Writing and Communication Advisor, Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Support

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Posting Information:
This posting is for an existing vacancy.

This position is being offered as a temporary contract. Contract end date: March 30 2028.

Please note that the salary ranges listed reflect full-time hours. The final salary will be adjusted based on the part-time hours for this position. This is a part-time position working 14 hours a week.

This is a Career Path position. The final level will be determined based on demonstrated skills and experience.
Anticipated hiring ranges:
USG 8: $$65973 - $82466
USG 9: $$71827 - $89784

USG 10: $78214 - $97768

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

Reporting to the Manager Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Fellow Programs the Writing and Communication Advisor is responsible for performing a range of teaching coaching and development activities in order to develop graduate and undergraduate students writing speaking presenting and visual communication competencies for academic work research communication and professionalization. These competencies are directly linked to undergraduate and graduate degree level expectations. Although they are focused on graduate student and postdoctoral fellow competencies the incumbent also advises undergraduate students across all academic programs and all levels and they must be familiar with a significant range of academic disciplinary genres and conventions as well as with the general expectations for students at different levels of degree completion. Using a range of research-supported pedagogical strategies the incumbent teaches coaches and supports students and postdoctoral fellows in individual appointments and in group appointments. Depending on what is required they may develop design and facilitate workshops and other programs to target specific communication skills and strategies; they may collaborate with faculty to develop and deliver customized workshops for classes research labs and institutes and academic programs; and they may produce accessible synchronous and asynchronous virtual sessions learning objects and resources using various technologies and platforms. The incumbent works in a collaborative environment with responsibilities for information sharing and teamwork on projects including taking the lead on organizational initiatives as required.

This is a job ladder position and as such incumbents will have opportunities to develop competencies in areas identified by the job ladder rubric. At times Writing and Communication Advisors with a disciplinary or subject area specialization may be recruited and designated as a subject expert to provide an intensive teaching focus for that area.

Key Accountabilities

Support undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in developing academic and professional writing competencies speaking and presentation competencies language learning and/or visual communication:

Foster strong respectful and supportive advising relationships with people from a range of backgrounds experience levels language levels learning experiences and academic programs

Develop trust with people one-on-one; attend to the values and needs of the person seeking service

Cultivate an environment that supports the equitable development of resiliency self-efficacy and agency

Support people in defining and articulating learning goals or outcomes and with creating pathways to success in meeting those goals

Assess peoples prior learning/knowledge/experiences; adapt teaching to and scaffold learning based on persons current level/status

Support and encourage reflexive active and self-directed learning

Recommend relevant resources tools and other supports for the person based on their learning trajectory and goals

Facilitate sessions using relevant and appropriate strategies for the person and situation: directive and non-directive teaching; inquiry/questioning; scaffolding; reflection; genre analysis; rhetorical analysis; etc.

Ensure that principles of equity specifically related to language and linguistic equity are upheld in all aspects of teaching and support while promoting writers agency

Address teaching to the relevant stage(s) of the composing process; help to identify and define challenging stages of peoples composing processes such as brainstorming/ideation developing a research focus or question reading research taking notes comparing evidence planning and outlining composing components or sections for discipline-specific genres integrating evidence signposting and transitioning drafting and revising creating data visualizations integrating visuals designing documents or presentations visually editing and polishing responding to and integrating feedback practicing public speaking and presenting etc.

Provide expert advice on such topics and processes as writing productivity academic publishing professional communication presentations public scholarship managing large writing projects etc.

Assist people with understanding and integrating feedback on their writing and communication

Support people in determining future actions and planning next steps for their writing and communication tasks and projects and for their overall progress and learning

Develop familiarity with various online teaching and tutoring platforms as used by the WCC to support students in virtual remote sessions.

Enhance the WCCs reputation as source for writing and communication expertise and strengthen internal capacity to provide excellent research-based programming

Build and manage positive relationships with students postdoctoral fellows faculty and campus partners

Educate campus colleagues on referral processes resources and workshop/program opportunities

Facilitate access to writing and communication resources that anticipate and target campus partners needs in supporting students

Identify gaps and needs in communication skills and support and share these with colleagues and leadership and seek to fill these gaps collaboratively when possible.

Support students registered with AccessAbility as requested and advised by Learning Strategists

Develop a teaching praxis that is supported by current research on composition processes teaching models and strategies and academic and professional genres.

Stay apprised of and review new programs workshops resources etc. developed by WCC colleagues

Advise and support colleagues with teaching observations reflection on and review of teaching sessions etc.

Make suggestions for and participate in professional development opportunities to enhance teaching and student development.

Ensure that values of equity and inclusivity are embedded in programs policies processes and relationships

Research and develop teaching programs and workshops to meet general and discipline-specific communication skills and strategies

Propose programs based on identifying needs and gaps in communication skills

Conduct research into genre composition and/or teaching models and strategies as needed

Design interactive and practice-based workshops on writing- and communication-related topics

Help deliver a variety of continuing and multi-day programs either individually or as part of a team including

oEnglish language programs

oThesis and dissertation writing

oAcademic speaking support

oPublication

oWriting groups

Develop program and workshop materials including power-points handouts and activities to facilitate learning within a diverse group of learners

Assess the success of workshops and programs based on developed learning outcomes

Develop and maintain writing and communication resources / learning tools

Develop and design a variety of material and digital research-based writing and communication resources

Manage the design and development of projects related to the creation of resources online modules or online content Assess and recommend the use of external resources for use and recommendation by the WCC

Assess the success of resources and/or learning tools and make amendments or recommendations for action as required

Administration and special projects

Assist with schedule management providing timely feedback and input during planning and by entering or amending information in the online booking calendar

Document activities for metrics and assessment

Write reports about initiatives and programs as required

Assist with marketing and communications plans by writing web content writing blogs posting on social media and/or writing copy for outgoing communications and participating in outreach initiatives as necessary

Support student peer tutors by participating in training providing mentorship and giving feedback as requested

Research and professional development

Stay apprised of research related to fields of teaching writing studies writing centre studies etc.

Participate in relevant professional associations by attending conferences webinars and other professional development opportunities

Participate in research projects as appropriate

Required Qualifications

Education

Masters degree or equivalent in a field related to language writing/composition discourse rhetoric linguistics communication writing centre studies TESOL education etc. or Masters degree in any field plus experience teaching or tutoring in writing and/or communication

If the incumbent is designated as the STEM specialist role for this program area a degree in a STEM field plus experience teaching or tutoring in writing and/or communication is required

Experience

Minimum of one year tutoring or teaching experience at the post-secondary level ideally at both undergraduate and graduate levels

Teaching experience in a writing centre or writing program is ideal

Experience teaching English language learners is an asset

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Demonstrates excellent communication skills both written and verbal as well as strong

interpersonal and collaboration skills

Demonstrates sound judgement discretion and problem-solving skills

Motivated self-directed able to work independently and collaboratively

Able to be productive in a fast-paced time-constrained workplace and can balance multiple priorities

Demonstrates knowledge of writing/composition pedagogy that is culturally competent and grounded in an equity framework

Demonstrates an understanding of workshop and group education

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.