City : Hamilton

Category : Other

Industry : Education

Employer : McMaster University

Academic Program Coordinator 
(JD1651)

Engineering a Brighter Future
https://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/about-us/strategic-plan/

About the Faculty

Ranked among the top engineering schools in Canada and worldwide, the Faculty of Engineering is on a mission to empower agile and globally conscious leaders in engineering who collaborate to create a brighter future. The faculty is at the forefront of transforming engineering education, transitioning from traditional lecture methods to a project-based, hands-on learning approach. Our graduates emerge as resilient professionals, armed with invaluable skills and experiences from Ontario's second-largest co-op program, unparalleled research opportunities the most extensive offered by any Canadian engineering program and a multitude of clubs, teams, and projects. 

About the Department

McMaster Engineering's unique 5-year programs and interdisciplinary minors offer undergraduate students within Engineering and across campus, a unique multi-disciplinary education experience. Many of our courses have strong community and experiential education components embedded within them.  

The iLEAD Office (Innovation, Leadership, Engagement, Action, and Discovery) supports and facilitates the academic and experiential learning components within our unique suite of programs and minors. Specifically, our office manages the Engineering & Society Program, the Engineering & Management Program, and three interdisciplinary Minors: Innovation; Sustainability; and Nuclear Studies and Society. 

As a highly collaborative office, we work with other departments both within the Faculty of Engineering and across the broader McMaster campus. We also work closely with community partners and industry stakeholders that span many industry sectors. 

About the Position

We welcome applications for the position of Academic Program Coordinator within our team. This unique position will work collaboratively with iLEAD team members and Faculty Directors on the successful development and implementation of a range of activities, such as answering (or escalating) student inquiries and planning student events. In addition to creating and verifying the academic schedule annually, this role manages deferred exams and supports data collection for the CEAB Accreditation process. Working closely with the Academic Program Manager, they support strategic and operational decision-making, including developing proposals aligned with teaching and operational priorities. The Academic Program Coordinator works closely with Faculty Directors to support curriculum changes and facilitates the hiring of all TAs, in accordance with relevant policy and collective agreements. 

Job Summary

Responsible for developing, planning, and maintaining the efficient operations of interdisciplinary education programs, which includes coordinating all aspects of the programs such as curriculum administration, accreditation, quality assurance processes, promotion, recruitment, resource, and financial management, in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Health Science, and Faculty of Science and the Manager. Implements and maintains efficient administrative operations, supports strategic operational decision making under the direction of the Manager. Plans and coordinates a variety of academic program or department events and activities and is also accountable for scheduling Teaching Assistants (TAs) and Instructional Assistant Interns (IAIs) to support Instructors in their ongoing instructional activities. Liaises with instructors, TAs, IAIs, and students to ensure that all parties are accurately informed of relevant course activities in accordance with established policies, procedures, and calendar of events. Requires independent decision making within a delegated area of authority and the exercise of leadership in the management of support services.

Representative Duties & Responsibilities

• Act as a first point of contact, mediator, and liaison between students and the various individuals and offices within and external to the program office, including, but not limited to, special accommodations, Religious, Indigenous and Spiritual Observances (RISO) requests, absences, scheduling conflicts, and grades.
• Communicate with relevant individuals and offices within and outside the program to ensure students receive accurate guidance and are directed (as applicable) to appropriate supports.
• Provide faculty, staff and current or prospective students with information regarding program policies, exams, timetables, and information about program requirements. Ensure understanding of course and program selections, and adhere to established academic, prerequisite, and graduation requirements.
• Advise registered and prospective students of program options and requirements, which requires maintaining knowledge of course and program curriculum.
• Counsel students to ensure that they understand that course and program selections adhere to established academic, prerequisite, and graduation requirements.
• In collaboration with the Manager or Co-Director, participate in strategic and operational decision-making, supporting program growth plans, developing proposals aligned with teaching, operational, and financial priorities, student advising and engagement plans
• Collect, analyze, assess, and summarize information relevant to decision making processes and develop recommendations for final approval and implementation by the Manager or Co-Directors.
• Identifying and analyzing problems with the program and preparing recommendations for review and approval by the program Director.
• Support the Instructional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP) and Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB) review processes, including the annual Graduate Attribute data collection and reporting.
• Represent the program on faculty and university committees, including CEAB committees; advise and collaborate with stakeholders, student groups, and other departments.
• Assist in accreditation, program reviews, and quality assurance processes; coordinate data collection, document preparation, stakeholder communication, and site visit support.
• Assess program staffing and resource needs, oversees the recruitment, scheduling and training aspects for the program, including, but not limited to Teaching Assistants, IAIs, Work Study employees, and Student Volunteers (Ambassadors).
• Coordinates marketing, application processes, recruitment, and training sessions/workshops for the various programs.
• Administer curriculum planning and course management processes, including, but not limited to, calendar preparation, course scheduling, enrolment management, course permissions, conflict resolution, waitlists, and overload requests.
• Complete research ethics board applications and other related proposals for review by senior staff.
• Coordinates learner clearance requirements with multiple clinical placement sites to enable student registration and enrolment in affected courses, validates all required health screenings and records.
• Research and solicit external involvement in program activities including but not limited to projects or guest speaking engagement.
• Assist in developing and managing TA budgets including TA and IAI allocation, operational budgets for student events, and financial forecasting; review and approve expenses in alignment with program needs.
• Complete financial transactions such as travel expense reports, vouchers, electronic cheque requisitions, purchase orders, journal entries, honorarium payments, P-Card reconciliations etc.
• Investigate questions and resolve problems concerning program, curricula, and admissions.
• Survey and monitor academic programs offered by competing institutions and conduct research into pedagogical practices.
• Conduct student surveys to ensure that the academic programs are meeting the needs and objectives of both the student and the program.
• Develops and updates administrative documents, such as student advisement materials, acceptance letters, policies, procedures, and curriculum change communications, and ensures students are informed of program impacts and available options
• Organize and monitor the on-line learning environment for courses in an academic unit, department, or faculty by ensuring that the appropriate course content information is made available to students.
• Inform faculty of established procedures for exam preparation and grade submissions.
• Validate and enter grades on behalf of Research Project/Thesis/Capstone Supervisors.
• Ensure that proper procedures are followed and deadlines are adhered to.
• Exchange information with instructors and arrange for their involvement in the provision and monitoring of accommodated examinations.
• Coordinate, schedule and administer student test and exam accommodations and support services. Resolve scheduling conflicts, as well as invigilate accommodated students. Calculate allocation of extra time required for students to complete academic requirements.
• Administer and collate course evaluations and the creation, monitoring and collation of entrance and exit surveys.
• Notify students and instructors of test and exam bookings.
• Assess student priority for limited registration in courses and provide suitable alternatives to meet degree requirements.
• Coordinate the course calendars of mentors, clients, and clinical preceptors; resolve scheduling conflicts.
• Facilitate meetings with, including but not limited to, senior leadership, program stakeholders and student groups.
• Work with the Manager to develop and forecast the TA assignments for review and approval. Create projections and adjust the TA assignments throughout the academic year. Ensure that financial accounts and reports are completed and managed competently and efficiently.
• Greet visitors, answer or redirect general inquiries in person, by telephone and via email and respond independently to inquiries that are specific in nature and require a thorough knowledge of established policies and procedures.
• Set up, update, and maintain electronic and hard copy filing systems, confidential files, databases, and records; ensure data accuracy and compliance with established procedures.
• Create, update, and maintain communications materials across print, digital, and social media channels; manage website and online learning content to ensure accessibility and relevance for students.
• Write a variety of documents including, but not limited to procedure manuals, correspondence, informational material and reports for internal and external use.
• Plan and coordinate arrangements for a variety of program activities and events including the recruitment, selection and training of student volunteers.
• Provide administrative guidance, advice, and solutions to TAs when resolving student inquiries.
• Provide TAs with appropriate teaching material as specified by the instructor.
• Track additional hours worked by TAs and provide information to administrator to process payments, including assisting in completing the Hours of Work forms.
• Assist with the sectioning of classes at the beginning of the year, dealing with all scheduling changes, room reservations, and scheduling conflicts.
• Maintain and update class lists for lectures, labs, and tutorials. 
• Ensure that all student sectioning changes are recorded and reflected on the web.
• Alert instructors of reported or suspected academic dishonesty.
• Apply standard mathematical skills such as calculations, formulas, and equations to perform routine calculations.
• Order and maintain inventory of materials such as textbooks, software, and support materials for design projects.
• Maintain inventory of equipment, supplies, and furniture in the office, labs, and classrooms.

Supervision

• Responsible for supervising up to 9 casual employees (at any one time).
• Provide direction to others in how to carry out work tasks.
• Ensures adherence to quality standards and procedures for short-term staff and volunteers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• Requires a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience.

Assets

• Experience supporting students in an academic department or program is a strong asset.
• Proficiency with McMaster’s academic programs, policies, and administrative systems including DCU (Scheduling Software), and Avenue to Learn is considered an asset.

Additional Information 

The successful candidate must also have and demonstrate:

• Excellent communication (verbal and written) and presentation skills
• Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills 
• Strong conflict resolution and analytical skills
• Strategic thinking and a proactive approach to change management
• Proven time management skills, capable of managing multiple and competing deadlines
• Flexibility to respond creatively to resolve issues and maintain workflow
• Ability to collect and analyze academic program data
• Ability to work independently and within a team environment
• High attention to detail while producing thorough and accurate work
• A high degree of professionalism, integrity, with ability to handle confidential information

The successful candidate must also have prior experience in the following areas:

• Supporting experiential learning programs and activities
• Independently scheduling and coordinating instructional activities
• Implementing operational efficiencies, creating SOPs, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement
• Achieving individual outcomes while contributing to a culture of collaboration
• Proficient in computer applications, including Mosaic (PeopleSoft) and Office 365 (SharePoint, Forms, OneDrive, Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook)

Flexibility is required to work occasional evenings, weekends and evening hours to meet the demands of the position. This role is currently hybrid. The anticipated schedule is a minimum of 3 days per week on campus, which may be subject to change with future employer and operational needs.

NOTE: Should the successful applicant be a Unifor Unit 1 bargaining unit member, who meets the eligibility conditions of Article 19.02 of the Unifor Unit 1 Collective Agreement, then the Limited Term Assignment will be defined as a Career Growth Opportunity in accordance with Article 19 of the Unifor Local 5555 Unit 1 Collective Agreement.