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Job Title

Department

Compensation Range

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

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

Job End Date

This position will be filled internally. It is posted for informational purposes only.

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 Centralized Co-op Education Program at UBC’s Okanagan campus offers students enriched educational experiences for personal and professional growth by working with diverse community partners and sectors to provide transformative workplace learning as part of students’ undergraduate degree programs.

This position is responsible for the development, implementation, coordination and evaluation of the Centralized Co-op Education program at the UBC Okanagan campus. This includes designing and implementing strategies to market the program to employers nationally and internationally, recruiting students and providing counselling to students to prepare for co-op work terms one-on-one and in groups, monitoring student work terms and addressing any workplace issues that students encounter, providing evaluation and analysis of work terms and student success each term, collaborating with other experiential education and community engaged professionals at UBC and throughout the province and the day-to-day administration of the program. This position will work across all disciplines included within the Centralized Co-op Education Program, including working with the other program coordinators and students as required. This position will further enact a commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonized practice through continued program development and improvement, using an anti-oppressive, anti-racist, gender positive, service equity approach.

Organizational Status

This position reports to the Manager, Co-operative Education. This position is responsible for contacting industry representatives and liaising with faculty, staff and students involved in the Centralized Co-op Program.

This position is responsible for maintaining strong working relationships with faculty and staff within the four Faculties involved (Faculty of Science, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies and Faculty of Health and Social Development), along with building and maintain linkages across campus, the UBC community and the broader Central Okanagan community in support of student engagement and learning.

Work Performed

• Develops, implements, coordinates and evaluates the Centralized Co-op Education program at the UBC Okanagan campus. This includes designing and implementing strategies to market the program to employers nationally and internationally, recruiting students and providing counselling to students to prepare for co-op work terms one-on-one and in groups, monitoring student work terms and addressing any workplace issues that students encounter, providing evaluation and analysis of work terms and student success each term, collaborating with other experiential education and community engaged professionals at UBC and throughout the province and the day-to-day administration of the program.
• Researches and identifies job opportunities for co-op work terms. Contacts employer, building and maintaining relationships through phone, virtual and face-to-face meetings and presentations.

• Establishes and maintains effective relationships with employers and develops new employer contacts. Participates in trade shows, career fairs and other employment related events.

• Works with employers to develop appropriate co-op work terms consistent with academic guidelines set by faculty members and the Manager, Co-operative Education.

• Coordinates the selection of students for the co-op program. Liaises with faculty co-op advisors and the Manager to apply appropriate selection criteria.

• Liaises with other career professionals within the university to promote the effective functioning of the program and to ensure that standards are maintained in communicating internally and externally.

• Develops and implements a marketing plan for the co-op program in conjunction with the Manager. Designs and edits marketing materials for the Centralized Co-op Program.

• Assists in providing a program of pre-employment training for students prior to their first work term. Contributes to development of relevant training materials along with the Manager and other UBC Co-op staff. Teaches a series of pre-employment workshops, providing feedback and assessment for all required learning.

• Conducts sessions in career counselling either individually or in groups to prepare students for employment.

• Oversees the keeping of records on student work terms and assessment of learning experience including, grading of work term reports, tracking and conducting mid-term check meetings and reviewing evaluations providing feedback overall to the student. Liaises with the applicable Dean’s office, and Registrar to ensure that information is accurately reported for students’ academic records.

• Conducts employer visits and feedback sessions to assess overall Co-op program delivery, effectiveness, and relevance to employers and future employer requirements.

• With the Manager deals with workplace safety concerns, employment issues (including harassment and employment equity), intellectual property rights and confidentiality concerns raised by students and/or employers.

• Participates in development and management of the budget for the Centralized Co-op Program. Prepares reports on student work terms for submission to outside agencies in conjunction with the Manager.

• Develops the appropriate forms for application to the Centralized Co-op Program and for assessment of student learning throughout the program.

• Performs other related duties as required.

The coordinator assists the Manager in areas of strategic planning and operational procedures for the program encouraging (re)development of initiatives and activities that address the changing needs and diversity of the campus. Evaluates trends in order to recommend, advocate and initiate responsive and proactive change within the program. Exercises individual judgement in organizing work, dealing with students and faculty and other external agencies. Exercises judgement in dealing with employers, faculty members and students.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

This position assists the Manager in areas of strategic planning and operational procedures for the program encouraging (re)development of initiatives and activities that address the changing needs and diversity of the campus. Evaluates trends in order to recommend, advocate and initiate responsive and proactive change within the program. Exercises individual judgement in organizing work, dealing with students and faculty and other external agencies. Exercises judgement in dealing with employers, faculty members and students. 

Makes decisions in collaboration with the Manager and also independently. Incorrect decisions would adversely affect the reputation of the Centralized Co-op program, which would prevent the program from achieving its targets. The reputation of other UBC co-op programs and of the campus and the university generally would also be harmed by poor decisions. Failure to deliver effective and timely service to employers could result in a loss of industry and community support, which would seriously damage the effectiveness of this student learning experience. Failure to equip students for the workplace and to give sound advice could lead to problems during co-op work terms.

Supervision Received

Reports to the Manager, Cooperative Education. Works under general direction.  Work subject to review in relation to program goals.

Supervision Given

Assists in supervising other staff working for the program, including students. Coordinators are authorized to remove students from the Centralized Co-op Program for poor performance both on and off the work place.

Minimum Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
• Minimum of four years’ experience or the 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

• Master’s degree with Co-operative Education experience preferred.

• Several years experience working in a post secondary or professional environment.

• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to build and maintain productive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

• Experience working with Indigenous people/organizations, people with diverse abilities, and people of colour in post-secondary education.

• Proven sensibility and appreciation of the role that gender, race, disability, gender identity, sexuality, social background play in the experience of students.

• Demonstrated leadership, interpersonal and written and oral communications skills, including public speaking.

• Experience in adult education design and development.