Term: 16 months

The Team Project Co-ordinator provides project management support to gather, harmonize and coordinate the gathering of information from clients and other sources to contribute to the flow of the Creative Services business operations project lifecycle under the direction of the Associate Director, Creative Services.

The incumbent will develop, coordinate and implement tasks that relate to the creation of design materials for campus partners.  As the central source of information flow, the Team Project Co-ordinator will keep Creative Studio staff up-to-date on the activities of others within Creative Studio to ensure all actions are performed to achieve Creative Studio’s common goals to support and elevate the University of Waterloo’s brand and strategic goals.

Project management

• Function as the first point of contact for clients submitting design projects and act as a job advocate steering jobs through estimating, scheduling of design, and production
• Accept and evaluate jobs requisitioned by clients to ensure information and requirements of the project are clear, concise and complete
• Create, schedule, execute and adjust as required Creative Studio’s project plans to include briefings, charts, reports, schedules and other documents to synchronise, control and integrate design, video and digital projects using project management software
• Provide support for the planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting of projects by creating project schedules noting milestones, due dates and estimates to present to the Associate Director, Creative Studio for approval
• Liaise with and coordinate project activities with the design team, vendors and campus stakeholders to ensure project roles are clear and the required job actions are completed
• Co-ordinate and participate in project meetings, prepare minutes and action items and ensure action items are completed
• Accountable for the completion of objectives and key results by monitoring project schedules and timelines
• Analyze and manage complex production plans to identify inefficiencies, errors or risks that might jeopardize a project’s success
• Collaborate with clients to understand their target audience and end use to provide recommendations regarding the quality and cost-effectiveness of output
• Source estimate quotes from production and creative vendors and complete the required paperwork in accordance with institutional procurement and financial guidelines/best practices
• Liaise with the Creative Studio team, outside vendors, couriers, clients and designers to produce timely accurate project plans and quotes and ensure delivery of projects
• Track project progress and deadlines throughout the production/development process; monitor projects to foresee timing issues and work towards a solution; manage client expectations and provide status updates to clients; communicate design scope and output specification changes to external vendors, secure updated vendor quotes to update job information and revises quotes for clients as necessary. The Team Project Co-ordinator must handle many projects of various sizes and scope with competing deadlines
• Submit approved files to print and attend press approvals to ensure printed projects meet all print specifications, quality and delivery expectations
• Dispatch detailed production email and/or notices to vendors to initiate orders and follow through to delivery
• Match vendor invoices to project paperwork, update design time and external costs, confirm contact and account information in preparation of billing for the project
• Actively participate as a key member of University Relations and liaise with marketing and communications related groups across campus

Financial administration

• Responsible to process and review financial information including financial reconciliation and identifying and resolving discrepancies
• Prepare month-end journal entries
• Respond to questions and inquiries regarding quoting/invoicing/licensing/vendor roster requirements
• Recommend improvements and best practices to maintain a strong internal control framework and ensure accurate reporting of financial transactions
• Participate in and provide year-end financial statement reporting
• Prepare vendor paperwork and agreements including quotes and vendor contracts
• Complete the independent contractor determination (ICON) paperwork process to ensure compliance with the University’s procurement, financial and legal requirements.  The ICON will determine whether a worker should be engaged as an employee or an independent contractor for income tax purposes based on the circumstances of each work arrangement
• Maintain all project documentation through the third-party project management system including client contact, quotes, schedules, production notes and other relevant job details

Strategic thinking

• Co-ordinate a variety of deliverables for the University’s strategic initiatives, presentations, and documentation to support project execution for senior leadership including print, environmental graphics and signage, photography and swag, as well as digital and video files
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge, and understanding of the Creative Studio mandate, University brand guidelines, University positioning and key messaging and current initiatives
• Provide the Associate Director, Creative Studio with internal support for business development, special projects and other duties as assigned
• Work with faculties, university communicators and other university units to identify and leverage relevant content created by campus departments and/or brand and marketing vendors
• Maintain extensive knowledge of print production, design, and multi-media for job planning purposes; gather feedback from designers and clients to identify areas of success and those in need of improvement; and recommend new initiatives and improvements to internal processes
• Meet with industry partners to explore trends and discuss cost-effective print techniques for high profile projects

Assessment

• Handle complex or urgent situations that may involve numerous individuals in a timely matter with discretion.  This includes scheduling or follow-up of meetings, changing or updating detailed arrangements and communicating changed/updated schedules and priorities
• Raise concerns or issues to the Associate Director, Creative Studio, by providing a description of the issue, outlining options and recommendations for remediation
• Co-ordinate debriefing activities with the Creative Studio team and campus partners
• Identify and provide recommendations for departmental or institutional improvements
• Assist with creating/improving content creation and approval processes that aim to improve Creative Studio’s operational efficiency

Creative Industry Knowledge

• Organize project kick-off meetings and participate in brainstorming sessions for content development and project execution

• University degree or equivalent experience and education in project management
• Three to five years of progressively responsible experience in project management and administration
• Experience in a client service oriented, cost recovery or revenue producing design agency, production environment or commercial production setting
• Experience with project management techniques and processes relating to continuous improvement
• Demonstrated financial responsibility with budget management
• Experience with a print management system program such as Avanti, Function Point
• Demonstrated ability to research, summarize, and report information
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to thrive in a customer-focused environment, which includes responding to inquiries, understanding the client’s needs to interpret and translate these needs into direction for design staff
• Enthusiastic and confident in an integrated, fast paced and collaborative team environment with changing priorities
• Ability to exercise leadership without formal authority
• Exceptional communication (oral and written) and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated sound, independent decision-making and judgement
• Business maturity to handle difficult situation with tact and diplomacy and awareness to topics and matters that are confidential and sensitive
• Demonstrated ability to apply new concepts, tools, and processes
• Attitude and aptitude for continuous improvement and change management
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to handle multiple tasks and deadlines
• Demonstrated meticulous attention to detail
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills
• Must be results-oriented
• Ability to work with tight deadlines and adapt to unexpected and time sensitive demands
• Methodical and thorough when considering solutions to issues
• Ability to trouble shoot and problem solve independently as well as when part of a team
• A strong understanding and knowledge of design, design and colour theory, typography, layout, and print processes in print and digital environments
• Knowledge of design software and/or presentation software, such as InDesign knowledge will support and aid in determining project timelines

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within our Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca  or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.