| Date: |
November, 2015 |
| Reports to (Job Title): |
Dean of Environment |
| Jobs Reporting (Job Titles): |
None |
| Department: |
Dean of Environment |
Location: |
Main Campus |
Grade: |
USG 8
35 hr/wk
|
Primary Purpose
The Executive Assistant is accountable to the Dean for ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of the Faculty of Environment’s faculty appointment procedures, tenure and promotion procedures, sabbatical and other leave applications, and administrative appointments. Using detailed knowledge of the Memorandum of Agreement, relevant policies, procedures and precedents, s/he provides support and counsel to the Dean, Associate Deans, Chairs, faculty and staff members on these and a broad range of other administrative matters. The role is also responsible for privacy and records management within the Faculty and serves as Secretary to several key Faculty-level committees such as Faculty Council, Executive Committee, Administrative Group and the Faculty Committee on Student Appeals.
Key Accountabilities:
1.Oversight of all aspects of Academic and Administrative Appointments including, but not limited to, the following:
- Acts as Faculty resource for all policy and procedural matters with respect to academic appointments and the coordination of the faculty recruitment process, sabbaticals, post-doctoral appointments and the tenure and promotion process
- Serves as the key administrative liaison between the Dean’s Office, the Vice-President, Academic and Provost’s Office, the Secretariat, the University Appointments Review Committee, the WatPort Office and the Faculty of Environment’s departments and schools on all procedural matters related to faculty appointments
- Handles requests from academic units for faculty appointments and reappointments, ensuring documentation is accurate and complete
- Prepares and processes documentation for all stages of academic appointments (e.g., advertising, UARC submissions, Labour Market Opinions and appointment offers for the Dean’s signature) in accordance with university policies and procedures
- Provides department administrators, new faculty members, and academic visitors with relevant information concerning moving and travel expenses, salary and benefits, immigration procedures, and refers individuals and departments to WatPort services as required
- Monitors end dates of probationary and definite-term appointments in accordance with Policy 76 (Faculty Appointments) and ensures appropriate notice is prvided to appointees
- Monitors end dates of Chair appointments in accordance with Policy 40 (The Chair) and ensures departmental appointment processes are engaged as necessary
- Organizes membership and takes notes at Chair Nominating Committee meetings
- Calculates and verifies sabbatical leave entitlements for Environment faculty members
- Werifies applications from faculty members for sabbatical leaves and other leaves of absence for approval by the Dean and the Vice-President, Academic and Provost.
2. Management of Environment’s Tenure and Promotion Process including, but not limited to, the following:
- Provides functional direction to department heads and administrators on the tenure and promotion process
- Initiates the annual process by determining the schedule and distributing current procedures/guidelines to each academic unit
- Advises department heads and administrators with regard to pending cases to ensure dossiers are accurate and complete, presented in proper format and in accordance with procedural timetables
- Organizes membership of the Faculty of Environment Tenure and Promotion Committee (FTPC)
- Liaises with external referees who provide evaluations on scholarship of candidates for tenure and/or promotion
- Coordinates submissions and compiles tenure and promotion briefs for review by the DTPC, FTPC and UTPC committees;
- Assists Secretariat with the preparation of any additional materials required in the event of an appeal.
3. Management of privacy and records management within the Faculty including, but not limited to, the following:
- Be familiar with uW policies and procedures related to Privacy and records management
- Facilitate faculty and staff understanding, application and communication of the University’s privacy and records management practices and expectations
- Respond to privacy-related inquiries from the faculty
- Promote privacy awareness within the faculty through regular communication to faculty and staff
- Develop faculty-wide tools related to privacy
- Review and recommend faculty guidelines and best practices related to privacy
4. Committees
- Serves as Secretary to Environment’s Faculty Council, General Assembly, and Executive Committee - maintaining membership of faculty, staff and student councilors; scheduling meetings; striking agendas; collecting and disseminating agenda materials; recording and distributing minutes of meetings
- Serves as Secretary to the Faculty of Environment Tenure and Promotion Committee, to department Chair Nominating Committees, to Faculty Hiring Committees and to other committees as assigned; drafts agendas on behalf of the Dean, writes summary notes and/or minutes, and provides other support as required
- Serves as Secretary to the Faculty Committee on Student Appeals (FCSA) - acts as Faculty resource for providing continuity, knowledge and understanding of policy and procedure; receives appeals and works closely with the FCSA Chair to ensure strict timelines and procedures are adhered to; maintains appeal files and ensures reports are filed with the Secretariat
- Co-ordinates Senate nominations for both Senate and Senate sub-committees on behalf of the Faculty; identifies suitable prospective candidates to serve on committees in consultation with the Dean and invites them to stand for election
5. Confidential Support including, but not limited to, the following:
- Serves as the primary contact in the Faculty for communication linkages between the Dean and other senior University officials, department heads, faculty members, outside agencies, etc.
- Manages the Dean’s schedule with respect to meetings, visits, events and travel - as required
- Prepares the Dean’s Report to Senate
- Drafts correspondence and other documents for the Dean’s signature as required
- In the absence of the Dean, refers urgent faculty-related matters to the Acting Dean
- Works closely with the Executive Officer, Associate Deans and department heads to work effectively in a team environment
- Handles confidential materials with discretion throughout faculty-related processes, on matters concerning details of the Dean’s discussions and correspondence, and other appropriate issues
- Handles complex and sensitive situations as they arise with speed and discretion
- Serves as office manager for the Dean’s Office, in the absence of the Executive Officer
- Handles or redirects requests for various reports on faculty appointments from the Provost’s Office, FAUW or other internal or external organizations
5. Maintenance of Records and Database:
- Maintains the Faculty of Environment’s Hiring Plan
- Maintains Environments’ faculty files in accordance with Policy 75 (Official Employment Files of Regular Faculty Members)
- Records academic and administrative appointments and reappointments, faculty rank and status, leaves, retirements, resignations, etc. and prepares reports as required
- Coordinates archiving of faculty file materials on termination or retirement in accordance with Policy 13 (Archives) and published procedures
- Ensures that faculty files are secure and that information is treated with appropriate discretion
- Distributes copies of documentation for approved academic and administrative appointments, leaves, etc. to relevant university departments
Position Requirements
Education:
Post-secondary diploma or equivalent education or experience
Experience:
A thorough knowledge and understanding of University and Faculty policies and procedures as they relate to faculty appointments and tenure and promotion proceedings, records management and privacy is essential.
Competencies: Self-directed, detail-oriented, organized, sound judgment and an exceptional communicator.
Technical:
Intermediate experience with Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel
Technical:
| MS Word |
Excel |
PowerPoint |
Other |
| word |
excel |
powerpoint |
other |
Nature and Scope
Interpersonal Skills:
Internally, communicates with all groups and at all levels to present, discuss information and problems (e.g., Vice-President, Academic and Provost Office, Secretariat, deans, department heads, faculty members, administrative staff, students).
Externally, receives enquires from government, media, academic institutions, and the community-at-large to exchange or provide information.
Level of Responsibility:
This position manages several faculty-wide processes that are specialized but have no direct reports; provides
support and counsel to the Dean, Associate Deans, Chairs and faculty members on a range of administrative matters, and handles complex and sensitive situations in a timely manner and with minimal supervision. The direct line of supervision is the responsibility of the Executive Officer to oversee, however, the incumbent will be required to provide supervision and management of the Office & Facilities Coordinator on various tasks performed as part of their daily routines.
Decision-Making Authority:
- Responsible for implementing the Faculty of Environment’s faculty appointment procedures and the tenure and promotion process, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of proceedings and conformance with university policy
- Makes decisions about advice given to department heads, faculty, staff and students; refers individuals to others when appropriate
- Independently resolves event-specific decisions, subject to available budgetary constraints.
- Makes decisions about details of events (time, location, etc.) subject to overall plans and budget.
Physical and Sensory Demands:
- Minimal demands typical of an administrative position within an office environment
Working Environment:
| Travel |
None |
| Workng Hours |
Regular working hours |
| Risks – physical and psychological |
Physical risks
Psychological risks |
