Assistant to Head

University of British Columbia•Vancouver, BC

4d•CA$4,739 - CA$5,102•Onsite

About The Position

This position provides executive administrative support to the Department Head, responsible for coordinating the Head’s schedules, organizing meetings chaired by the Head, supporting the faculty ARPT processes and faculty searches, overseeing visiting appointments, coordinating seminar, conferences and special events, and preparing reports and compiling statistical data of a complex nature for the Head, as needed. This position also provides HR processing support to the Administrative Manager. This position assists with the Department’s communications including basic website content updates and is responsible for coordinating the flow of information, ensuring accurate and timely delivery of administrative services for the Head’s office. The incumbent requires thorough knowledge of the activities of the Department Head and the objectives of the Department, and requires a high degree of diplomacy, tact, good judgment, initiative, confidentiality and professionalism is expected.

Requirements

High School graduation, plus a two year post-secondary diploma, plus 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

Nice To Haves

Ability to effectively use MS Office including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Strong organizational, interpersonal and analytical skills.
Ability to be thorough, accurate, and have a high level of attention to detail.
Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.
Ability to actively listen and probe for information to clarify complex requests.
Provides interpretation of a complex nature.
Ability to work with people in a high stress environment.
Ability to effectively deal with people at all levels with tact, discretion, diplomacy and understanding.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and protect sensitive information.
Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities.
Ability to anticipate problems and issues and plan ahead.
Ability to provide training and instruction of a routine nature in areas of expertise.
Ability to effectively use spreadsheet, database and scheduling applications at an advanced level.
Ability to take and transcribe accurate meeting minutes.
Ability to compose complex correspondence and reports.
Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment.

Responsibilities

Acts as personal and confidential executive assistant to the Head, screens all incoming materials; referring matters for reply or additional information and prioritizing for the attention of the Head.
Maintains the Department Head’s complex appointment calendar, to maximize efficient and effective use of Head’s time.
Organizes and supports in-person and virtual meetings hosted by the Head (including room booking, virtual meeting link set-up).
Makes complex travel arrangements.
Advises the Head of impending work deadlines for internal commitments.
Keeps the Head informed of a variety of events.
Responds to oral and written requests; screens requests and enquiries; determines priorities.
Utilizes a thorough knowledge of the Department, and strong communication and interpersonal skills to respond effectively, which requires judgment and initiative when responding to information requests.
Uses tact and discretion when gathering/sharing confidential and/or sensitive information.
Provides coordination and administrative support for various senior departmental committees and meetings including the Departmental Meetings, Head’s Advisory Committee, Departmental Personnel Standing Committee, Merit Committee, Search Committees, and ad hoc group meetings by compiling and distributing meeting agendas and various materials, doing topic search, taking and transcribing minutes, following up with committee members on action items, and coordinating the implementation of the committees' decisions as required.
Coordinates the faculty searches in the Department.
Supports faculty search committees.
Interprets and coordinates the implementation of university and Faculty policies and procedures.
Maintains ongoing awareness of university policy and procedural changes pertaining to search processes and brings changes to the attention of the Head and Chair of the Search Committee.
Coordinates campus visits by shortlisted candidates in faculty searches.
Acts as point person for all candidates during their visits.
Working closely with the Head and Chair of the Search Committee as well as the Dean's office to coordinate the itinerary, accommodation, transportation, presentations, collection of feedback from the community and other related arrangements.
Coordinates the ARPT processes in the Department.
Schedules the Departmental Standing Personnel Committee (DSPC) meetings and ensures that DSPC members are provided with required materials prior to meeting dates.
Keeps track and follows through on action items.
Interprets and coordinates the implementation of university and Faculty policies and procedures.
Maintains ongoing awareness of university policy and procedural changes pertaining to the ARPT processes and brings changes to the attention of the Head and the Committee as needed.
Collects annual summary of activities from faculty members; provides coordination and administrative support for the Merit Committee and the Head.
Working with the Administrative Manager, plans and coordinates monthly departmental seminars, including corresponding with hosts and speakers, preparing materials, arranging venue, tape recording, catering and advertising.
Provides support for conferences, including setting up e-payment to collect payments online, and providing conference registration updates to organizers.
Assists the Administrative Manager in planning and coordinating special events, meetings, retreats, strategic planning meetings and workshops for the Department and provides high-level executive assistance for external departmental reviews.
Selects and books venue, arranges catering, audiovisual equipment, prepares and distributes programs and materials.
Liaises with the Faculty’s Marketing & Communication Office to support the Department’s communications needs.
Researches, generates, coordinates, proofreads and edits content for communication media including web communications and digital signage.
Updates the department’s website content, ensuring information accuracy.
Responds to telephone, email and in-person inquiries that may be confidential, sensitive or complex in nature, and provides information in a professional and tactful manner.
Drafts, edits, and formats reports, statistics, letters, slides, ensuring a high standard of accuracy and presentation quality throughout.
Works with the Head and the Department leadership team in the development, improvement and implementation of practices, policies, procedures to ensure the effective and efficient administration of the unit.
Ensures that proper workflow and systems are implemented and consistently followed.
Updates the departmental policies and guidelines handbook annually.
Coordinates teaching award nominations.
Coordinates the annual DSPC and Merit Committee elections.
Maintains faculty personnel files, including a bring-forward system for items needing follow-up actions, including promotion and tenure documentation, periodic reviews, requests for information for promotion packages, and others.
Responsible for all aspects of the department's visiting appointments, including facilitating adjudication of applications, processing HR appointments, and providing on-going administrative support during their visits.
Supports the Administrative Manager in processing appointments in Workday as required.
Designs and maintains complex relational databases on appointments of faculty, sessional lecturers, staff, and graduate students for statistical and record-keeping purposes; trains other staff on use of Access Database.
Establishes and maintains consistent electronic and physical filing systems for HR records to ensure complete and accurate record keeping for the Department.
Duties include creating, archiving, and culling digital and paper files, managing records of confidential faculty personnel files, and ensuring that all files are kept up to date in full compliance with UBC policies and procedures.
Assists with special projects and performs other related duties as required.