Associate Director, Undergraduate Academic Services

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Job Summary
Applied Science Central Student Services is a shared service unit across the Faculty of Applied Science (APSC) including Engineering the School of Community and Regional Planning the School of Biomedical Engineering and the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture. The unit is dedicated to being an efficient and consistent source of academic career and professional development services and support for students throughout their academic journey in APSC. The APSC Central Student Services unit has four teams: the APSC Co-op Experiential Learning and Professional Development team the Undergraduate Academic Advising Team the Graduate Academic Programs and Advising Team and the Academic Systems Team all under the leadership of the Director APSC Student Services.

The Associate Director Undergraduate Academic Services leads the Undergraduate Academic Services team and provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for key academic services within Applied Science Student Services supporting approximately 5500 undergraduate students across 14 programs in six departments and two schools within the Faculty of Applied Science. The Associate Director has oversight and accountability for undergraduate academic services which includes but is not limited to: failed year and other academic appeals continuation and promotion requirements graduation requirements academic concessions student communications student experience prospective transfer and first-year student advising and student records for all 14 BASc undergraduate programs as well as academic advising for all year levels of Mechanical Electrical Computer Chemical Chemical and Biological Environmental (both the joint UBC program and the BASCv ENVL program) Manufacturing Mining Integrated and Materials Engineering students and the BDes program in the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture.

The Associate Director acts as a champion for service excellence and plays a key role in leading influencing and establishing the organizational culture reinforcing cultural change necessary to implement a developmental and consultative advising model in the APSC Student Services Unit.

The Associate Director is a member of the senior management team in the APSC Central Student Services unit and works to shape the strategic direction of the unit. Collaborating closely with the Director and other senior leaders the role drives initiatives that foster the academic personal and professional success of APSC students.

Organizational Status
The position reports to the Director APSC Student Services and is within the portfolio of the Associate Dean EDI and Student Success. The position collaborates in the development of the holistic student experience with the Director APSC Student Services Chair of First Year Engineering Associate Director Academic Systems Enrolment and Registration the Associate Dean Academic and faculty leadership within each department and school.

The Associate Director also works closely with program managers in the engineering departments and schools staff in communications marketing recruitment and professional development areas and faculty members in the engineering departments and programs.

The Associate Director partners with departments and schools advising offices in other faculties student groups and academic and student affairs professionals at the University including International Student Advising Student Development & Services Centre for Accessibility Health & Wellness the Sexual Violence and Prevention Office and Enrolment Services. This position will represent APSC on teams committees and working groups internal and external to APSC Student Services. The Associate Director is part of a network of advising and service professionals that collectively contribute to UBCs exceptional learning environment.

Work Performed

Undergraduate Academic Services Strategic Operations

• Develops and assesses the strategic goals for Undergraduate Academic Services such as resource management and handling a growing student population within Applied Science in close collaboration with the Director APSC Student Services and Associate Director Academic Systems.

• Plays a critical role in the development implementation and evaluation of the APSC Academic Advising strategic plan. Defines and establishes organizational targets/metrics.

• Cultivates builds and maintains relationships with key stakeholders including University departments and faculties student groups and clubs and other student services.

• Manages budgets and allocates resources in accordance with strategic priorities to meet the units objectives.

• Develops and oversees the implementation and assessment of a communication strategy aimed at keeping current students informed of progress through their degrees and of the services available to support students throughout their time in Applied Science.

• Manages special projects assigned by the Director the Associate Dean Academic and/or the Associate Dean EDI and Student Success.

• Represents Applied Science by participating in University and departmental committees as required.

• Manages direct reports including recruiting hiring managing performance disciplining directing and assigning work.

Academic Services

• Develops and implements the annual strategic operational plan for the Undergraduate Academic Services team.

• Responsible for the development of advising policies practices and procedures for the Undergraduate Academic Services team in support of the whole student.

• Works with the Associate Director Academic Systems to review and map processes used to identify and implement opportunities for streamlining automation and improvement of service delivery for the Undergraduate Academic Services and Academic Systems teams.

• Evaluates and makes strategic recommendations for areas of potential improvement and growth in student advising services anticipates potential challenges and implements recommendations to mitigate them.

• Maintains current knowledge of academic advising standards and best practices by attending and presenting at conferences and workshops and maintaining membership in academic advising organizations. Makes strategic adjustments to reflect current standards of practice.

• Ensures the Undergraduate Academic Services team is current on knowledge pertaining to advising policies and procedures and distributes new information affecting academic advising.

• Provides guidance to the Academic Services team and serves as the key point of consultation for the team on cases elevated for clarification or for a decision using established University and Faculty policies.

• Responsible for resolving and advising on cases of a complex nature that may require consideration of changes to Faculty policies or procedures.

• Provides direction to student advising and retention activities by identifying best practices in advising and student development including providing interpretation of University and Faculty policies of a complex and unique nature.

• Provides oversight of the Facultys academic misconduct cases.

• Provides administrative direction to the Facultys Academic Committee on failed year appeals and is responsible for communicating the Committees decisions to students.

• Leads and oversees the review of year-end student records (sessional evaluation) and degree checks for graduation for all upper-year BASc students who are advised by this unit. Ensures that the process is rigorous so that curriculum and accreditation requirements are met and institutional policy is followed.

• Works with the Director to identify and develop policy and procedural changes for improved student experience.

• Responsible for managing the Academic Services portfolio budget and expenditures.

Digital Enablement & Internal Platforms/Systems

• Identifies implements trains and monitors academic-related systems supporting the administration and operation of APSC Central Student Services particularly the Undergraduate Academic Services team.

• Works with university partners including Enrolment Services and University IT to update implement or integrate Faculty policies on central student systems including setting up sessional evaluation rules.

• Provides leadership and direction to ensure internal systems are in place for the Undergraduate Advising unit including knowledge transfer systems (wiki) process management systems (SharePoint) and student communications which are critical to advising and supporting all APSC undergraduate programs.

• Responsible for planning the adaptation and use of information technology and ensuring Academic Advisors participate and have the resources required to perform their roles.

• Oversees the roll-out of University-wide student information systems and services and contributes to the ongoing development of UBCs e-administration vision as it pertains to scheduling registration and advising services in the Faculty.

• Works with the Associate Director Academic Systems to report on applied information technologies pertaining to APSC Central Student Services to evaluate the usage functioning and communication success of technologies in student advising recruitment retention and development.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
The Associate Director represents the Faculty of Applied Science and the University. Decisions must meet university objectives and policy and integrate with the vision and direction of the University. Incorrect decisions/judgments will directly affect the Universitys reputation with the professional community community groups students and APSC departments and schools as well as Engineering Accreditation.

Incorrect decisions would impact the Universitys current and future ability to recruit and retain students and engage alumni; the operation of the Engineering departments programs and services; and the reputation of the Faculty of Applied Science and the University.

Supervision Received
The Associate Director works with the Director APSC Student Services toward the achievement of established strategic goals and objectives. Work is reviewed based on effectiveness and achievement of functional goals and objectives.

Supervision Given
Manages and provides leadership and direction to a staff group that includes up to 11 professional staff. As part of the management team contributes to attracting developing and retaining top talent for the unit.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of five to six 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

• Demonstrated experience in senior-level administrative and leadership roles.

• Demonstrated experience in supervising and managing staff preferably in a higher education environment.

• Ability to delegate lead motivate coach and train staff.

• Excellent interpersonal and supervisory skills.

• Excellent intercultural knowledge and competency.

• Outstanding developmental student advising skills and demonstrated success in teaching and developing other professional staff to advise students.

• Deep and masterful knowledge of learning pedagogy and practice. Knowledgeable about current trends in higher education.

• Experience designing and delivering complex programs and services including evaluating and measuring program effectiveness.

• Knowledge of student transition and student experience or equivalent major student milestones is an asset.

• Ability to work effectively in teams and develop effective working relationships with students faculty staff volunteers and community members.

• Ability to think conceptually (i.e. use creative conceptual or inductive reasoning to identify patterns in complex data and identify key or underlying issues).

• Ability to interpret and apply complex policies regulations and technical information.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

• Ability to problem-solve creatively.

• Ability to be thorough accurate and have a high level of attention to detail.

• Ability to effectively use MS Office applications at an intermediate level.

• Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.

• Knowledge of University systems organizational structures processes and decision-making structures is an asset.

• Ability to effectively market and promote Applied Science.

• Thorough knowledge of the Universitys and Facultys undergraduate programs admission criteria student services and student life is preferred.