Reporting to the Associate Director, Operations of the Arthur B. McDonald Canadian Astroparticle Physics Research Institute (the McDonald Institute), the incumbent is responsible for providing confidential human resources, administrative and secretarial support contributing to the efficient operation of Scientific and Administrative Divisions of the McDonald Institute. This includes coordinating a broad range of human resources activities, writing and preparing correspondence and reports, providing administrative support to numerous committees, oversight of student and employee onboarding, responding to requests for information, and performing administrative duties such as scheduling, and ordering office supplies and equipment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Act as the liaison with Human Resources to ensure compliance with, and coordinate training to facilitate, the Institute’s understanding of; employment standards, human resource policies, procedures and requirements, collective agreements, and University policies.
• Lead and administer the approval process for the recruitment of staff positions and the re-evaluation of existing positions; review requests and ensures all required information is submitted and all approvals are received. Respond to manager inquires and troubleshooting system issues (CareerQ).
• Support and advise senior management on the employment equity process as required, track equity training for McDonald Institute staff, and support equity related projects and/or initiatives.
• Plan, coordinate and manage the time and attendance system for the McDonald Institute by updating all staff records including adding and removing users, loading vacation entitlements and running reports, identifying trends, and providing summary reports.
• Work with the Senior Leadership team on various HR initiatives including: leading projects, researching best practices and collecting information, drafting policies and procedures etc.
• Create new casual contracts in PeopleSoft, collecting timesheets, verifying, coding and inputting prior to established deadlines.
• Co-lead the development, implementation and coordination of the Highly Qualified recruitment strategy.
• Participate in the development of an effective HR plan identifying opportunities for improvement through the development of briefs to the Managing Director, and ensuring compliance with Central Human Resources policies.
• Collect, analyze and draft new standard operating procedures and best practices; participate in implementing new procedures.
• Coordinate the performance review process and assess all requests for training and professional development support to ensure alignment with departmental objectives; provide tracking and reporting as requested.
• Develop and facilitate orientation processes for new faculty, staff, and student employees.
• Manage, organize and maintain confidential records, including faculty and staff files, ensuring information is provided to University central files.
• Act as the first point of contact for the senior management team, responding on behalf of the directors when appropriate. Respond to inquiries, researching and synthesizing answers to questions and solving administrative problems within guidelines.
• Evaluate and direct incoming communications and determine to whom it should be directed to or handled personally. Refer complex problems to senior staff only when necessary.
• Recommend and participate in the implementation of revisions to administrative procedures.
• Oversee the smooth operation of the McDonald Institute Administrative Centre through ordering supplies, record keeping, and coordinating travel for senior management, itineraries and processing travel reimbursements.
• Manage the Scientific Director’s scientific endeavours including: coordinating all related research groups, active grants, and university collaborations; support to the administration of the McDonald Institute.
• Contribute to the collection of information and submission of annual reports to McDonald Institute funders, including collecting and synthesizing material from staff, faculty and personnel.
• Coordinate governance meetings, recommending, and developing meeting materials and documentation, recording and distributing information and meeting minutes and advising committees on policy and processes.
• Undertake other duties as delegated in support of the McDonald Institute.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 3-5 years of related experience in a similar capacity performing similar functions
• Post-secondary diploma in Business Administration or Human Resources Management
• Previous experience in program and/or office administration.
• Comprehensive knowledge of University policies and procedures.
• Advanced computer knowledge, specifically regarding the Internet, Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel as well as database programs.
• Knowledge of both university and departmental structures including procedures and administrative systems considered an asset.
• Knowledge of HR related legislation, policies and best practices.
• Promote and support equity and diversity in the workplace.
• Ability to work non-traditional hours to attend to events periodically.
• Consideration will be given to an equivalent combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL SKILLS

• Excellent customer service skills with the ability to handle difficult situations with tact and diplomacy.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills and the ability to work under pressure with multiple deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written to interact with a diverse range of people in many different contexts.
• The ability to take initiative and to assess and establish priorities while working in an environment with multiple interruptions and strict deadlines.