To lead the unit, a key provider and supporter of continuing education and lifelong learning opportunities beyond the University’s credit programs, including personal and professional development courses, certificates, corporate training, training development services, and community outreach initiatives – extending the University of Waterloo brand and cultivating ongoing relationships with learners from the University, local community, and the world.

Professional Development Leadership

• Provide leadership and overall management for the unit, ensuring it achieves adequate revenue, as the unit is fully revenue supported
• Develop unit strategic plans and targets and ensure their successful execution
• Provide strategic advice and expertise on lifelong learning and professional studies to CEL Director and senior University leaders
• Develop, recommend and/or approve all business processes related to unit operations, including policies, procedures, and guidelines
• Advocate for and support the University’s lifelong learning strategic initiatives
• Represent the University within relevant associations and community, and contributes to growth and discourse in that community
• Contribute to Centre for Extended Learning leadership through management team, and in particular provides insight and perspectives on lifelong learning, personal and professional studies
• Facilitate and communicate with the PD advisory committee made up of university leaders and key internal and external PD stakeholders

Client and Business Development

• Identify new clients, markets or services to achieve targets and strategic objectives
• Work with Alumni Affairs, and Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs to build relationships with Waterloo alumni and graduate students, respectively
• Develop new external business relationships and secure new clients including the general community, corporations, public-sector, and clients from within the University
• Develop relationships with professional and accrediting associations both as potential clients and regulators that would inform curriculum and programming
• Grow training development clientele; monitor tender sites and author successful responses to RFPs in order to land training development contracts with external agencies
• Negotiate contracts and MOAs with external clients and services providers
• Advise clients on training strategies (both face-to-face and online), organizational development, and evaluation strategies
• Guide CRM on building and maintaining effective on-going client relationships

Program Development and Management

• Through research, analysis, monitoring and understanding, generate new program ideas
• Continually renew program offerings to meet market needs and financial targets
• Develop relationships with government and public-sector agencies involved in identifying workforce needs and supporting program development
• Cultivate formal partnerships with academic departments, research centres, and Academic Support Units, to leverage and deliver Waterloo expertise through non-credit offerings
• Establishes and maintains business relationships with organizations and individuals with appropriate credentials and expertise to create and teach courses and programs
• Identify opportunities to bridge or repurpose credit and non-credit programs
• Oversee development of and approval of curricula, ensuring competencies and learning outcomes are appropriate and meet learner needs
• Collaborate with Manager of Client Development & Learner Services to identify and support adult and lifelong learner needs, and tailor marketing and support
• Consult with the Associate Director, Online Learning to resource online program development projects; ensure client and new program requirements are communicated to development team and that all stakeholder expectations are met
• Ensure marketing plans are well-designed and executed to provide the right programs and courses to targeted markets at price points that optimize success. Guide creation of appropriate promotional campaigns, track success, and use analytics to optimize results
• Conduct program reviews and reviews evaluations conducted by CRM to ensure programs and courses meet quality, enrolment and financial targets
• Work with Associate Director, Systems, to ensure appropriate systems, infrastructure, resources and staffing are in place to support program delivery and expansion; periodically leads internal reviews to increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve customer service

Staff and Financial Management

• Guide strategic planning, programming, and operational decisions using a data-driven, evidenced-based approach
• Create yearly budgets and multi-year financial plans, and ongoing financial analysis
• Perform ROI analysis and identifies underperforming programming with input from CRM, and takes appropriate action
• Guide CRM on termly priorities
• Hire and manage staff, managing performance and supporting their development
• Work with the CRM and Manager, Client Development and Learning Services to ensure front-line staff have the training, information and knowledge to support prospective students and are meeting targets for customer satisfaction and contact-to-registration conversions
• Develop competitive remuneration strategy for instructors

• Master degree  in field such Business Administration, Human Resource Development, Adult Education or equivalent, with specialization in adult learning principles or equivalent education and experience

• 5-8 years of experience in the accountabilities above, including progressively responsible management experience and a track record of growing professional development programming, relationships and revenue in an adult education context

• Successfully cultivating relationships with academic, government, public-sector, and private-sector organizations and individuals

• Demonstrated success creating and executing integrated marketing plans

• Demonstrated success in writing proposals and negotiating contracts
• In-depth understanding of professional development, adult and continuing education
• Strong understanding of effective practices in adult learning
• Ability to track and forecast private and public-sector needs and market trends
• Strong understanding of marketing tactics including digital and social media
• Ability to analyze and interpret data
• Understanding of academic department operations and culture
• Strong strategic planning skills, with proven ability operationalize and execute plans
• Strong understanding of budgeting, accounting, and financial management
• Ability to forge strong business relationships with internal and external partners
• Ability to plan and lead market research and program development
• Superior oral and written persuasive communication skills; ability to influence clients
• Self-motivated; possessing a goal-oriented, entrepreneurial nature
• Highly developed organizational and project management skills
• Ability to manage and motivate a team that excels at service, support, and sales
• Excellent problem-solving and conflict resolution
• Intermediate skill level in Microsoft Office suite and analytics tools
• Some travel
• Client meetings in community