Online Learning Systems Specialist

Staff - Non Union

Job Category

M&P - AAPS

Job Profile

AAPS Salaried - Information Systems and Technology, Level B

Job Title

Online Learning Systems Specialist

Department

Online and Faculty Support | Learning Services | UBC Sauder School of Business

Compensation Range

$5,468.83 - $7,878.17 CAD Monthly

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

August 22, 2023

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

Job 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.

Job Summary

UBC Sauder School of Business is one of the world’s leading business faculties. The school consistently ranks among the top 100 in the world and is recognized internationally for excellence in research and learning, an outstanding faculty and unmatched global partnerships. A collaborative and respectful culture within which all members of our community can thrive is a key principle in our strategic plan, and one that underpins our educational mission.

We acknowledge that UBC Sauder at the Vancouver Campus is situated within the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam. We acknowledge that UBC Sauder at the UBC Robson Square is situated on the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh.

UBC Sauder’s Learning Services (LS) team supports faculty in the pursuit of teaching excellence with services and resources to facilitate the design, development and delivery of effective and engaging learning experiences in face-to-face, blended and online environments.

The Online Learning Systems Specialist at the UBC Sauder Learning Services team is responsible for the assessment, management and administration of online learning systems for various educational programs and initiatives within UBC Sauder. The Online Learning Systems Specialist supports faculty and program employees in the implementation of the effective and sustainable learning environments and advises in the effective use of these educational technologies.

This role is expected to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.

Organizational Status

Reports directly to the Operations Manager, Learning Technology Ecosystems, with additional accountability within LS as required.

Work Performed

Consultation and Support

• Liaises with UBC Sauder IT team to escalate technical issues or troubleshoot.
• Provides leadership and advice to instructors, employees, students and other clients in regards to selecting and implementing online learning technologies.
• Works with and consults with other support analysts, functional specialists, instructional support and technical employees. Prioritizes work, coordinates work assigned and delegates and escalates work when appropriate.
• Assists users, both remotely and in-person, to diagnose and resolve problems, escalates when necessary, and documents problem status and action taken.
• Develops creative solutions and workarounds to meet pedagogical goals.
• Oversees functional processes for course delivery including online examination planning; coordinates support provision with faculty units and provides functional support and technical troubleshooting for instructors.
• Develops and fosters relationships with expert clients (faculty/instructors/administrators).
• Provides technical advice in regards to systems and applications (instructional design, software, hardware).
• Documents best practices, processes and resources around support delivery. Ensures that processes and practices are sustainable. Ensures that support provision and client relationships are well documented and communicated within the unit.

Course Maintenance

• Adapts, modifies, and streamlines course delivery processes based on direction provided by instructors, departmental management, and institutional management.
• Designs, copies, and maintains online course content using current learning technologies and best practices.
• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of current information technology techniques and tools and provides input to strategies for ongoing maintenance and upgrade of these systems.
• Organizes and maintains file structures as well as account hierarchies.
• Researches and evaluates technology and programs, develops recommendations, and implements accordingly.
• Manages small to medium sized projects and communication and logistics related to projects.

Research and Development

• Conducts needs assessment and extensive usage testing for quality assurance.
• Investigates emerging and alternative learning technologies to assess the feasibility of new solutions and pilot project opportunities.
• Acquires and develops expert knowledge of centralized learning technologies and systems.
• Utilizes custom scripts to enhance existing functionalities.
• Works and consults with support analysts, functional specialists, instructional support and other technical employees across the university to implement campus-wide solutions.

Training and Communication

• Creates announcements, emails and other materials to communicate updates and system outages.
• Leads training sessions and presentations.
• Develops trust and establishes effective channels of communication with instructors and staff.
• Provides technical expertise, training, and consultation to other employees.
• Develops documentation, screencasts, flow charts / decision trees and other materials to capture and share best practices.
• Acts as a liaison between Learning Services and other UBC Sauder units.

Online Exams

• Performs other duties as required.
• Develops policies and facilitates implementation of technical checks for students to test and troubleshoot exam systems.
• Trains and schedules employees to provide live technical support.
• Works with instructors and UBC Sauder units to assess needs, plan and deliver online assessments.
• Builds and maintains good working relationships and collaborates with others to achieve client objectives.
• Organizes and implements logistics in creating, communicating and supporting online exams and technical troubleshooting.
• Designs and configures online exams, with emphasis on student experience.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Incorrect or poor decisions will have a significant impact on the department's ability to provide successful educational programs and learning experiences for students. Poor judgments could result in legal liability for the school and/or the University.

Supervision Received

Reports to the Operations Manager, Learning Technology Ecosystems. Work is reviewed in terms of quality and effectiveness in meeting departmental and program goals.

Supervision Given

May provide supervision and guidance to support student employees.

Minimum Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two years of related 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

• Ability to provide supportive leadership and be a team player, as well as work independently.
• Working knowledge of coding and programming (HTML, CSS, etc.). Proficiency with web design tools, as well as media solutions. Comfortable using different computer platforms and devices (PC, Mac, smartphones, etc.)
• Ability to communicate technical issues to non-technical audiences.
• Ability to exhibit tact, diplomacy, and accountability. Ability to be tolerant of uncertainty and ambiguity.
• Understanding of the academic environment.
• Effective relationship-building, facilitation, planning and organizational skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and with time-sensitive and fast-changing priorities. Ability to take initiative and to work with limited direction.
• Excellent applied understanding of teaching and learning theory, design and technologies.
• Commitment to service.
• Experience in an online learning environment, working with faculty, employees and students.
• Effective oral and written communication, interpersonal and organizational skills.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Effective testing, problem-solving, troubleshooting and analytical skills.
• Ability to handle interruptions and plan changes, and readjust priorities accordingly.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends as required.