• Job Description

  Req#: JR18224
  Staff - Union

  Job Category

  CUPE 2950

  Job Profile

  CUPE 2950 Salaried - Administrative Support 3 (Gr6)

  Job Title

  CMS Program and Admin Assistant

  Department

  Student Support | Centre for Migration Studies

  Compensation Range

  $4,449.00 - $4,676.00 CAD Monthly

  Posting End Date

  August 15, 2024

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

  Job End Date

  Feb 28, 2030

  This is a 100% FTE term position with an end date of February 28, 2030.

  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.

  CMS Program and Administrative Assistant II (supervised by Operations Manager)

  Job Summary

  The Centre for Migration Studies (CMS), based in the UBC Faculty of Arts, was founded in 2020. Our offices are located in the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) people, and our work extends across unceded Coast Salish territories in what is commonly known as Metro Vancouver. The Centre is committed to excellence in migration and mobilities research and serves as an incubator for transformative, inclusive, collaborative, interdisciplinary, and intersectoral research. As a community of faculty members, graduate students, and practitioners, we work together to advance the understanding of migration and belonging and to facilitate publicly engaged dialogue that fosters inclusive and just communities. CMS does this through a rich and diverse array of research collaborations and programming initiatives. We facilitate over 50 events per year, hosting lectures, workshops, conferences, and other events for the UBC community and beyond. We also support a cohort of Graduate Certificate students, faculty-student research collaborations, and more.

  The Program and Administrative Assistant (PAA) is an integral part of the CMS team and provides complex financial, administrative, and programming support for CMS operations, initiatives, and day-to-day activities. This position liaises with a variety of community partners, sector agencies, Indigenous consultants and partners, as well as faculty members, graduate students, and staff across different units at UBC, primarily in support of CMS financial and administrative operations. The role also works collaboratively and flexibly with other CMS staff to support CMS events (logistics and day-of), initiatives, and general clerical and administrative tasks as assigned, including some administrative support of the Co-Directors. A generous understanding of inclusivity, equity, and positionality, and willingness to engage reflexively in approaching these diverse relationships is essential to the role and the culture of CMS. This position may occasionally be required work outside traditional daytime hours to support event programming.

  WORK PERFORMED

  • Provides complex administrative and logistical support to the Centre for its operations, programs, and initiatives. Develops and maintains a broad range of knowledge around CMS programs and UBC administrative procedures and policies.
  • First point of contact for external and internal inquiries about the Centre: these inquiries range in complexity from routine through to complex, confidential inquiries that require discernment, discretion, accuracy, and professionalism.
  • Coordinates program evaluation and assessment processes, including maintaining records of all program activities, liaising with Research Group coordinators, and assisting with the preparation of reports to Faculty and Grant-awarding offices.
  • Schedules meetings for the Centre. Prepares meeting agendas and other supporting documents. Takes accurate and effective meeting minutes.
  • Coordinates travel arrangements for the Co-Directors, arranges registration and collects essential information for conference/meeting attendance (including agenda background documentation, other required documents, etc.).
  • Coordinates with visiting scholars regarding requirements and supporting documentation to visit, assigning desk spaces if available and ensuring that visiting scholars are appointed in the HR system.
  • In support of research by Co-Directors, Research Manager, and/or Operations Manager, performs collection of data and statistics from various sources; organizes and presents information in an appropriate format including written reports, tables, and spreadsheets.
  • Coordinates and monitors program expenses; reconciles credit card statements; and answers routine questions about expense reimbursements and fund transfers.
  • Coordinates and prepares expense, vendor, and award payments for submission to Finance team for processing. Ensures all expense, vendor and award payments align with UBC and Arts Expenditure Guidelines.
  • Assists Operations Manager with development and maintenance of systems to track CMS expenses and funding, including with partners on co-sponsored events, conferences and projects.
  • Under the direction of the Operations Manager or Research Manager, creates simple financial reports.
  • Works with Office of Research Services, authorized signatories, and Finance on project grant account set-up and fund transfers.
  • Maintains the physical environment, including maintaining office supplies and spaces, and liaising with building operations for any repairs or solutions needed.
  • Develops and updates database of centre affiliate profiles and information
  • Builds and maintains positive relationships with faculty, staff, and students, and interacts in a professional and engaging manner with community leaders and the general public.
  • Provides effective support and coordination for events and operations, such as scheduling, calendar management, venue booking, catering, A/V assessment, and other administrative support. Works with CMS Event and Community Engagement Assistant to provides day of logistical support for large annual CMS Research Day and Annual Conference events.
  • Participates in CMS' efforts to create a welcoming environment that fosters inclusion and belonging for all.
  • Performs other tasks as assigned to assist the Co-Directors, Operations Manager, and Research Manager

  Consequence of Error

  The PAA role is essential to the effective administration of CMS finances, programming, and scholarly initiatives. Poor performance, errors in judgment, or ineffective communication could undermine CMS activities, harm our relationships, jeopardize continued funding, and cause serious misunderstandings and damage to the international reputation of CMS, the Faculty of Arts, and UBC. Breach of confidentiality could adversely affect the Centre’s association with faculty, staff or professional organizations. Must approach relationships with colleagues and all affiliates with a generous understanding of inclusivity, equity, and positionality, and be willing to engage reflexively in fostering a Centre that is welcoming to all persons. Failure to approach relationships in this way may be harmful to others and is destructive of the values and respect that the Centre is committed to cultivating in its operations and research work.

  Supervision Received

  Works independently, under the direction of the Operations Manager. Work is performed in accordance with established UBC Finance protocol and procedure guidelines, and with other CMS procedures and accepted practices that allow freedom and discernment to select which methods are best suited to a given situation. The PAA is expected to effectively prioritize and organize tasks in order to accomplish goals in a timely and reliable manner.

  Supervision Given

  Occasionally trains new staff and student assistants in general CMS work procedures and processes, and those relevant to their own portfolio.

  Minimum Qualifications

  
  High School graduation, plus one year of post-secondary education, plus two years of related experience, or an 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

  A related undergraduate degree in humanities or social sciences is an asset.

  Prior knowledge and understanding of UBC policies, procedures, and instructions is an asset.

  Ability to manage details; to exercise tact, discretion, and sound judgement; and to work independently in an interdisciplinary environment. Ability to analyze problems, identify key information and issues, and effectively resolve them.

  Experience working with financial processes (including expenses) and reporting; ability to accurately gather, organize, summarize and process financial information. Ability to take and transcribe accurate meeting minutes.

  Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential, including the ability to communicate with clarity, professionalism, and discernment with diverse audiences (external scholars, community partners, Indigenous leaders and facilitators, and UBC faculty, staff, and students).

  Experience with, and ability to coordinate, detailed logistics and administrative processes for operations and programming; to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities; to demonstrate perception and initiative in handling matters of a complex and non-routine nature; to prioritize and work effectively under pressure, and to meet deadlines and demands.

  Understanding of inclusivity, equity, and positionality and willingness to engage reflexively while building diverse relationships.

  Ability to navigate complex and diverse community organizations preferred.

  Ability to demonstrate initiative, good judgement, and understanding of developing ethical, culturally appropriate, and productive collaborations with university and community partners.

  Strong competency in standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Outlook). Experience with WordPress, Canva, and Zoom preferred, or strong competency in similar tools and a willingness to learn these. Willingness and ability to learn other new software tools as needed such as Notion, Qualtrics, Arts Internal Resources (AIR).

  Demonstrated commitment to or experience in advancing a culture of equity and inclusion.

• About the company

  25306 The University of British Columbia is a public research university with campuses in Vancouver and Kelowna, British Columbia.

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