Staff - Union

Job Category

BCGEU Okanagan Support Staff

Job Profile

BCGEU OK Salaried - Support Services Assistant I

Job Title

Head’s Assistant, Undergraduate Program and Events Support

Department

UBCO | Faculty | Department of Creative Studies | Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies

Compensation Range

$4,386.00 - $5,024.00 CAD Monthly

Posting End Date

September 7, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Ongoing

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Description Summary:

This position reports to the Head of the Department of Creative Studies and is the first point of contact for internal and external inquiries to the Department. This position requires a great deal of contact with and assistance to faculty members, students and staff. The role provides a wide range of confidential administrative support to the Head, faculty members, students, and the public. In addition to Department administrative support, this role is the primary support for Department events, assisting with planning and logistics, communications, and on-location event support.

Organizational Status

The Department of Creative Studies is one of three departments in the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies. The Faculty offers undergraduate programs leading to Bachelor of Arts degrees in Art History and Visual Culture, Creative Writing, Cultural Studies, English, French, French and Spanish, a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Visual Arts, as well as a Bachelor of Media Studies. The Faculty also offers graduate programs leading to an M.A. in English, an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies, A Master of Fine Arts and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies.

This position reports to the Head and works with all faculty, staff and students in the Department and communicates and works with other administrative support staff in the Faculty. This job requires a great deal of cooperation and contact with the university community as a whole, including service, academic, and administrative areas such as Enrolment Services, IT Services, CTL, University Relations, Human Resources, and Facilities Management. This position also communicates with people in the community in an administrative and receptionist role.

Work Performed

Provides administrative support to the Head of the Department:

• Coordinating Department Head’s calendar and schedule, calling for agenda items, preparing and distributing agendas and documentation for Departmental and committee meetings; booking rooms, arranging catering, attending meetings, taking, transcribing, distributing and archiving minutes.
• Providing reception and front-line contact for the department: screening, directing and/or responding to telephone, email and in-person inquiries from students, staff, faculty and the general public.
• Planning and coordinating conferences, meetings, special events and functions at internal and external venues by booking venues, arranging catering, creating and distributing marketing & promotional material, collecting payments and maintaining attendance lists.
• Coordinating travel for visiting authors and writers in residence including creating, tracking and processing contracts, and booking travel and accommodation.
• Assisting with student course changes (add/drop) and other requests as needed by the head or program coordinators. Main contact for class cancellations- - posting notices and informing students.
• Supporting the recruitment of new faculty by working in the online recruiting system to manage applicants, (route applications to committee members throughout the process, send equity surveys, run reports for Head on the survey results, schedule interviews and make travel arrangements as appropriate); liaising with new hires to ensure their specific needs; ensuring access to all required UBC online programs as required.
• Supporting Appointment, Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure (ARPT) process by: attending ARPT meetings, taking and composing minutes in an accurate and timely manner; preparing approved copies of confidential dossiers for distribution to Faculty ARPT Committee members; maintaining related confidential faculty ARPT files, submitting calls for, collecting, tracking and storing Annual Activity Reports, Merit and Performance reports.
• Managing faculty/sessional instructor office relocations each term, including entering IT tickets for computers, monitors, online systems, telephones and mail, name plate and other essential supplies, and removing access upon completion of appointment.
• Providing logistical support by arranging Facilities, Maintenance, and IT support as required for classroom and office spaces.
• Assisting the Head with organization and election of department committees (prepare ballots, call for nominations, collect, count and record ballots, advise Head of the results and communicate to faculty).
• Creating and updating faculty personnel files.
• Hold and reconcile departmental Visa card.
• Providing auxiliary assistance for Department financial processes, including processing urgent expense and travel requisitions as needed.
• Receiving and recording payments at events from the public for promotional materials or publications.

Providing administrative support to faculty, students, staff and other clients by:

• Acting as first point of contact for the public, parents, students and academic colleagues and providing general and specific information about programs, courses, and departmental events.
• Liaising with various UBC departments, committees and units to collate and present information and enable collaboration.
• Serving as the resource person for faculty, staff and students regarding policies and procedures surrounding admissions and undergraduate programs.
• Providing support for Visual Arts faculty and students, including preparing and distributing agendas and documentation for Visual Arts program; booking space, arranging catering, attending meetings, recording and distributing minutes.
• Receiving, reviewing and tracking admission portfolios for Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Arts and Bachelor of Media Studies applicants.
• Assisting faculty with student requests, providing support and access; changing class sizes and classroom assignments in Workday Student based on student numbers, etc.
• Assisting faculty with Facilities related inquiries including entering Facilities work requests for event setup and tear-downs, repairs, office moves, cleaning, pest control and any concerns related to Creative Studies spaces.
• Providing appointment, tenure and promotion support including generating Teaching Evaluation Questionnaire (TEQ) summaries, collecting and organizing specific data from confidential Student Evaluation of Teaching (SEoT) scores, as requested by the Head of Creative Studies or the FCCS Dean.
• Coordinating evaluations of faculty and Teaching Assistants (TAs); reviewing and approving or updating list of course/faculty/TAs, receiving norm reports and distributing to faculty, sending Teaching Evaluation Questionnaire (TEQ) reports to Head.
• Collecting and filing electronic course outlines and exams, office hours, Teaching Assistant evaluations.
• Requesting, recording and tracking leaves for all faculty.
• Updating departmental faculty lists and email contact lists for department.
• Working as main point person for cleanup and updating of faculty shared drive files.
• Working with other staff on projects, tasks and special events as required.
• Reviewing copy and print charges for faculty and student hires and identifying and reporting anomalies.
• Training new staff on processes and procedures as necessary, and providing back-up for other support staff during their absence.
• Contacting students through Workday Student when required.
• Backup for Departmental Assistant for office moves, evaluations, photocopying, printing, mail, courier etc.
• Preparing reports, correspondence and agendas; creating and maintaining filing systems.
• Recording, transcribing and distributing meeting minutes, ensure completion of action items.
• Providing administrative support to the Creative Studies program Coordinators.
• Working with Student Housing and Hospitality and Campus Planning and Development to troubleshoot any space/bookings issues.

Provides event-related support by:

• Acting as first point of contact for departmental events, assisting faculty leads and Marketing and Communications Specialist on coordinating, advertising and promoting events to internal and external community; liaising with students, faculty, staff and community organizations as required.
• Updating and maintaining Creative Studies event mailing lists, including updating the secure internal calendar and UBC public calendar with departmental events and meetings.
• Liaising with Security and Book Space regarding event details and requirements, including work orders, building maintenance, custodial issues, liquor licenses, timely submission of event forms to Security, etc.
• Assisting faculty with field trips, Year End show, Short Story Contest and other events including collecting, recording financial information.

Performs other related duties as requested.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Work is performed independently, this position is expected to take initiative and work proactively. This position requires a good deal of flexibility, and the ability to adapt to the changing needs of the Department. As the first point of contact for both students and faculty, this position may need to interface with sensitive emotional situations and manage communications with all parties. This position requires a high degree of confidentiality, diplomacy, tact and accuracy. Frequent decision making is required of the incumbent, and careful judgement and creative problem solving is essential. This position has access to a wide range of confidential information which is governed by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), including sensitive faculty and student records. Errors could have a direct impact to staff and student academic records and wages. Employee must exercise sound judgment routinely on matters of spending for events and supplies, space bookings (approvals and concerns), SALTO access, and financial reimbursements. Providing and tracking access to university buildings and rooms, some with expensive equipment or artworks, requires a high degree of accuracy, as errors could have serious security and financial implications. Incorrect information with regards to publicity, or double or missed bookings for space could impact the reputation of the Faculty and the University. Access to this wide range of information requires the employee to exercise judgment in maintaining the confidentiality of information. A breach of privacy and policy may have serious financial implications to the University, students and staff.

Supervision Received

This position works independently, under limited supervision from the Head. Receives supervision and guidance from the Faculty Administrator with regard to conditions of employment and University and Faculty policies and procedures. Sets priorities and performs most duties independently, occasionally consulting supervisor with reference to new or complex problems. This position is expected to be able to take initiative, problem solve, determine course of action and then follow through independently without supervision.

Qualifications

• Completion of two (2) years post secondary in related field.
• Over two (2) years related experience, preferably in a post-secondary setting.
• Knowledge of University policies and procedures and of the Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies programs would be an asset, as well as UBCO internal systems.
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat and website maintenance.
• Advanced knowledge of office practices and procedures, effective oral and written communication, interpersonal and organizational skills required.
• Ability to work efficiently, work independently and within a team environment, exercise courtesy, tact, discretion and sound judgement.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task, prioritize, work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Design program knowledge would be an asset.