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Program Specialist, Faculty of Science

Job ID: 30941
Location: Main Campus
Updated March 11, 2024

This job posting is no longer active.

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We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta.
The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 and 6.

Position Overview

The Department of Graduate Science Centre in the Faculty of Science is currently seeking a Full-time Limited Term Program Specialist for approximately 24 months.

Reporting to the Manager, Graduate Science Experience, the Program Specialist works closely with a Faculty of Science leadership team and the Faculty Administrative team to support graduate and undergraduate timetabling, enrolment management and graduate programs in the Faculty of Science. The incumbent will work within guidelines and frameworks, however, will be required periodically, to exercise judgment and decision-making around interpretations and applications of these, which can have a major impact on both student and program success. The incumbent understands fully the impact that their decisions will have on the programs and students. Strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills are required in order to deal effectively with complex tasks and issues. This position deals with routine and complex issues, providing advice and guidance to faculty members, students, and staff.

The position requires the ability to use discretion, maintain professionalism, confidentiality, and composure under pressure. The role also requires technical expertise, high-level discretionary decision-making, excellent diplomacy and strong communication skills. The incumbent must have the ability to work under pressure in an open space with multiple and simultaneous deadlines, frequent interruptions, shifting priorities and a high volume of work. In consultation with the Manager and the Team Leads, the incumbent will manage work priorities and deadlines in accordance with established procedures and faculty goals and objectives. Occasional overtime may be required during peak work periods.
 
The primary purpose of the Program Specialist is to act as a resource and expert advisor as related to scheduling, timetabling and enrollment management. The role is made up of three interrelated focus areas: to oversee the annual creation and submission of the timetable for the Faculty of Science graduate and undergraduate courses, to actively oversee the enrollment management of those courses throughout the year and provide accurate advice and guidance to both prospective and continuing graduate students in the Faculty of Science. The incumbent ensures students are given accurate direction and assistance regarding the programs and courses that students undertake as well as guidance on procedures, policies and regulations.

The scope of the position encompasses regular review of course enrollments, communications with key stakeholders to ensure course capacities and restrictions as well as course offerings are optimized. This position will coordinate the annual submission of the course timetable (Spring/Summer/Fall/Winter) and will review academic programs and course offerings in the Academic Calendar to provide guidance to internal stakeholders to ensure the Academic Calendar is up to date and accurately reflects faculty and program requirements.
 
The incumbent requires a high degree of knowledge of all Faculty of Science programs and is expected to possess in-depth knowledge of Faculty and University-level policies and regulations as well as best practices at all levels of the University structure. The incumbent is responsible for creating queries, analyzing data, identifying needs and enrollment issues, tracking room utilization, producing detailed statistical reports from which efficient, effective and strategic timetabling decisions can be made and providing recommendations. The incumbent is responsible for all aspects of the student record from pre-admission to graduation, including monitoring student program requirements from course registration, program changes, student funding, supervision, examinations and convocation clearance. This position requires flexibility and effective time management to address the large volume of work, the wide scope of the position and compliance to strict deadlines.
 

Position Description

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

  • Works closely with the leadership team to support graduate and undergraduate timetabling, including drafting course offering schedules, space allocation and timetable entry in PeopleSoft.
  • Provide guidance to the Faculty of Science leadership team and advises on setting strategic enrollment capacities based on estimated demand and projected enrollment trends order to help departments maximize resource efficiency and meet student demand.
  • Review enrolment numbers to determine if there is a need to increase or decrease lectures, lecture enrollment caps, room size, seats available and/or waitlist caps.
  • Monitors course enrollment, suggests and coordinates effective responses in conjunction with the faculty leadership team.
  • Using a thorough knowledge of all graduate and undergraduate science program degree requirements as detailed in the University of Calgary calendar recommends course offering schedules that best support the faculty and students.
  • Responsible for independently providing solutions and recommending changes to offerings; including in-depth analysist required in determining these recommendations.
  • Reviews and resolves, when possible, course offerings within the Faculty of Science including reserve capacities, requisites, low enrollment courses, and scheduling conflicts
  • Run registration reports as required by time of year and monitor and evaluate course registration effectiveness throughout the registration cycle.
  • Troubleshoot graduate and undergraduate registration issues and assist or escalate for resolution.
  • Maintain detailed and current knowledge of University scheduling and room utilization policies.
  • Manage and approve overload request for Faculty of Science courses.
  • Coordinates directed Independent Study offerings for individual students.
  • Supports exams, course evaluations and grade submissions and changes during peak periods.
  • Liaises with various faculties and units across the university to facilitate implementation of new or improved business processes.
  • Compiles and processes all admission and scholarship documentation including Grade Point Averages for review by the Admissions/Scholarships committees.
  • Advise current/prospective students in both a one-on-one and group setting regarding degree requirements and university policies and procedures.
  • Liaise with the GAT allocators in regards to teaching assignments and ensure that Assignment of Academic Duties (AoADs) and Offer Letters are processed and generated accordingly by following the GSA Collective Agreement.
  • Provide advice and assistance to students on all aspects of their academic experience, including progression and requirement matters for their chosen degree.
  • Identify students with GPA or progress problems, advises students, and recommends appropriate courses of action by the program.
  • Adheres to all university policy and regulatory requirements, including FOIP legislation.
  • Participate in cross-training to assist in other areas when needed and to meet graduate student support priorities.
  • Performs analysis and prepares reports to support program specific initiatives that enhance student experience in conjunction with leadership team.
  • Create, maintain and update PowerBI dashboards throughout the year. 
  • Using data analytics tools, set up and run demand analysis to identify upcoming student needs.
  • Create and Maintain program guides to support students in course selection and degree mapping (Graduate Professional Programs).

Qualifications / Requirements:

  • A post-secondary degree/diploma or equivalent experience.
  • 3-5 years' experience in student affairs and/or administering and managing program calendars and timetabling.
  • Proven reporting preparation expertise and data analysis.
  • Experience working in a large, dynamic team with proven personal effectiveness and productivity.
  • Excellent interpersonal and communications skills.
  • Exceptional organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills with a high attention to detail.
  • Ability to be resourceful, to think critically and creatively under pressure while exercising good judgement and discretion.
  • Ability to work independently while adhering to tight timelines, maintain confidentiality and must have the ability to be flexible, while managing a heavy workload during peak periods.
  • Advanced computer skills including MS Office Suite (including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and a high level of expertise in Excel).
  • Previous experience with Banner or PeopleSoft (Student Administration).
  • Previous experience with Sharepoint, Cognos, PowerBI, and Qualtrics.
  • In-depth knowledge of academic calendar including the ability to interpret policies, procedures and regulations.
  • Knowledge of university policies and procedures associated with the portfolio supported.
  • Knowledge of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
  • Ability to build relationships to accomplish goals with diverse groups within and outside of the Faculty of Science essential.

Application Deadline:  February 5, 2024

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 2.

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada’s entrepreneurial university, located in Canada’s most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada’s leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy  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 ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities , and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role. 

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.

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