Training, Development,

**Job Description**:
:
**About the Department of Academic Advising**:
Academic Advising is a developmental process assisting students in the clarification of their educational goals and the implementation of an educational plan to realize these goals. Advisors play a key role in student retention, advising new and continuing students throughout their tenure at Mount Royal University.

The Training, Development, and Continuous Improvement Specialist role requires a unique combination of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and collaborative leadership. The Specialist must be skilled at balancing long-term planning with time-sensitive needs, translating institutional complexity into accessible tools and training, and earning trust across diverse partner groups. While not a formal people leader, this role significantly influences advising practice across the university. Success depends on self-direction, exceptional judgment, and a deep understanding of how to drive learning, quality, and change without formal authority.

**About the Role**:
The Training, Development, and Continuous Improvement Specialist plays a critical role in enhancing the quality, consistency, and impact of academic advising at Mount Royal University. Reporting to the Associate Director, Academic Advising, this position is responsible for designing and delivering Advisor training programs, developing accessible and effective student-facing resources, and leading evidence-informed efforts to improve advising practices. Drawing on expertise in instructional design, facilitation, and data collection and assessment, the Specialist ensures that advising programs meet professional standards, align with student needs, and evolve through continuous feedback and evaluation. This position serves as an internal consultant and change agent, advancing the culture of learning and excellence across the advising community.

**_A note on centralized coordination, decentralized delivery:_**
The incumbent is expected to work in collaboration with Faculties across campus to ensure advising practices align with both institutional standards and Faculty-specific needs. Advising is delivered in partnership with academic departments, and success in this role requires strong, trust-based relationships with Deans, Associate Deans, Chairs, and other Faculty leaders. The Specialist must demonstrate respect for the values, priorities, and academic integrity of the Faculty, and adapt training, materials, and resources to support shared goals for student success. This collaborative approach ensures consistency in advising quality while remaining responsive to the unique contexts of each academic area.

**This is a term position ending March 31, 2026.**

**Responsibilities**:
**Advisor Training & Development (40%)**
This role is responsible for leading the strategy, design, and delivery of all training initiatives for Academic Advisors across the institution. High-quality advising requires consistent, intentional, and ongoing professional development that aligns with evolving student needs, institutional policies, and professional advising standards such as the NACADA core competencies. The Specialist ensures that all training is grounded in sound instructional design principles, delivers meaningful learning outcomes, and includes mechanisms for feedback, reflection, and evaluation. Through collaboration and continuous improvement, this role empowers Advisors to confidently and competently support students with clarity, accuracy, and care - ultimately enhancing the student experience and the credibility of advising at MRU.
- Maintain an internal training hub with modular, accessible, and up-to-date resources that serve as a central source of truth for new and experienced advisors, supporting continuous learning and knowledge transfer.
- Onboarding: Design, deliver, and evaluate a comprehensive onboarding experience grounded in instructional design best practices. Ensure onboarding includes sequenced learning objectives, scaffolded knowledge development, opportunities for reflection, and clear alignment with NACADA core competencies and institutional advising goals. Lead the design of meaningful, ongoing development opportunities that deepen advisor expertise, foster curiosity and growth, and respond to emerging student needs and institutional priorities.
- Ongoing: Deliver high-impact training initiatives that build on foundational knowledge and reflect current advising challenges, institutional shifts, and student trends. Evaluate effectiveness through clear outcome measures, feedback loops, and data-informed adjustments.
- Collaborate with the advising leadership team to ensure training content is accurate, relevant, and aligned with institutional policies, Faculty-specific needs, and student feedback. Create a dynamic feedback loop between institutional strategy and frontline coaching to ensure training remains adaptive, timely, and impactful.
- Ensure a direct an