Description
The Dean's Office in the Faculty of Social Work is currently seeking a Full-time Limited Term Director for approximately 60 months.
The Centre for Transformation (Family Justice System) Director, Strategic Operations is responsible for the application of University Calgary operational and financial standards as well as conditions stipulated in the Alberta Law Foundation (ALF) grant agreement to operate the Centre for Transformation and support the work of the two research chairs and the senior director in a seamless manner. The position identifies and resolves complex technical, operational and University issues and concerns arising and associated with the Centre. This position Reports to the Dean of the Faculty of Social Work (and then alternating to the Dean of the Faculty of Law) The person impacts the University's results by coordinating Centre projects, evaluation, staff, and technologies, developing policies and plans within the Centre, and collaborating with the community stakeholders and the Faculties of Law and Social Work. The Director provides strategic influence across their team and others within the Centre and engages other units at the University of Calgary. The person develops and implements project plans to manage Centre collaborators, communication, funders, team engagement, project schedules, operational budgets, and knowledge translation. The Director's role includes team building and strategic direction of Centre staff to transform the family justice system. The Director, Strategic Operations provides leadership and expertise concerning Centre operational processes, planning, guidelines and project management, and training of the rules of engagement and accountability principles and norms. The position is accountable for managing all aspects of the Centre's life cycle and supporting the integrated systems approach.
This Director provides leadership and integration to the Centre's team to make collective and strategic impact. This is with the Senior Director and Research Chairs (horizontal in structure) and Centre / Deans (Vertical in structure). The Director is the integrative mechanism and manager of operations responsible for team building and strategic direction of the Centre staff to transform the family justice system. The person will need to help the team row together and move forward in a strategic manner that aligns with the Centre's goals and impact in the community. Positions reporting to this role can include the Community Engagement Manager, who works to mobilize and engage community collaborators to participate in the Centre and the research processes; the Community Collaboration Officer, who works with community partners and actively participates in the community accelerators and support the scaling of the work across the province support to innovation work (ideate, prototype, test, and scale), to develop community engagement; Knowledge Mobilization activities to integrate the Centre's work with the strategies (and sub-strategies) of various community Collaborators in Alberta linked to family justice transformation work; the Manager, Communications who implements the Centre's communication strategy; the Indigenous Knowledge Keeper who will support the Centre, build relationships with Indigenous Communities, and work with Elders; and the Administrative Coordinator who helps the Centre run its day-to-day activities, organize events, maintain contacts, and ensure the Centre's seamless operation. This position will also ensure UCalgary support for the academic System Transformation Research Chairs in Law and Social Work.
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
Leadership
- Provides leadership to Centre staff to ensure effective collaboration with multiple related teams.
- Sets university priorities and allocates resources.
- Leads the Centre with operational and functional oversight.
- Manages complex staff relations in a unionized environment, including hiring staff and conducting formal and informal performance development that may include disciplinary actions.
- Contributes toward developing administrative policies and operational guidelines for the Centre and the faculties and is the key person responsible for implementing the Centre¿s administrative policies and procedures.
- Management responsibilities: Provide clear direction and training to staff in a fast-changing environment with complex and partial information.
- Design, develop and implement effective policies, procedures and systems that ensure best practices are followed.
- Works with the Centre's senior leadership team to engage regularly to formally assess the operational satisfaction of essential internal and external partners integral to the Centre's success.
- Conduct temperature checks, through periodic assessment, of the key operational partners in time to ensure smooth project operations.
- Responsible for performance development, discipline and termination of Centre staff.
- Coordinates priorities of the Centre to meet various deadlines, including timely financial and impact reports to donors.
- Liaise with senior researchers and leaders on research-related issues.
- Instructs others in the use of project management and strategy engagement tools.
- Manage human, financial and physical resources within an operating environment.
Centre Budget
- Overall accountability for the Centre's operating budget and responsibility for overseeing budget development, which adheres to professional financial management and accountability standards. This includes but not limited to: responsible for developing and managing the Centre budget.
- Oversee annual budget preparation, reporting and validation.
- Collaborate with the Finance Partner(s) and Finance Analyst(s) on annual budget review, forecasting, and correcting errors through journal vouchers.
- Ensure proper tracking of revenue and expenses to ensure optimal utilization of program funding and prevention of cost overruns.
- Lead or facilitate all financial and operational audit requirements both from the funder and the University of Calgary.
- Identify cost recovery and cost-sharing opportunities.
- Produce accurate, timely and concise financial and business reports.
- Provide strategic financial direction to the Deans of Law and Social Work.
Insight and Decision Making
- Operational decision-making requires choosing between multiple options or developing new options to resolve moderately complex problems.
- Assess systems and controls for continuous improvement opportunities.
- Make decisions in ambiguous situations within established processes, procedures and guidelines about the Centre¿s team.
- Excellent analytical and evidence-based decision-making skills.
- Proactively anticipate problems and develop preventative solutions.
Communication
- Provides support to the Centre's Manager, Communications and senior leadership to achieve strategic objectives of the Centre, including alignment with the Faculty of Social Work and Faculty of Law strategic plans.
- Collaborates and leads with the Manager, Communications the development of a communications strategic plan, and create a process and expectations document of the communications team that is shared with the Centre¿s team.
- Fosters strong internal and external communication and builds relationships with key stakeholders.
- Tracks the Centre¿s reputation to ensure strong brand awareness and a positive team reputation internally and externally.
- Supports collective work of the Centre.
- Supports Centre senior leadership team and Deans to observe Indigenous ways of knowing and doing and other equity and inclusion principles in programmatic and operational matters.
- Complex and challenging interpersonal interactions are managed with composure and diplomacy.
- Must have negotiation skills that are diplomatic and effective.
- Establishes and maintains effective relationships with various groups across campus to share information and improve processes.
- Effective verbal and written communication skills.
- Facilitates interdepartmental and internal communications to ensure Centre team members understand strategies, alignment, outcomes and timelines.
- Develops internal and external progress reports ¿ financial and impact.
- Prepares project-related communication and manages the Centre communication between various levels of stakeholders and the risks associated with sharing and releasing sensitive information.
- Develops proposals, presentations and strategic communications and coordinates supporting activities to advance the development of the Centre¿s priority strategies, actions and collaborative relationships.
- Supports the knowledge translation and uptake of the Centre¿s scholarly activity.
Qualifications / Requirements:
- Completed Graduate degree in finance, business administration or a related discipline. A combination of education, training, and experience will be considered.
- PMP Designation or working towards designation is a strong asset.
- 7-10 years of related experience in strategic management, experience managing and supervising complex teams in a unionized environment.
- Experience in strategic management, business operations, business plan development, quality assurance and program evaluation.
- Proven contract management experience.
- Proven track record of initiating projects and delivering results in a collaborative environment.
- Familiarity with developmental evaluation methodologies and approaches.
- Experience with donor reporting and relationships.
- Adequate understanding of the implementation of collaborative initiatives, and frameworks required for success.
- In-depth understanding of the post-secondary role in community-based action research.
- Experience working with marginalized individuals from various diverse and equity-deserving communities, especially racialized communities and marginalized and vulnerable citizens.
- Adequate understanding of fundamental principles of Indigenous ways of knowing and doing, such as experience in facilitating ethical space and positive relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis peoples.
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills, ensuring effective interaction with diverse range of collaborators.
- Strong organizational skills coupled with meticulous attention to detail.
- Exceptional skills in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and Zoom.
- Systems transformation experience in the human service sector on critical social issues such as domestic violence, child welfare, family justice, poverty, population-specific problems, and family supports, and skill-building is an advantage. Justice sector knowledge is also an asset.
- Knowledge of University of Calgary business and research systems is a strong asset.
- Demonstrated awareness of key drivers in the University and can apply regulatory/compliance requirements required for the successful operation of the Centre.
- Skilled in systems design and excellent management and leadership skills.
- Demonstrated robust analytical skills and ability to solve complex problems.
- Strategic engagement experience, including project definition and planning, risk assessment, change management, project control and execution and budgeting.
Application Deadline: April 9, 2025
We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.
This position is classified in the Management Career Band, Level 3 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework.
For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.
About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments (equity@ucalgary.ca) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (hrhire@ucalgary.ca).
Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.
We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.
