Student Service Specialist

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Posting Information:

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

1 year term

This position is being offered as a contract opportunity.

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

The Student Service Centre (The Centre) is a unique one-stop service unit for undergraduate and graduate students that allows them the opportunity to have many of their non-academic needs met in one place. Partner departments include the Registrars Office Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs Student Awards & Financial Aid Student Financial Services Student Success Office and WatCard.

The incumbent represents these partner departments and provides proactive student-focused exceptional front-line service in a variety of formats to our diverse student population. The incumbent handles each interaction professionally effectively empathetically and in accordance with The Centres and the Universitys values with regard to student service diversity accessibility and inclusion.

Key Accountabilities

Service Delivery

Support future and current students by providing information in an accurate friendly empathetic student-focused and timely manner. The range of knowledge required is wide and varied.

Assist students by providing information primarily regarding admissions student records awards financial aid and the student financial account.

Inquiries will include but not be limited to: considering Waterloo application process course enrolment tuition and fee payments OSAP/bursary/award applications program changes withdrawals updates to personal information official grades enrolment verifications identity verifications convocation and official documents (University letters transcripts diplomas).

Triage the nature and complexity of inquiries and determine actions to be taken consulting with or handing off to partners as appropriate.

Maintain a student-focused mindset throughout despite workload demands and challenging interactions with students parents and guardians.

Proactively look for ways to enhance the students experience beyond their immediate request by being knowledgeable of additional or alternative options and resources available.

Produce official University documents including enrolment letters transcripts and diplomas.

Ensure a high degree of accuracy by conveying accurate and clear information to students and when producing official documents. Errors in this position can result in major negative implications to students and alumni. A high level of accuracy and attention to detail is required.

Excellent professional yet welcoming and friendly verbal and written communication is required as this position represents the university to prospective students current students and off campus stakeholders.

Verify student enrolment and alumni degrees for various purposes including employment immigration regional transit etc.

Verify the identity of an individual using procedures in place and have the discernment to recognize deception.

Update student records including name changes and course enrolment.

Must use discretion tact sound judgement and problem-solving skills and be able to know when and where to escalate an issue.

Remain friendly calm and clear-headed during situations where a student parent or guardian is upset and displeased.

Uphold privacy and confidentiality of student information as per Policy 46.

Propensity to work collaboratively in a team environment in particular with others who are performing the same role and who all rely on each other to complete the job duties.

Knowledgeable of our partner departments business processes and of faculty and university guidelines policies and procedures especially pertaining to academic progression student experience and success and privacy.

Accurately interpret and apply the appropriate regulations procedures and policies to the cases presented by students to offer them information concerning their situation and initiate a resolution of complex problems.

Administration Operations and Systems Support

Understand and support our various technology systems The Centre utilizes including the queuing system staff training and resource platform ticketing platform and digital credentialling system.

Able to adapt to new technologies and new business processes.

Responsible for opening and closing The Centre daily.

Receive payment for official documents bursary repayments and fines. Handle payments via cash debit credit card cheque or WatCard payment.

Maintain and organize confidential student records documents and forms.

Prepare packages for courier and regular mail often on tight timelines.

Knowledge Expertise and Continuous Improvement

Participate in ongoing training to ensure a deep knowledge-base in a wide variety of student service areas (i.e. Registrars Office Graduate Studies & Postdoctoral Affairs Student Financial Services Student Awards & Financial Aid Student Success Office) and the various Faculty Undergraduate and Graduate Offices.

Participate in training that involves equity inclusion diversity and accessibility.

Continuously contribute to maintaining the integrity of the information resource platform that provides clear concise relevant up-to-date information to assist Specialists when interacting with students.

Be cognizant of new trends and issues surfacing for students that need to be addressed and provide insight and perspective into how to solve the issue.

Be adaptable to a changing environment where new trends and continuous improvement will influence business processes.

Career Progression:

Typically incumbents will begin the role as USG 5. The first 6 weeks in the role is an immersive training period. Once complete the incumbent spends their first year learning the role and continuing the training.

Once all required training is completed with a full understanding of the tasks and with the proven ability to resolve challenges that arise concerning these accountabilities the incumbent will move to the operating level of the role (USG 6). There is an expectation that this will take no longer than one year.

At the operating level additional responsibilities are assigned.

Additional responsibilities include:

- Provide day-to-day advice and guidance to team members

- Assist in the process of hiring new Specialists

- Provide training during an incoming Specialists 6-week onboarding training program

- Write more complex sensitive or discrete Official University Letters including Letters of Permission letters to lawyers etc.

- Attend weekly campus partner meetings and speaking on behalf of The Centre

- Reconcile daily cash deposits and produce weekly reports

- Adhere to procedures for proper cash handling and balancing

- Troubleshoot issues when our tech systems fail

- Provide leadership if needed in the absence of the Director or Leads

- Monitor and delegate work to casual/co-op students of The Centre when applicable

- Lead and contribute to special projects when applicable

Required Qualifications

Education

University degree in relevant field and/or equivalent work experience.

Experience

Minimum 1-2 years of experience in a front-facing service role preferably in a post-secondary environment. A proven ability to provide exceptional front-line service in a fast-paced environment.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Excellent interpersonal problem solving written and verbal communication skills

Proven attention to detail

Ability to absorb large amounts of diverse information and details and then clearly and accurately condense and relay this information to multiple audiences

Demonstrated ability to handle confidential information with discretion

Ability and propensity to be part of a team including support others with workload demands

Strong student-service mindset

Ability to balance multiple priorities in a busy work environment

Ability to problem solve

Experience with the Microsoft suite an asset

Experience using Skype for Business an asset

Experience using a student information system an asset

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.