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This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Term 18 months

Internal posting expires Friday October 16th at 11:59 PM

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

The Student Transition and Engagement Officer is responsible for the development and facilitation of events, initiatives, and processes that foster undergraduate student engagement and enhance the student experience from the time of admission to graduation. The incumbent liaises with the undergraduate academic advisors, student leaders, Faculty of Health staff and faculty, and other university staff to support an environment aimed at helping students adapt and flourish. This position will focus on supporting students to develop skills and acquire knowledge to promote intellectual, personal, and professional development while nurturing a sense of belonging for the purpose of achieving academic success and a vibrant student experience.

Key Accountabilities

New Student Transition

• Collaborate with the Student Success Office (SSO) to develop, update, maintain and oversee programs and projects to assist first-year Health students in their transition to university life.

• Work with the SSO and the Undergraduate Recruitment Coordinator to develop, update and oversee the Faculty of Health's Waterloo Ready program.

• Partner with the SSO to design, distribute, and collect responses for various student surveys, including the Faculty of Health first-year student satisfaction survey, Health Ready Day survey, and Orientation survey. Report findings to the undergraduate team and utilize findings to support the development of future student services and events.

Student Orientation

• Serve as the Faculty's orientation advisor and represent the Faculty of Health on the University's Orientation Advisory Committee to implement and develop changes based on direction given by the Orientation Steering Committee and the University's strategic goals.

• Hire, supervise, and coach student leaders. Support them with the selection of over 100 student volunteers, providing direction in the areas of training, evaluation, program management and recognition. Support leadership and personal development for student leaders.

• Develop and implement orientation programming in collaboration with campus partners, including, but not limited to, other Faculties, the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), the SSO, and the academic units.

• Evaluate the Faculty of Health orientation program annually, provide recommendations and strategic direction to the Faculty and campus partners.

• Act as supervisor and emergency contact for students during Orientation events.

Student Engagement and Success

• Liaise with Co-operative and Experiential Education and the Centre for Career Development to foster high-quality co-op and career advising services and programming. Support students in accessing information related to careers, professional and graduate schools, and co-op and experiential education at Waterloo.

• Responsible for updating websites pertaining to student involvement. Keep them relevant and up to date, in collaboration with the Manager, Web and Digital Communications.

• Liaise with the SSO to promote high-quality skill development workshops and resources for Faculty of Health students.

• Assist with the co-ordination, planning, and implementation of the graduate studies information session, co-operative education information sessions, convocation, grad class send-off, and other student engagement events, as required.

• Communicate student perspectives to ensure they are considered in decisions impacting the student experience.

• Collaborate with Faculty of Health undergraduate team and campus partners to explore tactics to improve the student experience.

• Develop and manage an annual budget for Faculty events, training sessions, volunteer management, and volunteer appreciation.

• Report on survey data, e.g., National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Student Experience Survey, to inform the development of initiatives to enhance student success, engagement, and overall experience.

Committees and Collaborative Partnerships

• Connect with counterparts in other faculties to routinely discuss new initiatives and best practices.

• Oversee the implementation of events; provide guidance, budgetary and operational advice; and offer overall support to the Association of Health Student Undergraduate Members (AHSUM) executive, the Orientation team, the Health Endowment Fund Board of Directors, and the Grad Formal Committee. Serve as liaison between student groups and the Dean's office.

• Act as staff liaison on behalf of AHSUM to the WUSA to promote positive working relations between both groups.

• Facilitate the Faculty of Health’s valedictorian selection process for spring convocation.

• Provide support for undergraduate recruitment events.

• Ensure that all operating accounts for student activities are soundly managed and work with the Faculty Financial Officer to ensure University policies and procedures are followed.

Student Advising

• Assist academic unit advisors with academic advisement and provide coverage as required.

• Act as a liaison to Waterloo International providing information to Health students on exchange opportunities, awards and scholarships, and policies and procedures.

• Serve as the Faculty’s exchange representative to facilitate academic endorsements and course equivalency approvals in collaboration with the academic units and the Global Learning Coordinators.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably Health or equivalent education and experience

• Current standard level of first aid certification

Experience

• Previous experience in a student engagement, communications or public relations role.

• Experience hiring and supervising student employees and volunteers.

• Basic to intermediate experience with development of content specifically for website.

• Experience in the planning and execution of events.

• Experience working as part of a team in an environment that requires strong time management skills and ability to adapt to a changing environment.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Proven ability to monitor and report on student experience through analysis, data tracking, and surveys to facilitate development of best practices.

• Familiarity with Health academic plans.

• Excellent interpersonal skills required.

• Demonstrated ability to manage concurrent projects with tight deadlines.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Proficient in MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

• Occasional evening/weekend work required.

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at [email protected] or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.