Manager, International Relations

Overview:
**Term: 1 Year**

Under the general direction of the Associate Director, International Relations, Waterloo International and AVP, International as well as working in a team environment, the incumbent performs a broad range of activities in support of the institutional level international strategy and relationship development. The Manager, International Relations works collaboratively with senior leadership, faculties, and academic support units in the development of sustainable and strategic international relationships in a specific region.

The Manager, International Relations will proactively lead the development of international relationships with institutions, governments, and other organizations in an assigned geographical region. The incumbent will serve as an expert resource on the region, and its countries, and actively engage the UW community to facilitate meaningful partnerships in the region. In addition, the Manager, International Relations will be knowledgeable about Waterloo’s engagement in the region, strengthen networks, and support faculty and staff members’ collaborations in the region. The specific regional or country level engagement will vary based on University of Waterloo priorities and resources.

The role will require working some evenings and weekends. Some travel to the region, partner institutions and relevant international education conferences may be needed when determined by senior leadership as being necessary.

**Responsibilities**:
Partnership Development, Implementation and Relationship Management
- Proactively develops and manages portfolio of partnerships and agreements in the specified Region(s) by planning and implementing strategies for effectively cultivating key internal and external relationships to develop institutional relations
- Builds relationships with Faculties, Academic Support Units and University Research Institutes and Centres to secure their buy-in to advance internationalization with specific regions and countries
- Monitors institutional agreements related to partnerships and linkages, including MOUs, exchanges, academic programs
- Working closely with the Manager, International Agreements, ensures timely renewal of agreements and provides analysis and assessment of renewals
- Working closely with the Manager, Safety Abroad, ensures timely notification of activities in the region, shares knowledge of region for purposes of safety assessment and coordination
- Responds to requests for information from outside the University, in consultation with the Associate Director, International Relations, Waterloo International; adheres to strict standards of confidentiality with respect to development of policy or in matters of public position involving the University
- Develops and maintains a network of contacts (internal and external of institutional partners, government agencies, diaspora networks, embassies and consulates (Canadian and international)) that facilitate the execution of University international regional strategy
- Represents UW to external partners by ensuring that well-timed key meetings take place and are followed up on; manages and actively takes part in visits to UW by senior stakeholders, and manages effective lines of two-way communication with relevant colleagues across UW

Regional Strategy, Reports and Information Management
- Responsible for actively gathering and mapping UW relationships and engagement in the region and ensuring the collation and timely maintenance of regional, country, and institutional briefing notes and reports
- Conducts desk research and analysis of international higher education and internationalization trends, funding opportunities and mobility schemes as it relates to the region
- Prepares reports, briefing documents on country, institutional and regional engagement including: the political, social, economic, research and educational contexts of the Region
- Monitors and assesses the performance of international partnerships and provides recommendations on maintaining the continuity of these partnerships
- Works in collaboration with Communications on promotional materials for incoming and outgoing delegations
University-wide Resource & Coordination
- Collects and maintains up-to-date information on international activities of Faculties, Academic Support Units, Research Institutes and Centres and provides timely reports, presentations and recommendations related to activities in the region
- Plans and reports on cross-Waterloo activity in the relevant region; advising on key opportunities, trends, and risks
- Serves as a university resource on the region by developing and deepening geographical expertise
- Liaises with Faculties, Academic Support Units, Research Institutes and Centres, Senior Leadership and Institutional offices to solicit cross-institutional input into the relationship development and management process, exercising considerable interpersonal sensitivity and diplomacy
- Convenes