Graduate Officer

**Schedule**

35 hours/week, Monday-Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm

**Education Level**

2 year Community College diploma in Office Administration, or related field.

**Career Level**

Requires 4 years of relevant experience.

The Medical Sciences graduate program, comprised of 5 distinct areas of study relevant to human health, is the largest research-based graduate program within the Faculty of Health Sciences. Reporting to the Program Manager for HSGP, Education Services is seeking one of two full-time Graduate Officers to provide support for the Medical Sciences graduate program which offers degrees at the Masters and Doctoral levels. This student-facing position also provides support for and contributes to the vibrant culture within the Medical Sciences programs with active involvement in many facets of the student experience. This is a hybrid working position.

**Job Summary**

Responsible for coordinating the admissions process for programs within the department. Reviews and summarizes applicant files for committee acceptance decisions. Provides program information and general assistance to prospective students and applicants.

**Purpose and Key Functions**
- Monitor admissions and prepare forecasts of returning students to determine if enrolment targets will be met.
- Provide information, answer questions, and discuss academic interests with applicants.
- Engage potential applicants in discussions at recruitment events.
- Provide information to international applicants on the academic criteria required from their country of origin.
- Write a variety of documents such as correspondence, procedure manuals, reports, and minutes.
- Monitor budgets and reconcile accounts. Complete financial forms including, but not limited to, travel expense reports, electronic cheque requisitions, purchase orders and journal entries
- Monitor student status’ and review registrations for accuracy.
- Review student records to ensure that they have met the degree requirements specified for degree completion and convocation.
- Update material included in department brochures, websites, and other informational material.
- Compile admissions and completion statistics for various internal and external reports.
- Ensure adherence to relevant policies and procedures including those surrounding admission procedures and exam processes.
- Work with faculty instructors to coordinate the online registration for courses which involves determining the prerequisites and limited enrolment functions for each course offered.
- Coordinate and organize the PhD comprehensive exam process.
- Address extenuating circumstances regarding medical documentation from students’ physicians for accommodations, extensions, or deferments.
- Assign each new student to a faculty supervisor.
- Process graduate student scholarship information in collaboration with the School of Graduate Studies and program scholarship committee members.
- Determine initial funding in the form of an annual student stipend and initiate the payment authorization process.
- Input financial information required to process payroll.
- Update and maintain information in databases.
- Review transcripts from domestic and international universities and use existing documentation to convert grades to the comparable University standards.
- Calculate domestic and international student grade point averages.
- Calculate the initial sources of funding required to make up each student's annual stipend or salary
- Obtain information from the Office of International Affairs regarding foreign applicants.
- Arrange and attend admission’s committee meetings.
- Maintain and ensure the confidentiality of student admissions records and committee files.

**Supervision**

Provide lead hand supervision and is responsible for the quality and quantity of work of others.

**Requirements**:
2 year Community College diploma in Office Administration, or related field. Requires 4 years of relevant experience

**Assets**
- Experience working in an academic setting and/or a familiarity with McMaster University and its policies regarding graduate students (i.e., Graduate School policies)
- Familiarity of McMaster University privacy policies related to student information.
- Experienced in the use of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system (i.e., Mosaic or similar system).
- Experienced in the use of Learning Management Systems (i.e. Avenue 2 Learn.)
- Experienced in processing payroll and completing other financial transactions (i.e., vouchers, travel awards, expense reports).
- Strong skills in the use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, the Adobe software suite, website content management and social media platforms.
- Demonstrated experience planning and coordinating events both in person and in a virtual environment.
- Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills, both in-person and in a virtual environment.
- Experienced in the use of communication technologies including departmental listservs, Zoom, Microso