Our vision: We will contribute to a sustainable future by being among the best in the world in areas of special and emerging strengths, through outstanding research, scholarly, and artistic work that addresses the needs and aspirations of our region and the world, and through exceptional teaching and engagement.

We will be an outstanding institution of research, learning, knowledge-keeping, reconciliation, and inclusion with and by Indigenous peoples and communities.

Reporting to the Provost and Vice-President Academic, the Executive Officer for the Provost’s Portfolio plays a crucial and integrative role in the achievement of the strategic directions and academic priorities of the University. Their primary role primary role is to enable the PVPA to focus on the university’s vision, mission, and strategic priorities, and associated accountabilities.

Primary Purpose: The Executive Officer (EO) to the Provost and Vice-President Academic (PVPA) provides senior project support and executive-level coordination within the PVPA portfolio. The EO manages information, workflow, emerging issues, and projects for the portfolio. The EO advises the PVPA based on an extensive understanding of the university’s formal and informal structures and processes and contributes to the effective, efficient and professional operation of the portfolio.

The EO has a broad view across the entire PVPA portfolio, including an understanding of who is tasked with projects and work. This position manages and coordinates issues and initiatives; ensures implementation and follow up; builds relationships within the portfolio, and between portfolios; and provides background and strategic advice to the PVPA and other key members of the portfolio on issues, policies, and institutional areas of focus and priority. This is achieved through providing executive support services, project management, and portfolio support; by liaising with stakeholders; and through effective communications and relationships.

The EO participates in developing strategies and setting priorities and acts as a resource to other portfolios. This position provides support to the PVPA by anticipating needs based on the portfolio and university priorities. The incumbent will be responsible for preparing confidential and portfolio correspondence, reports, and documents, creating position papers and other operational and strategic documents. Similarly, the EO supports the PVPA through the preparation of background materials, briefing notes, presentations, and other essential materials along with strategic advice.

The EO is a consummate supporter of the provost’s portfolio contribution to the university mission, vision and values, and thrives in a behind-the-scenes role and gaining satisfaction through the success of others. Along with humility, kindness, and humour, the EO possesses an intense desire to get the job done.

Nature of Work: This position is about project management, workflow, and enabling decision-making. The EO works under pressure in an energetic fast-paced and high volume and diverse environment, characterized by continuous change, shifting priorities and a fluidity where competing deadlines and multi-tasking is the norm. The incumbent works within a team environment that includes the Deputy Provost, Provost’s Administrative Network, and other administrative professionals within the office. Judgment is used to make decisions regarding relationships, procedures, processes, or guidelines. The EO is expected to prioritize and ensure strong, respectful relationships.

The standard for the quality of work and timely completion of projects is high. This position experiences pressure when managing competing interests toward satisfactory outcomes. Considerable discretion is required as the EO is privy to and works with sensitive, highly confidential information.

Key Activities

• Work with colleagues in the PVPA portfolio to ensure all work is aligned with the university’s mission, vision and values; and the PVPA is best-positioned to deliver on their accountabilities
• Ensure the strategic management of the leader’s time through an intimate understanding of the priorities and when those priorities and goals need to be acted upon
• Liaise with the Manager of the provost’s portfolio administration network on time and content management needs of the provost.
• Contribute to the search and review of senior leaders as part of a team
• Ensure the leader is prepared for meetings, presentations and other commitments, through effective workflow planning, meeting planning, coordination of the development of needed materials, execution, and follow up on action items
• Facilitate information sharing
• Act as a problem-solving resource to others within and outside the portfolio
• Lead special projects
• Manage and track goals, collaborating with the other units within and outside the PVPA portfolio to achieve the overall PVPA goals
• Support the resolution and completion of complex issues.
• Mitigate service and operational risks by ensuring adherence to current and relevant university policies, guidelines and processes, and adhering to collective agreements and relevant legislation.
• Provide high-level support to the PVPA leadership by ensuring access to the full range of data and information to drive effective decision-making and preparing and providing of data, reports, and analysis to help keep the PVPA informed

Education:

• An undergraduate degree, with a postgraduate degree preferred; OR An equivalent combination of education and related experience will be considered for this position.

Experience:

• A minimum of five years of related experience working in a fast-paced dynamic administrative environment
• Experience supporting senior executives
• A working knowledge of and familiarity with the University of Saskatchewan environment including financial and human resource information systems and existing policies and procedures would be an asset.

• Experience working in and positively affecting a diverse and inclusive environment.

Skills:

• Conversion of strategy to results
• High level of proficiency in project management
• Outstanding communication skills – written and verbal
• A multi-tasker who understands priorities, develops solutions, and has proven problem-solving abilities
• Creative, personable, and versatile. Exemplary interpersonal skills. An aptitude for working in a team-oriented atmosphere
• Demonstrates initiative, works independently
• Analytical, critical thinking and decision-making skills when working with a range of stakeholders. Strong attention to detail
• Understanding of the University’s interrelated structure and processes
• Motivated, organized, and self-directed and possess high standards of professional integrity and judgment including the ability to maintain confidentiality, and handle sensitive matters diplomatically and discretely
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications

Typical Duties or Accountabilities:

Executive Support

The EO provides essential support and advice to the PVPA.

• Ensures the PVPA is briefed and prepared for meetings, events, and other engagements
• Tracks decisions and action items to ensure implementation and follow up as appropriate.
• Ensures that portfolio materials prepared for governing bodies and outside organizations are of the highest degree of quality and clarity
• Serves as a confidential advisor to the PVPA and provides critical analysis, options, recommendations and perspective on portfolio and university projects or issues within the purview of the PVPA
• Provides expert advice and planning on the development of tactical, strategic work plans to address identified strategies and initiatives and implements when appropriate
  
  

Issues Management

The EO works with the PVPA and others on institutional risk management, including those involving effective administration, coordination and management of workflow and issues for the office, the portfolio and the university. Such issues may be highly sensitive and involve both internal and external communities.

• Manages the flow of information to and from the PVPA
• Works with the PVPA and team to ensure regular and essential communication between the PVPA’s Office and the broader PVPA portfolio as well as within and outside the university
• Ensures effective communication and liaison, problem-solving, and collaboration between the PVPA and other senior administrators
• Contributes to decisions and fulfillment of commitments in a timely manner
• Works to respond to matters that come to the PVPA but do not require the PVPA’s direct intervention
• Facilitates resolution of issues through negotiation, mediation and conflict management between individuals, units, and portfolios
  
  

Portfolio Management

• Develops strategies to support internal committees run by the PVPA. This includes ensuring meetings are effective and contributing to the accountabilities of the PVPA and institution. This would include: developing workflow planning, and associated meeting agendas, tracking agenda items, ensuring materials are prepared by deadlines, and ensuring follow through on action items.
• Facilitates and streamline the effective information flow to and from the President’s office. The EO will hold the responsibility to channel information as an amplifier and a choreographer – bringing forward the right issues at the right time.
• Ensures issues within the PVPA are resolved or referred to other members of the PVPA portfolio or university community as appropriate
• Works with the Provost’s Administrative Network and portfolio units to ensure all projects are completed in alignment with PVPA priorities and timelines
• Seeks opportunities to develop, implement, and improve processes and policies
  
  

Strategic Planning and Projects

As a member of the team, the EO contributes value-added planning, policy and project advice to the PVPA, team colleagues, and the portfolio as a whole.

• Develops, and supports plans, policies and projects for the university to achieve its goals
• Develops with the PVPA and team annual and multiyear workplans that operationalize key initiatives aligned with the PVPA accountabilities and institutional performance
• Analyzes the success of strategic initiatives and recommends change when necessary
• Supports campus-wide and unit-specific EDI initiatives by building awareness, engagement, and a culture of inclusion and diversity
• Develops strategic and confidential documents (concept papers, reports, proposals, briefing notes, presentations, and others) for use by the PVPA portfolio
• Contributes to the PVPA’s engagement budgetary planning processes
• Lead and sometimes guide projects that are of particular relevance to the PVPA and that do not necessarily fit within any single part of the organizational structure. This may require the EO to work across institutional boundaries with internal and external stakeholders. These projects can range in scope from institutionally significant to projects focused on internal, day-to-day administration.

Well-being leadership

• takes action against discriminatory or racist behavior in our academic spaces, institutional structures, policies and processes
• demonstrates well-being as a leader, through practices attentive to health, well-being, and life-long learning.