Career Education Coordinator

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed at: Faculty & Staff Benefits .

Location - North Campus Edmonton. This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in person

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Department Summary

The Dean of Students supports all students — undergraduate and graduate — in the pursuit of academic and personal success. The Dean of Students collaborates with faculties, offices, and services across all campuses to deliver effective programming and provides leadership on university policies and initiatives.

The Office of the Dean of Students coordinates many services that strive to create diverse and inclusive support in all stages of the student experience, including: academic resources, career and professional development, health & wellness services, and community resources.

The Career Centre is the source for career and employment information and expertise at the University of Alberta. We strive to empower U of A students, postdoctoral scholars and alumni from all faculties and programs to develop the skills, knowledge, experiences, and connections they need to confidently manage their careers. We also work with local, national, and international employers and professionals. Our clients and stakeholders are diverse and we aim to reflect that diversity and inclusion in our own staff and the way we work.

Position Summary

The Career Education Coordinator supports the Career Centre’s goal of providing students, postdoctoral scholars and alumni a diverse range of high-quality opportunities for career education and experiential learning, to connect with professionals in meaningful ways, and secure work during school and after graduation.

Reporting to the Manager, Career Education, the Career Education Coordinator works collaboratively with others to plan, implement, promote, and evaluate career education and experiential learning programs that engage University of Alberta students, postdoctoral scholars, and alumni with the greater community. Critical to this work is recruiting volunteers (job shadow hosts, career mentors, speakers, etc.) and preparing them to support the career development of Career Centre clients. The Career Education Coordinator also works with faculty and staff to deliver career education as a component of new or existing courses.

The Career Education Coordinator engages in ongoing research and professional development to maintain knowledge of emerging/best practices in experiential learning and career development approaches. The incumbent provides expertise, advising, and brokering to students, staff, and faculty, as well as alumni and community volunteers who wish to provide career support to students. The incumbent also solicits feedback from stakeholders to ensure responsive and relevant student-centred programming.

Duties

Program planning/coordination

• Designs, develops, and maintains supporting educational materials including lesson plans, online resources, program and service web pages, registration processes, and program-specific databases
• Makes recommendations on the targets, structure, workflow, policies, and procedures of program and services to the Manager, Career Education
• Plans and implements several events per year (e.g. orientation and training sessions, celebration/wrap-up events, program information sessions) including room booking, catering, parking, invitations, staffing, and logistics ensuring stakeholders needs are met and resources are used effectively
• Supports the coordination of departmental funding programs (e.g. The Green and Gold Leadership and Professional Development Grant)
• Collaborates with the Manager, Career Education, and communications staff to promote and raise awareness of programs and services, including creating and implementing social media plans
• Coordinates and provides functional direction to student staff assisting with programs and services
• Works with advancement and communications staff within faculties to raise awareness of programs and encourage participation from alumni and existing or potential donors
• Coordinates processes for applications; adjudication; tracking, reporting, and dispersing monies to individuals and groups that have been supported through departmental funding programs
• Researches and recruits alumni and community volunteers to participate in programming (e.g. as career mentors, job shadow hosts, speakers, etc.)
• Works collaboratively with others to plan, deliver, and evaluate action-based career exploration and experiential learning programs that engage University of Alberta students, postdoctoral scholars, and recent alumni with the greater community. This includes programs for career mentoring, informational interviews, and career integrated learning
• Initiates relationships with, and responds to inquiries from potential individual/organizational volunteer partners both on and off campus
• Utilizes campusBRIDGE to manage program workflows and requirements and manage student and volunteer data

Student advising

• Supports and advises students and professionals in navigating conflicts and troubleshooting issues arising during program participation
• Reviews applications, interviews potential participants, and places participants with individual/organizational volunteer partners
• Ensures ongoing communication with program participants (students and professionals); provides individual advising to support full engagement in programming
• Designs and delivers education (in-person and online) to prepare participants for successful program participation and reflection after participation
• Advises and supports program participants in fulfilling program requirements and clarifying career needs and goals as related to programs

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain productive working relationships
• Interpersonal communication, including the ability to communicate with and support clients and colleagues from a wide variety of racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural backgrounds and various abilities, lifestyles, experiences, and interests
• Ability to communicate concisely in written and verbal forms
• Demonstrated experience in program management with the ability to be reflective, innovative and creative in program design and delivery
• Familiarity with academic programming offered at the U of A
• Proven multi-tasking, organizational, and time management skills
• High degree of initiative and judgement and the ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Computer proficiency using MS Office, Google applications, and social media
• Excellent critical and strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Undergraduate degree in social sciences, education, human services or related discipline and a minimum of two years related work experience
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and cross-cultural sensitivity
• Strong commitment to the value of post-secondary education, and solid understanding of university graduate attributes
• Strong customer service skills and experience balancing the competing needs of diverse client and stakeholder groups

Preferred Qualifications

• French language skills (oral and written) are an asset
• Experience in experiential learning and/or career education