Project Manager, Continuous Improvement

**Date Posted**:02/03/2025
**Req ID**: 41531
**Faculty/Division**: Division of the Vice-President & Provost
**Department**: Office of the Vice-Provost Students
**Campus**: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

**Description**:
**Position Summary**:
Reporting to the Executive Director, Office of the Vice Provost, Students (OVPS), the Project Manager, Continuous Improvement will lead initiatives on optimizing processes, improving efficiencies, and implementing sustainable changes to better serve the diverse and dynamic needs of our tri-campus community.

The Project Manager drives continuous improvement initiatives and plays a key role in making incremental changes to processes, services, and roles, while supporting long term strategic priorities. The incumbent is responsible for leading and manage process improvement projects across OVPS, working with cross-functional teams to identify inefficiencies, develop strategies for improvement, and implement solutions, evaluates existing workflows and business processes within OVPS to identify areas of improvement, designs and implements changes to reduce administrative burden and increase operational efficiency and fosters a culture of continuous improvement within OVPS by implementing best practices and supporting team members in adopting new ways of working and Promoting ongoing feedback loops and create structures for continuous learning and enhancement.

The Project Manager will align process improvement initiatives with the strategic goals of DVPP, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and effectively to support student success and university-wide priorities. Work closely with various stakeholders across the tri-campus community, including students, faculty, and staff, to understand their needs and ensure that process improvements meet the diverse needs of the community, collect and analyze data to monitor the success of process changes. Use metrics to evaluate the impact of improvements and refine processes where necessary and develop and execute change management strategies to ensure smooth adoption of new processes, systems, and workflows. The success of this role will be in achieving positive impact through leading initiatives that deliver core improvements in operational performance, and as demonstrated by data and performance measures.

Fulfilling the role of project lead, the incumbent is responsible for project management and implementation to ensure the work of the Vice Provost, Students can be carried out efficiently and effectively. Such project management and implementation includes: (a) providing strategic advice (b) facilitating project work to ensure deliverables are met within the required timeline, (c) advising on draft policies and proposals, (d) undertaking detailed research on a wide variety of issues and topics, (e) developing draft communications such as reports, remarks, presentations, and correspondence, and (g) ensuring ongoing maintenance of the highest level of pro-activity and service for the portfolio.

The incumbent works in a complex environment that requires a high degree of sensitivity, responsiveness and a need to maintain absolute confidentiality. The incumbent interacts closely with a wide range of senior members of the University, including vice-presidents, vice-provosts, governors, academic administrators, faculty and staff, as well as students and other community members.

**Qualifications Required**:
**Education**:

- Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business Administration, Project Management, Organizational Development) or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or relevant process improvement certifications (e.g., Six Sigma, Lean) are preferred.

**Experience**:

- Minimum of 5 years of project management or process improvement experience, ideally in an academic or higher education environment.
- Proven track record of successfully implementing process improvements.
- Experience managing projects across multiple departments or campuses is an asset.
- Proven expertise in project management, process optimization, and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Experience in leading and supporting change management initiatives within organizations.

**Skills**:

- Strong project management skills.
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to assess complex systems and workflows and develop practical, data-driven solutions.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels.
- Proficient in project management software and tools (e.g., MS Project, Asana, Jira).
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Proficiency in data analysis and process mapping tools.
- Knowledge of industry trends and best practices in process improvement.

**Other**:

- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment while managing multiple projects simultaneously.
- Ability t