Director, Convocation and Communications

Job title:

Director, Convocation and Communications

Company

University of Toronto

Job description

Date Posted: 01/08/2025
Req ID: 41248
Faculty/Division: Vice-Provost, Students
Department: University Registrar’s Office
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)Description:Position Summary:Working at the institutional level and under the guidance of the University Registrar, the Director, Convocation & Communications is a strategic leader, advocate, service provider and subject matter expert for all undergraduate, professional and graduate student and guest convocation activities, records and communications for the University Registrar’s Office. The Director, Convocation & Communications advises and supports senior management on policy and planning decisions related to student and guest experiences at convocation, and decisions that can directly impact the universities brand, reputation and institutional risk and the experience for current students and alum.The Director, Convocation & Communications provides central leadership for the coordination and operations management for tri-campus activities related to convocation (logistic), student communications, and records, while balancing the need to support institutional and divisional goals.The Director, Convocation & Communications is the driver of a transparent, collaborative, and student-centric decision-making culture with academic divisions and other institutional offices to enhance the student and alum experience. The incumbent is responsible for overseeing the development of strategies to enhance convocation ceremonies, the automation of workflows, the development of systems and communications strategies to improve the student experience and to create operational efficiencies for undergraduate, professional and graduate students and academic units. The incumbent will monitor government and university policies and practices and make recommendations for change when needed. In addition, they will stay abreast of best practices nationally and internationally that can benefit the University of Toronto. The Director, Convocation & Communications, anticipates upcoming opportunities and risks, and closely monitors and measures their impact on university convocation activities.The Director will play a key role in the university’s continuous improvement of convocation, record and communication modernization. To provide a coordinated and seamless approach to the university’s provision of the best student experience, the Director serves as the senior liaison with the Offices of the Chancellor and the President in their respective roles in convocation, and the senior liaison with the Division of University Advancement, the Strategic Communications teams, Student Services, undergraduate and graduate divisions, ITS, Facilities and Services, other teams within the URO, Campus Security, and external service providers to ensure a full range of support and coordination services.Qualifications Required:Education:

• University Master’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience:

• At least ten (10) years of full-time experience in at student services areas within a postsecondary/academic environment (i.e. admissions, financial aid, academic records, registration, convocation, etc.) with extensive experience with customer service, leveraging technology, and data and managing staff.
• Supervisory or managerial experience to include experience guiding, developing, and leading staff. This includes maintaining performance programs and implementing evaluations.
• Demonstrated experience in planning, implementing, overseeing and assessing convocation and record standards, policies, and procedures.
• Experience in gathering, analyzing, documenting, and modifying business requirements in academic student service areas.
• Experience managing student records.
• Experience leading and participating in technology implementation projects.

Skills:

• Must have excellent strategic and analytic thinking skills with an ability to solve problems and make effective decisions and strong customer service skills.
• It is important to be able to work effectively and multitask in a fast paced, deadline-driven environment with a high degree of accuracy.
• Must possess outstanding written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, and experience successfully working independently, as well as part of a team with a collaborative approach to problem solving.
• Must have excellent strategic and analytic thinking skills with an ability to solve problems and make effective decisions and strong customer service skills.
• It is important to be able to work effectively and multitask in a fast paced, deadline-driven environment with a high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to interpret and apply a broad range of institutional policies and procedures. Strong analytical and organizational ability.
• Ability to work under pressure and with deadline constraints while balancing competing priorities.
• Strong interpersonal and team skills.
• Ability to establish short and long terms goals for the team.
• Ability to make highly complex decisions, to review established objectives and make recommendations.
• Detailed problem-solving abilities that demonstrate innovation and creativity.
• Ability to exercise excellent judgement. A lapse of judgement in this role could have serious reputational implications for the University.
• Tact & diplomacy working with many stakeholders internal and external to the University and sensitive student situations.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.

Closing Date: 01/21/2025,11:59PM ET
Employee Group: Salaried
Appointment Type: Budget – Continuing
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: PM 6 — Hiring Zone: $130,011 – $151,679 — Broadband Salary Range: $130,011 – $216,687
Job Category: Administrative / Managerial

Expected salary

Location

Toronto, ON

Job date

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 23:45:57 GMT

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