Manager, Strategic and Academic Initiatives

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

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. 

This position leads and oversees the design and implementation of strategic priorities as outlined in the Faculty’s strategic plan and academic mission. This position is also responsible for streamlining of key internal and external processes. This position leads and manages organization-wide strategic projects.

This position is required to develop, foster and maintain excellent relationships, both internal and external to the Faculty and University. This position provides leadership and guidance to the administrative team based on knowledge of Faculty, University, and government policies and procedures.

• Develops and oversees complex strategic projects in conjunction with Dean, Associate Deans and School Directors which have significant long-term importance and consequence to the Faculty and the University.
• Develops, implements, administers, and assesses the efficacy of a range of strategic, tactical, and operational projects within the FHSD and associated Schools.
• Coordinates consultation to understand the purpose and the intended outcome, and then leads the design and conception of projects that will advance strategic objectives.
• Plans project scope and activities for strategic initiatives in coordination with the FHSD Special Projects Manager, and keeps the project on track and focused on achieving the intended milestones and outcomes.
• Communicates to and engages with interest holders of varying subject matter expertise as the project progresses in a way that values their input and is informed by change management principles and best practices.
• Works closely with FHSD Special Projects Manager to appropriately support engagement and communications projects, initiatives and activities, including student recruitment and external funding initiatives.
• Identifies barriers to implementation or long-term success of strategic initiatives by working collaboratively with a wide variety of interest holders, and suggests possible long-term, viable solutions which can be adopted systematically in all applicable areas of the Faculty.
• Identifies, analyzes, and manages risks and opportunities unique to each project, and recommends improvements to the design and/or implementation of the project to ensure project objectives are met in the most efficient, timely and economical way possible.

• Develops policies, systems and procedures to achieve functional areas results; to mitigate risks; and to foster operational efficiency.
• Recommends solutions for development, analyzing data and preparing business plans to explore new potential academic initiatives or projects for the Faculty.
• Works with Leadership in the development and implementation of short and long-term initiatives such as new academic programs
• Provides advice and information to Dean’s office units, Departments, Centres and Programs on key initiatives and academic activities.
• Provides day to day supervision of the FHSD Professional/Research Graduate Support Administrators. Develops, implements and monitors operating plans, leads the day-to-day delivery of planned programs, services, and activities for graduate program support in the faculty based on institutional knowledge of policy and procedure.
• Prepares materials for governance meetings as needed.
• Proactively and strategically manages the streamlined nomination process of faculty members for key recognition and awards within and outside of UBC.

• Identifies deficits, creates, and implements processes with the goal of streamlining or improving functions of the 3 FHSD schools, in alignment with the Faculty strategic plan and broader University policies and best practices
• Within FHSD, acts as a subject matter advisor for UBC policy and procedures and implements changes to internal policy to reflect wider practice. 
• Cultivates a network of campus-wide resources and key interest holders to support the FHSD and the Schools in the implementation of various initiatives.
• Responsible for recruitment decisions, performance management, training, and development of direct reporting staff.
• Facilitates change management processes and activities with cross-functional team members and interest holders to ensure initiative effectiveness.
• Identifies barriers to implementation or long-term success and works to resolve complex issues and suggest possible solutions, working in collaboration with interest holders.
• Develops tools and resources to assist in the tracking of project outcomes.
• Researches, synthesizes and compiles information from a variety of sources into reports and summaries for the Dean, Associate Deans and other relevant interest holders to support the efficacy of functional areas in supporting the overall mission and aims of the FHSD, the SoN, SSW and HES.

This role has a major impact on how the Faculty of Health and Social Development, the School of Nursing, the School of Social Work, and the School of Health and Exercise Sciences function as an effective and integrated unit, and is instrumental in developing, implementing and overseeing critical strategic projects and initiatives essential to the growth of the Faculty in alignment with it’s strategic plan. This position has an integral part in cultivating and maintaining the good-will and buy-in of all parts of the FHSD – incorrect information, inappropriate recommendations, and poor decisions or actions would have a considerable impact on the function of the faculty.

• Masters degree (Project Management, Business Management, Business Administration, Educational Policy, etc.) or PMP designation preferred
• Strong project, policy and process management skills across the entire project life cycle
• Extensive knowledge of the University’s and Faculty’s governance, structure, research and academic activities
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills – working in tense situations, eliciting cooperation, undertaking assessments, making recommendations, disseminating complex information to audiences with mixed levels of understanding.
• Excellent time management skills
• Experience of working at all levels within a large, multi-disciplinary environment; experience/education in Health/Health Sciences preferred.
• Experience in developing research and recoding methodologies and techniques to evidence and determine efficacy of initiatives and projects.
• Experience in developing, mobilizing, and managing a team of staff.
• A demonstrated commitment to anti-racism, equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization through continued development, innovations, and improvement to meet the needs of UBC’s diverse population of students and employees.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skill