and initiatives. Keeps Associate Director informed of actions through reports and discussions.

Supervision Given
May oversee the work of consultants professionals and staff by establishing work objectives and reviewing work and performance as required.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of five to seven years of related experience or the 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

• Degree in Education Leadership or Business administration or in a related field such as organizational development or human resources management

• Coaching certification accredited by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) or International Association of Coaching (IAC) preferred

• CHRP designation preferred

• Demonstrated skill and knowledge of current training and organizational development practices with strong emphasis on change management

• Effective oral and written presentation and communication skills

• Effective problem-solving and conflict management skills to advance a healthy working environment

• Demonstrated experience in managing turnkey initiatives meeting deadlines and resolving unexpected and/or ambiguous situations or issues

• Proven intercultural competencies

• Ability to communicate and interact with understanding and respect across diverse cultures

• Ability to negotiate and influence within a collaborative framework

• Demonstrated commitment to lifelong learning shared leadership and continuous improvement

• Demonstrated ability to anticipate future trends/consequences and create innovative strategies and flexible plans

• Demonstrated initiative to analyze and resolve problems quickly efficiently and collaboratively

• Ability to work in a team-based environment and to build manage and maintain high-quality relationships