Position Overview
The Student Success Centre in Student and Enrolment Services is currently seeking a Full-time Limited Term Program Assistant for approximately 12 months.
The Scholars Academy Program Assistant works to support high-achieving students through providing reception and front-line advising support to students within the Scholars Academy Program and the First Year Scholars Program. The Program Assistant will assist with program planning and development, mentor, and mentee training, supporting communications with participating students and the Scholars Academy Council, and booking advising appointments with the Coordinator, Scholars Programs. The Program Assistant will also recruit, train and mentor student mentors and play a key role in ensuring the success of volunteer supported programming. The Assistant will support the Program Coordinator who works specifically with the University’s highest achieving students in developing academic and leadership skills to ensure strong candidacy for national and international scholarships and other high-profile honours.
This position reports to the Director, Student Success Centre, and receives daily direction from the Coordinator, Scholars Programs.
The primary purpose of the Program Assistant is to provide frontline advising and program support for the Scholars Academy Program and the First Year Scholars program; both programs support high achieving students and guide those students in achieving their academic and personal/leadership development goals. The Scholars Academy Program Assistant will also play a lead role in recruiting, training, and mentoring SSC peers as they participate in the First Year Scholars program delivery. Included in this work is supporting Coordinator Scholars programs and the Academic Strategist, First Year students, with all administrative duties, identifying and organizing speakers for the monthly speakers series, planning monthly journal club meetings, organizing the annual selection process for the Scholars Academy Program, maintaining the web site regularly, and sending out regular communications to all stakeholders related to the program to ensure timely delivery of all critical information. The Assistant will also help coordinate meetings for the Scholars Academy Advisory Council and take minutes at Council meetings. The Assistant demonstrates strong communication, facilitation, negotiation, leadership and customer service skills and upholds the credibility of the University in all areas of responsibility. The Assistant will also support other SSC administration as needed. The Assistant operates with a strong understanding of the impact of error and the ability to manage high stress factors due to caseload volume, the complexity of issues and peak periods.
Position Description
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
Mentorship and Advising:
- Plays a key role in recruiting, training, scheduling and supervising peer volunteers for First Year Scholars Programming.
- Provides frontline advising to students in the Scholars Academy program regarding awards dates and deadlines, available resources and programming.
- Coordinates primary communication for Scholars Academy and First Year Scholar (central email accounts, assisting and resolving inquiries, triaging student needs, and making referrals to appropriate SSC resources and staff, responding and tracking incoming and outgoing correspondence).
- Ensures the provision of excellent customer service to students, triaging student concerns and providing appropriate information and referrals to ensure student needs are addressed.
Programming Coordination and Event Planning
- Assist with planning the annual Scholars Academy retreat, including working with the Coordinator to develop the itinerary, manage all location bookings, book presenters, and develop activities for the students.
- Manage room bookings and catering orders for all meetings and special events.
- Support the Coordinator and Academic Strategist (First Year Students) with the coordination of special events for Scholars Academy and First Year Scholar students, including arranging Speaker Series, and booking SAP students’ attendance at prestigious University events and important lecture opportunities.
- Assist with the annual implementation and oversight of the Mentorship Program for the students in the Scholars Academy, including planning mentor/mentee training sessions and events.
Communications:
- Monitor major scholarship processes, including required qualifications and application deadlines and ensure students are aware of these processes; update Scholars Academy website accordingly and ensure critical information is included in monthly newsletter.
- Assist with annual Scholars Academy recruitment and application process, including communication of application process to the campus community, and coordinating and booking interviews.
- Support Coordinator through regular updating of website and program materials.
- Assist with the program’s promotion through implementation of monthly newsletter for Council and students in both the Scholars Academy and the First Year Scholars program.
Administrative:
- Work with the Coordinator, Scholars Programs and the Academic Strategist (First Year Students) to coordinate all administrative aspects of the Scholars Academy Program and the First Year Scholars Program.
- Support all administrative aspects of the recruitment of students into the Scholars Academy program.
- Coordinate the Scholars Academy professional development awards program, including coordination of selection committee, reconciling receipts for students who have received awards and ensuring expense claims are submitted in a timely fashion and follow University policy and procedures.
- Support some administrative aspects of the cohort service projects (ensuring student understanding of and compliance with University policy and procedures, assisting with expense reimbursement etc.)
- Prepare documents and reports for Advisory Council meetings and record minutes for the Advisory Council meetings.
- During the summer term, assist with administrative aspects of the SHAD Valley program at the University.
Qualifications / Requirements:
- University degree required.
- 1-2 years of experience working within student affairs / student services within a post-secondary environment required
- Experience with website maintenance, social media and event communications required.
- Strong sense of professionalism and the ability to work effectively with stakeholders who are both internal and external to the University
- Demonstrated commitment to exceptional, proactive student service
- Outstanding interpersonal communication skills, including written, oral, and in one on one and group settings
- Strong critical thinking, judgment, and decision-making skills
- Abilities in problem identification, reasoning, and ability to develop original ideas to solve problems
- Ability to work under pressure to meet strict and multiple timelines
- Demonstrated ability to be resourceful, creative, innovative, and flexible
- Ability to work effectively individually and as a team member
- Experience providing information and developing presentations for students
- Thorough knowledge of University policies, procedures and requirements including the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP)
Application Deadline: July 18, 2022
We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.
Additional Information
This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist/Advisor Job Family, Phase 1.
To find out more about management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary and all we have to offer, view our Management and Staff Careers website.
The University strongly recommends all faculty and staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
About the University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is Canada’s leading next-generation university – a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. Located in the nation’s most enterprising city, the university is making tremendous progress on its Eyes High journey to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, grounded in innovative learning and teaching and fully integrated with the community it both serves and leads. The University of Calgary inspires and supports discovery, creativity and innovation across all disciplines. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy in line with the foundational goals of Eyes High, committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (equity@ucalgary.ca) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (hrhire@ucalgary.ca).
We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.