Term: 13-14 months 

Reporting to the Director, Student Life Communications, the Manager, Student Systems Integration and Special Projects is responsible for the strategic planning, successful execution and effective management of integrated student systems in the APS Portfolio. The manager plays a critical leadership role in planning, development, evolution and evaluation of UWaterloo Portal and its student engagement initiatives aligning with the strategic priorities and goals of the APS portfolio.

In addition, the manager leads and manages projects identified by the Director, Student Life Communications and senior leadership. The manager will work to enhance the student experience through online systems, positively positioning the University and aligning closely with the Waterloo brand experience.

The manager has the following primary areas of focus:

• Provide strategic oversight and management of UWaterloo Portal
• Manage strategic projects across the APS portfolio via scaled project initiation to planning, execution and closure phases
• Lead a comprehensive community management strategy
• Maintain a strong understanding of current trends and best practices for communicating with and engaging student audiences

Provide strategic oversight and management of UWaterloo Portal

• Work in conjunction with IST management to create long term UWaterloo Portal strategy and high-level roadmap that aligns with the APS and IST strategies
• Research, develop and maintain annual plans for UWaterloo Portal development features, in collaboration with Manager, Systems Development and AI Technologies, based on stakeholder requests, student needs, and feedback
• Engage with key campus partners to communicate strategic content and emergency notifications (collaborates with University Relations, Office of the President, RO, GSPA, etc.)
• Lead data input strategy in collaboration with campus partners and data stewards to ensure campus data is available for Portal use and development
• Manage privacy and security assessment protocols, in consultation with the Secretariat’s Office and IST Security
• Lead group of campus-wide, senior-level stakeholders to develop effective Portal governance strategies and implementation
• Assess, respond to and re-prioritize development plans to accommodate critical issues, outages etc.
• Liaise between APS and IST to set and manage priorities for features and enhancements, using the strategic plan, roadmap and data-driven, student-centric research
• Collaborate with IST managers and developers to manage priorities and build requirements, adhering to development calendar and work back schedules
• Assist university stakeholders with understanding student needs, technologies and focus areas which translate into the success of supported online platforms and applications
• Maintain a strong focus on UI/UX to adapt to continuous changes in emerging platforms, technology and trends
• Lead analytics strategy; identify metrics, create and implement framework for prioritization and reporting of student engagement measures within Portal to provide foundational insights about the student journey

Strategic project management

• Lead and manage projects within the APS portfolio through scaled project initiation, planning, execution and closure phases
• Develop, monitor and control all phases of the project by setting realistic and attainable timelines, workback schedules, milestones, and project objectives
• Report regularly on project goals and status to key stakeholders and APS management team
• Liaise with campus partners to establish clear, concise, agreed upon project objectives/goals/vision, benefits, scope and success criteria
• Assess needs and demands from campus partners and manage prioritization of deliverables to ensure ongoing trajectory of success
• Adjust and evolves project plans at key milestones to ensure progress
• Manage and report on progress, project constraints, roadblocks and risks, to project stakeholders and other committees as appropriate
• Establish and follows appropriate change processes to enable informed decision making as projects evolve
• Create an environment of shared purpose/collaboration and builds stakeholder relationships based on trust and integrity

Lead a comprehensive community management strategy

• Plan student engagement opportunities, to seek feedback from students and assess initiatives to inform future planning, in collaboration with the Manager, Student Insights and Strategic Communications
• Lead the support strategy for the needs of the 40,000+ UWaterloo Portal community of users including a feedback loop to inform continuous improvement and evolution of the platform
• Provide guidance and expertise on how to enhance UWaterloo Portal for additional audiences (i.e., faculty, staff, alumni)
• Hire, coach and schedule student engagement support staff for boothing and other outreach opportunities

Maintain a strong understanding of current trends and best practices for communicating with and engaging student audiences

• Maintain clear understanding of student audience technologies, trends and communication preferences with respect to receiving and sharing information and translate into tactics for enhancing just-in-time message delivery
• Collaborate with APS colleagues and campus partners to understand emerging student needs and requirements
• Maintain strong understanding of student services and student programs that enhance the academic, health/wellness and social development of students on campus
• Maintain awareness of current department and campus-wide initiatives, best practices at other universities and current research focusing on student engagement

• Bachelor’s degree in related discipline and/or diploma in program/project management
• Project Management Professional (PMP) Certificate is an asset
• Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered
• 5+ years of experience in a technology project or project management role, preferably in higher education including 2+ years of experience in project management
• Experience in engaging internal and external stakeholders to work collaboratively and build consensus in a complex environment characterized by competing priorities
• Experience and knowledge of web mobile app UI/UX design principles
• Experience and knowledge of accessibility requirements (AODA) and Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL)
• A record of and commitment to participating in ongoing learning and engagement in the areas of equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and accessibility. Demonstrated experience applying this learning to systems and/or project management work
• Experience writing copy for a student audience
• Experience with Lean/Six Sigma methodology an asset
• Advanced: MS Office suite of products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Intermediate: email marketing campaign and distribution platforms (e.g., MailChimp)
• Intermediate: web content management system (WCMS – Drupal)
• Advanced: web-based project management platforms (e.g., Airtable, Smartsheet)
• Intermediate: social media platforms and tools (e.g., Emplify, Hootsuite)
• Advanced project management skills
• Strong communication skills – both oral and written
• Strong organizational skills
• Effective time management skills
• A continuous improvement mindset is an asset

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 the 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+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

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.