Operations and Information Systems Specialist

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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: November 4 2027.

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

The Operations and Information Specialist plays a critical role in ensuring the Registrars Office functions with efficiency consistency and compliance. Acting as the central hub for administrative and operational activities this position oversees documentation governance procedural standardization and project coordination to support strategic objectives within the Registrars Office. The role is responsible for managing centralized repositories maintaining accurate records and ensuring adherence to institutional policies retention schedules permissions and access and audit requirements. By streamlining workflows facilitating communication and supporting decision-making the Operations and Information Specialist enables operational excellence across all seven units. Additionally this position leads onboarding resource management and health and safety compliance while championing process improvements that enhance service delivery and organizational effectiveness.

Key Accountabilities

Project Governance & Support

• Organize and support meetings (e.g. Sprint Planning/Retro Cross-Functional SIS Steering Product Owner/Unit Meetings Office wide meetings audit focused meetings and ad hoc initiatives)

• Own creation of agendas tracking of outcomes actions work and correspondence to ensure timely information flow.

• Provide analysis and recommendations to managers on service delivery issues.

• Define and standardize the end-to-end process of capturing and organizing key information for project documents; govern milestone tracking and meeting data in project management tools to maintain visibility and accountability.

• Provide deadline reminders and escalate issues to managers as needed; support project closing by ensuring documentation is available for lessons learned and updating impacted processes tools and templates.

• Manage the auditing process ensuring RO staff and project related staff have the appropriate system access and permissions.

Documentation Development and Management

• Create maintain and streamline centralized documentation ensuring accuracy version control and consistency across all teams and processes.

• Manage and support centralized documentation repositories and communication platforms (Teams Confluence Jira) to ensure information is accurate accessible and up to date.

• Own and maintain Student Systems Support and RO JSM portals; build and maintain forms automations and user access groups.

• Create plans and gain consensus to standardize tools processes meeting cadence and documentation across systems teams.

• Apply a consistent approach to tracking milestones and deadlines; develop processes and systematic guidelines that improve clarity efficiency and consumption of outputs.

• Identify and advocate for process improvements for project teams; produce clear precise reports and updates for stakeholders.

• Oversee archiving and destruction of student and office records in compliance with Policy 46 and WatClass retention schedules.

Administration and Procedural Standardization

• Develop and implement standardized administrative procedures to support efficient consistent workflows across the department.

• Manage centralized repositories for documentation ensuring staff have access to current forms guidelines templates and procedural tools.

• Review documentation prepared by teams to ensure compliance with procedural standards clarity and accuracy before finalization or dissemination.

• Establish and sustain administrative procedures for document management scanning archival practices file retention distribution lists and office-wide communications.

• Lead procedural documentation; guide managers and staff on interpretation and application of university policies guidelines and registrarial procedures while maintaining confidentiality.

• Gather and synthesize information from teams and project managers to support senior decision-making.

• Serve as a resource for staff and the management group ensuring documentation forms and orientation materials are accurate and available.

Administrative Operations

• Provide support for core administrative functions across all Registrars Office units ensuring operational efficiency and alignment.

• Coordinate internal RO communications acting as a central point of contact.

• Manage central office resources and supplies including procurement reconciliation and budget tracking to support effective resource utilization.

• Lead onboarding and offboarding processes for staff ensuring a smooth transition and adherence to established protocols. Support onboarding by preparing and maintaining orientation and training materials.

• Plan and execute events and meetings on behalf of the Registrar and leadership team including public-facing engagements; develop presentation materials and align session content with strategic objectives and key timelines.

• Administer key control and security access and maintain accurate records to uphold security standards across the office.

• Monitor and maintain training compliance records ensuring staff meet institutional and regulatory requirements.

• Serve as Health and Safety Coordinator championing compliance with university standards and fostering a safe inclusive work environment.

• Provide guidance to managers and staff on the interpretation and application of departmental and institutional policies ensuring alignment with established standards.

• Identify gaps in administrative workflows and recommend enhancements to procedures documentation practices and communication channels.

• Serve as a central contact point for distributing procedural updates ensuring consistent communication of changes to managers and teams.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Post-Secondary education and/or a suitable combination of education and work experience in post-secondary environment.

• Education in Business Administration Operations Management Leadership in Student Affairs or related/equivalent field a strong asset.

Experience

• 35 years of experience in administrative operations and project coordination in a multi-unit organization with a proven track record in leading project and process improvement initiatives.

• Experience working in an academic support unit in a post-secondary environment.

• Experience in documentation management and workflow standardization.

• Experience working in a deadline driven environment and proven experience and ability in

managing multiple tasks that require attention to detail with a strong focus on accuracy and consistency in documentation compliance and procedural execution.

• Demonstrated experience effectively using multiple software applications Microsoft suite including

Excel Word Power Point Visio JIRA MS Teams and Confluence.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Ability to work effectively in a team and independently to manage competing priorities and to adapt to a changing environment.

• Proven ability to work closely with managers and cross-functional teams fostering trust and cooperation.

• Excellent organizational problem solving and time management skills.

• Ability to centralize maintain and ensure accessibility of documentation across multiple platforms.

• Ability to streamline workflows standardize procedures and contribute to operational efficiency.

• Demonstrated ability to inspire action without formal authority which requires strong interpersonal skills a demonstrated ability to build relationships with a variety of stakeholders and to be able to encourage in a positive manner the ongoing progress of their work.

• Proven ability to research gather analyze information and data to produce clear and precise outputs reports and recommendations.

• Clear and professional written and verbal communication skills including the ability to provide and present timely and relevant updates and reporting conveying information effectively to managers staff and stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to apply new concepts tools and processes.

• Attitude and aptitude for continuous improvement and change management coupled with a pragmatic and flexible approach to getting things done; independently or in a team setting.

• Demonstrated experience producing high quality error and omission-free deliverables within tight deadlines.

• Commitment to handling sensitive information with integrity and in compliance with institutional policies and with topics and matters that are confidential and sensitive.

• Capacity to identify process gaps recommend improvements and resolve administrative challenges proactively.

• Understanding of institutional policies regulatory requirements and ability to ensure adherence in administrative practices.

• Comfortable adjusting to changing priorities timelines and organizational needs.

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.