Manager, Strategic Initiatives

Date Posted: 03/13/2025
Req ID: 42142
Faculty/Division: Vice-Provost, Students
Department: Student Success
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
Position Number: 00054368

Description:

About us:

Student Life connects life to learning. We believe every student should have the opportunity to participate in university life actively and find connection and community while discovering new ways of thinking and being in the world. We provide resources, support and engagement opportunities that are inclusive and accessible, ensuring every student can build experiences that set them up for a lifetime of success.

Within Student Life, the cluster of Student Life Programs and Services, supports students as they achieve personal, academic, career and civic goals. We engage students throughout their learning and development with the following units: Accessibility Services, Career Exploration & Education, Centre for Community Partnerships, Centre for Learning Strategy Support, Clubs & Leadership Development, , Indigenous Student Services, Mentorship & Peer Programs, Multi-faith Centre, Orientation, Student Success, Transition & Engagement and TCard Services. Together with staff, faculty, students, alumni, employers and community partners, we provide an integrated and coherent path to success that reflects our students' diversity.

In support of U of T’s vision, Student Life Programs and Services is committed to creating diverse, accessible, inclusive and welcoming spaces of opportunity that foster deepened engagement, learning, personal growth, and identity development for all students. We are committed to embedding these principles into allthe work we do, reducing barriers so that students from all backgrounds and lived experiences can feel a sense of belonging in the communities they find here.

To align with our strategic priorities, we encourage individuals from Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities to apply.

Your opportunity:

Reporting to the Assistant Director, Student Life Programs & Services, and working under general direction of the Academic Advising Training Program Project Team, the Manager, Strategic Projects will lead, facilitate and foster academic advising training, development, and community across U of T’s tri-campus first-entry divisions, so that advisors have the knowledge, skills, and connections to effectively support students. The Manager, Strategic Projects works directly under the scope of multiple Vice-Provostial portfolios and closely with other senior university administrators (e.g. Academic Advising Training Program Steering Committee Co-Chairs). The Manager, Strategic Projects is responsible for project management and implementation to ensure the work of the Academic Advising Training Program (AATP) can be carried out efficiently and effectively.

Such project management andimplementation includes: a) offer academic advising training (e.g. offer a revised version of Level 1: Foundations of Advising based on pilot assessment and evaluation), identifying and negotiation compensation with potential module facilitators b) continued assessment and evaluation of content and structure c) develop and launch an Advising Community of Practice, offering additional training and collaborative opportunities (e.g. lunch and learns, training sessions); d) develop training assets and resources (e.g. comprehensive Quercus online space with resources; e) socialization and consultation of future of Academic Advising Training Program, including a consultation process, building partnerships, scoping out needs for training and content, being a visible face for AATP, and presenting and reporting; f) develop areas of connection and collaboration with enterprise academic advising systems (e.g. training on system).

The Manager, Strategic Projects will coordinate, assist with and advance projects, initiatives and daily activities associated with academic advising training that require knowledge of complimentary Divisional resources, priorities, new academic advising directions at the undergraduate level, and other strategic institutional initiatives. The role will continue to evolve and the individual must be willing to respond to the given priorities of the day and be willing to work cooperatively in a challenging and dynamic environment.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Developing overall project design
• Developing charter, scope, resources and schedule for project(s)
• Planning and implementing project phases
• Building and strengthening relationships with stakeholders and partners of strategic importance
• Reviewing and assessing requirements needed to meet project timelines
• Informing project leaders of issues and roadblocks
• Monitoring project accounts
• Directing a small group in alimited area, including responsibility for scheduling and/or workflow

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required, post graduate degree (Master's or Ph.D) an asset, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of six years’ related experience in a post-secondary student-focused environment. Detailed knowledge and experience in developing organizational learning strategies and designing learning interventions.
• Experience in academic advising (including models, theories, and approaches).
• Experience working with diverse student communities and an understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Extensive experience managing complex and multi-stakeholder projects, including leading, organizing and tracking the outcomes of projects, preferable in a university setting.
• Experience producing reports and presenting findings.
• Knowledge of competency modeling, selection and training, organizational development.
• Proven ability to design, develop and deliver effective and engaging learning sessions, programs and presentations, both in person and remotely.
• Significant communications experience with demonstrated success in implementing an integrated communications strategy.
• Strong attention to detail, leadership skills, demonstrated ownership of work.
• Ability to work with diverse groups, strong facilitation interpersonal skills and political acumen, ability to build and maintain strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Extensive experience with the University, knowledge of university policies and procedures, and an understanding of the University’s organizational structure.
• Strong research, writing, communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Adept with a variety of multimedia training platforms and methods, proficiency with Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Effective at creating learning assessments, resources and presentations high degree of political acuity and judgment.
• Ability to deal with senior University Officers in a manner which facilitates cooperation and consensus building.
• Ability to work independently with a high degree of initiative, discretion, and tact.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Superior organizational skills in planning, project management and task coordination.
• Flexibility and problem solver orientation.
• Strong leadership capabilities.

To be successful in this role you will be:

• Communicator
• Diplomatic
• Multi-tasker
• Organized
• Persuasive
• Team player

Note: This is a 13-month term position from May 5, 2025 until June 5, 2026.

Closing Date: 03/24/2025, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW 
Appointment Type: Budget - Term; This is a 13-month term position.
Schedule: Full-Time
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
USW Pay Band 15 -- $95,627. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $122,290. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol. 
Job Category: Administrative / Managerial
Recruiter: Fiona Chan

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.