Associate Director, Student Support and Experiential Learning

Employee Group PMA - Professional and Managerial Association

About Western

Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the "Western Experience" - an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and current ways to make a difference.

About Us

The Faculty of Engineering at Western University is a vibrant teaching and research faculty that consists of six academic units: Chemical & Biochemical Engineering, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Mechanical & Materials Engineering, The School of Biomedical Engineering, and the John M. Thompson Centre for Engineering Leadership & Innovation. It is also home to several outstanding centres and research institutes including the Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel Laboratory (BLWTL), The Wind Engineering, Energy and Environment Research Institute (WiindEEE), the Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources (ICFAR), University Machine Services (UMS), and the Fraunhofer Project Centre (FPC). Approximately 3000 undergraduate students are enrolled in one of our nine undergraduate programs and close to 550 graduate students are completing degrees at the master’s or doctoral levels.

Responsibilities

As a key member of the Faculty of Engineering’s senior leadership team, the Associate Director, Student Support and Experiential Learning provides strategic leadership across a broad and complex portfolio that includes student academic and wellness services, experiential learning, career services, outreach and community/industry engagement, and student-operated facilities. This encompasses oversight of Undergraduate Services, Co-op and Career Services, Outreach, Recruitment, Student Shops, student orientation, events, clubs, groups, and teams. The Associate Director is responsible for the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of integrated strategies that enhance academic and experiential learning opportunities, foster student engagement, and support student success from recruitment through graduation. The role plays a critical part in shaping and advancing the Faculty’s strategic priorities, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and national trends in engineering education. Leading a diverse team of professional staff and student leaders, the Associate Director oversees the allocation of financial, human, and physical resources, ensures effective risk management, and drives innovation in student programming. The role also serves as a senior advisor to the Dean and Associate Deans, and Director, Operations and Strategy, contributing to institutional planning, policy development,



and cross-functional initiatives that position Western Engineering as a national leader in student-centered education.

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant discipline; equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered


• Master’s Degree in a relevant discipline preferred

Experience:

• 7 years’ of progressive experience in an academic environment leading a team of staff, developing and overseeing student programming aimed at enhancing the student academic and experiential experience (e.g. counselling services, career services, community relations, industry relations, student clubs and teams)


• 3 years’ experience in strategic planning, implementation and operationalization


• Leadership experience in an Engineering or Science academic environment preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Familiarity with, and experience in the Canadian postsecondary educational landscape would be an asset


• Compelling and persuasive communication skills to engage individuals and teams inside and outside the University


• Comprehensive understanding of the opportunities, challenges and best practices related to student experiential learning in an academic environment


• In-depth knowledge of best practices for handling sensitive and confidential information


• In-depth knowledge of best practices in building a strong collaborative team and leading people


• In-depth knowledge of best practices for change management


• Familiarity with Human Resources principles and practices, Employment Standards Act, Human Rights Code and related policies and procedures


• Ability to ensure expenditures and resources are within allotments, and to make appropriate modifications when required


• Openness to recognize when change is necessary, and to develop, implement and lead effective change management strategies


• Ability to establish effective routines for excellent communication with all members of the team to maximize productivity


• The ability to converse with, write reports for, and deliver presentations to all levels of the organization


• Competency to maintain confidentiality and treat sensitive information with discretion


• Innovative and flexible critical thinking skills to adjust to and implement new processes or technology to the University’s advantage


• Ability to draw on diversity of skills, backgrounds and knowledge of people to achieve more effective results






• Ability to understand customer needs and expectations and lead the development of programs and services to directly and indirectly satisfy expectations


• Ability to make decisions and recommendations that are clearly linked to the organizations strategy and goals


• Ability to handle details with a high degree of accuracy and to organize and prioritize a high volume of work to meet deadlines


• Ability to promote individual growth by encouraging others to learn new skills and develop themselves


• Ability to perceive and understand the emotions of others and interact with them appropriately based on those emotions


• Ambitious with the ability to identify opportunities, develop action plans and set challenging goals in order to achieve desired outcomes


• Ability to quickly re-allocate resources and adjust priorities in response to unexpected events or changing circumstances


• Ability to provide guidance to assist others in solving complex problems


• Computer skills with the ability to train others in system usage


• Intermediate computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite


• Influential interpersonal skills that build positive and strong relationships at all levels of the organization


• Capacity to handle risk and uncertainty, while being decisive in ambiguous situations


• Leadership skills with the ability to inspire employees and develop a shared vision to lead a team to excellence; a facilitative and consultative leadership and management style with respect for others and the ability to inspire trust


• Ability to lead and develop rigorous recruitment processes, ensure on-going training and development, and performance management


• Ability to search within and outside the formal boundaries of the organization for innovative ways to improve work


• Project management skills to align projects with strategic goals and operational objectives


• Ability to anticipate new trends and identify opportunities to promote the long term goals of the University


• Ability to work independently and effectively as a member of the leadership team to achieve strategic goals


• Familiarity with University policies and procedures preferred

Western Values Diversity

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression. Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone (phone hidden).

Please Note:

This position is an existing vacancy. This position is fully in-person, on-site. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.