Manager, Student Development and Support

Job Category
M&P – AAPS

Job Profile
AAPS Salaried – Student Management, Level B

Job Title
Manager, Student Development and Support

Department
Graduate Student Professional Development Dean’s Office, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Compensation Range
$6,551.00 – $9,418.83 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date
March 21, 2024

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

Please provide a cover letter as part of your application as applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (G+S) has oversight of 9300 master’s and doctoral students, and supports an additional 1000 master’s students with academic homes in disciplinary faculties. A significant aspect of its support for graduate students and programs is the provision, promotion, and support of professional and personal development (PPD) along with student engagement and community building opportunities for students. These are integral to an outstanding graduate school experience, and help pave the way for a successful tenure in graduate school and a successful transition to careers.

The Graduate Pathways to Success (GPS) program within G+PS is designed to complement academic programming and supports graduate students in their development of the competencies and skills needed to thrive both within their graduate program as well as in their future careers,  and with the capacity to make meaningful contributions to society.
The GPS program includes in person workshops and online webinars on a wide range of topics such as proactive professional planning, applying for scholarships and awards, developing professional working relationships, time and self-management, team management, financial management, project management, statistics, communication and presentation skills, conflict resolution, and navigating difficult conversations. Included in GPS programming is a web-based Graduate Game Plan to assist graduate students with planning their graduate journey as well as the annual Three Minute Thesis oral presentation competition. The GPS Manager is also a key member of the GradStart new graduate student orientation organizing committee which conducts orientation sessions for new graduate students in August/September and January as well as the pre-arrival webinars supporting both of these events which take place year-round. Year-round orientation activities include e-mail campaigns along with student connection and community building activities. Initiatives beyond the above may be developed, depending on resources, need, and opportunity.
The GPS Manager is key in leading the provision and promotion of program workshops and will often offer programs in conjunction with various stakeholders across campus, including, the UBC Career Centre, the Applied Statistics and Data Science Group, the UBC Library, as well as individual staff and faculty members.  Many GPS sessions are hosted by external facilitators with subject expertise. 

The GPS Manager is responsible for evaluating and reporting back on program content, attendance, feedback, and budget.
The Manager of the GPS program will work with these outcomes in mind:
1. Provision of centrally provided graduate student professional development opportunities which are of high quality and appropriate and responsive to the needs of graduate students both during their graduate programs and after.
2. Clear assessment of the impact and value of the Graduate Pathways to Success programming toward the educational mission of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and UBC.
Organizational Status
Reports to the Director of Graduate Student Professional Development, Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
Supervises the GPS Assistant, and works closely with stakeholders representing various units across campus who support graduate student professional development.
Work Performed

Graduate Pathways to Success (GPS) Workshops and Webinars 50%

• Ensures the goals and objectives for the GPS program are being met
• Manages the implementation, and ongoing evaluation of all GPS training modules for graduate students, ensuring that timeliness of program content, deadlines, capacity and mode of delivery are optimal
• Liaises with key campus service providers to ensure GPS workshops and services are meeting the needs of the graduate student community
• Identifies and retains external facilitators or speakers, reviews session content, and works to ensure they use approaches that are in line with GPS philosophy.
• Provides advice to facilitators specific to best practices and approaches for graduate student-relevant content and session logistics and delivery
• Negotiates contracts for services with workshop facilitators (within established budget guidelines)
• Liaises with facilitators to ensure they are prepared for events; sends calendar invites, gathers pertinent information including any pre-work requirements, and provides registration updates including any accessibility requirements.
• Shares the GPS facilitator guide with all facilitators to ensure they are aware of UBC’s Respectful Environment Statement to ensure we provide an inclusive and respectful environment for learning
• Oversees the work of the Program Assistant to ensure that all workshop arrangements for rooms, A/V, catering and workshop materials have been made
• Reviews and edits workshop and on-line materials to ensure relevance of content to graduate student audience. Controls editorial flow and production of website content from original event publishing through to posting of all post-event recordings and handouts
• Oversees the set up and independently manages events both in person and online, welcoming participants into the room, managing technology for online and hybrid sessions, recording events, providing welcoming and closing remarks, monitoring the chat and in person Q&A, and assisting the facilitators with breakout rooms/small group work, etc.
• Surveys workshop attendees and on-line participants for satisfaction. Provides feedback synopses to individual facilitators after sessions, recommending areas for improvement for future sessions including suggestions based on knowledge of best practices. Evaluates topic suggestions provided by student feedback to inform future workshops topics.
• Keeps statistics on attendance and creates the GPS workshop annual report for reporting to the Director, the Dean and graduate programs.
• Manages the GPS annual budget, ensuring facilitator fees and workshop expenses remain within budget expectations. Consults with the Director of Graduate Student Professional Development to review and assess annual budgetary needs.
• Evaluates modes of content delivery and works, in collaboration with the Director as well as faculty, staff and external facilitators, to develop asynchronous content to complement synchronous workshops.
• Stays informed on professional development needs through actively engaging in relevant newsletters and books.

Special Event and Engagement Programming 45%

• Serves on the organizing committees for large scale events including the annual Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition, New Graduate Student Orientation (GradStart), First year experience activities, and other student development and engagement programming.
• Is responsible for organizing relevant and timely professional development for 3MT and GradStart.
• Provides experiential learning opportunities to graduate students by inviting them to moderate faculty/industry expert panel sessions, and participate on student panels, within the GPS and GradStart Programming.
• For 3MT, participates in pre-event individual personal feedback sessions to advise participants on how to improve their presentations and works with the Director on all event management, including hosting of Open Heats, semi-finals and final, selection of adjudicators, etc. as required.
• Helps review e-mail correspondence, pre-arrival (GradStart) webinar programming, event materials, etc.
• Attends, helps set up, and presents at PhD Connections and Candidacy to Completion orientation programming
• Assists the Director of Graduate Student Professional Development with website updates, including the Graduate Game Plan, community.grad.ubc.ca, 3mt.grad.ubc.ca, and orientation.grad.ubc.ca, helping to ensure content is user-friendly, up-to-date, relevant, and accurate.

Other Duties (5%):

• Participates in the national Graduate and Postdoctoral Development Network to keep current on trends and contribute to the conversation on graduate student professional development needs
• Serves as backup to the Director for meetings and presentations on graduate student professional development
• Other duties as assigned commensurate with the skills and experience required in the position

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Highest degree of judgment and initiative required. The quality, ethics, integrity, and accuracy of the workshops and materials produced by this position are critical to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Inappropriate or inaccurate statements may seriously affect the image and reputation of individuals, the Faculty and of the University as a whole. Inappropriate, ineffectual or poor messaging in communications content could result in loss of students, low recruitment, or negative perception of the GPS program. Additionally, any errors and/or omissions in judgment could seriously undermine the roles, responsibilities and effectiveness of The Dean and Vice-Provost and/or Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Supervision Received
Reports directly to Director of Graduate Student Professional Development. This incumbent is expected to work independently and in consultation with others named above. They set their own objectives, targets, and deadlines, and develop strategies to align with G+PS strategic priorities as established by the G+PS leadership team. The incumbent is held accountable for appropriateness of objectives, targets and deadlines, and effectiveness of strategies.
Supervision Given
Supervises the day-to-day work of the GPS Program Assistant. Functional guidance provided to workshop facilitators, speakers, consultants, and any other professionals providing service to the GPS, such as a communication or design professionals.
Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of three to four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
– Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

– Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degree preferred.
• A minimum of two to three years of additional experience in educational program development and delivery; including assessment and evaluation, or coaching and professional development.
• Experience in public relations, journalism or marketing an asset.
• Experience in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies an asset.
• Experience designing, implementing, and evaluating leadership and professional development workshops.
• Experience with online learning programs.
• Exceptional ability to engage and build rapport with a diverse community.
• Proven and comprehensive program development and management ability.
• Effective oral and written communication, presentation, interpersonal, problem solving and organization skills.
• Superior communication skills. Ability to adapt writing styles for various purposes and audiences.
• Must have the ability to speak before large and small groups and conduct workshops; expertise in facilitation.
• Proven skills in program development and with needs and attitudes of graduate students, faculty, employers and career development professionals.
• The ideal candidate possesses an understanding and/or interest in University culture and an understanding of the nature of graduate level research and training.
• Knowledge of current issues concerning graduate education and a balance of creative, technical, analytical and social/interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of the work world and graduate student responsibilities is essential.
• Must have general knowledge of the principles, practices and trends of the Career Development Field.
• General knowledge of resources and ability to obtain information on career trends and job openings is required
• Demonstrated capacity for innovation, idea generation, research, analysis, strategic thinking, budget and project management.
• Ability to work well with others, demonstrated effective intercultural communication skills, and the ability to deal professionally and diplomatically with faculty, staff, students and the general public.
• Ability to adjust to change and work in team environments.
• A self-starter who can work independently.
• Must be highly organized with ability to prioritize assignments.
• Proven multi-tasking skills, including ability to work effectively under pressure, handle heavy volumes, and meet demanding deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail
• Demonstrated working knowledge of publishing, website development, and communications product development.
• Demonstrated design experience in print and web or the ability to manage a plan for the program.
• Computer Skills: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Internet Research, Email (Outlook).
• Other Computer Skills that would be an asset: SPSS, HTML, Assorted Design & Layout Programs.