Assistant to The Head

Staff - Union

Job Category

CUPE 2950

Job Profile

CUPE 2950 Salaried - Administrative Support 4 (Gr8)

Job Title

Assistant to the Head

Department

Administrative Support | Department of Sociology

Compensation Range

$4,739.00 - $5,102.00 CAD Monthly

Posting End Date

August 14, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Ongoing

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary
Providing confidential senior level administrative support to the Head of the Sociology Department, the incumbent organizes and completes the administrative tasks of the department, requiring a thorough knowledge of office routines, department functions and UBC policies and procedures. Responsible for maintaining and updating department procedures and processes under the guidance of the Department Head and Manager of Administration, this role alerts and consults with the Department Head and Manager of Administration on routine procedures and complex or unique situations or problems. The incumbent coordinates all human resources processes for faculty members including reappointment, promotion and tenure, merit processes for tenure/tenure-track faculty members, and the recruitment or retirement of new faculty members, in addition to assisting the Manager of Administration with staff appointments where appropriate. This role manages communications and publicity for the department. The incumbent may also oversee the coordination (or organization) of special projects on behalf of the Department Head or Manager of Administration.

Organizational Status
Reporting to the Manager of Administration, the incumbent works independently on most tasks, seeking guidance from the Department Head or Manager of Administration with new or complex issues. The incumbent works with faculty, staff, students, and researchers and liaises with numerous University offices including the Dean of Arts Office, Faculty Relations, Human Resources, Arts Finance, Payroll, Arts IT, Arts Communications and UBC Communications and Marketing. This role is responsible for providing orientation and initial training to new faculty, staff and student employees on policies and procedures including safety and privacy matters and supervises at least one student throughout the year.

Work Performed
- Provides day-to-day senior level administrative support to the Department Head which includes responding to complex inquiries and providing information of a complex nature on behalf of the Department Head, and composes complex correspondence
- Maintains the Department Head’s schedule and calendar and ensures all materials are prepared in advance of meetings, maintaining bring forward items for the Head. Attends meetings and takes notes as appropriate
- Facilitates set up, and attends Department meetings; initiates calls for agenda items, gathers information, prepares agenda, prepares and supports Zoom, sets up room, AV needs, takes minutes, takes polls (both in person and via Zoom) and tracks follow-up items
- Drafts and edits reports, compiling data and conducting routine research on various topics for the Department Head. Compiles reports utilizing statistics available in Course Evaluation (SEoT) Reports and in the Tableau Server (Arts Reports). Coordinates the process for Department Review, collecting and assembling data, compiling reports, scheduling visits, arranging meetings as directed by the Department Head and Manager of Administration
- Organizes Department special events, such as Imagine Day, graduation receptions, academic launches, end-of-term celebrations, etc. as requested by the Department Head or Manager of Administration and communicates event requirements to appropriate staff for implementation
- Coordinates all logistics for Department’s annual Seminar Series: arranges visiting speakers travel and accommodations, publicizes events, creates posters, and co-ordinates visit/events; prepares and supports Zoom, sets up room, AV needs during event
- Supports the Head with management of the offer process to new Faculty hires, coordinates relocation and ensures appointment process is completed accurately and in a timely manner.
- Schedules and coordinates the Standing Committees on Faculty tenure, promotion and reappointment reviews, preparing required support materials for external reviewers and department committee members. Coordinates the submission of material to the Dean s Office for further review, following through to track progress until final resolution.
- Working directly with Manager of Administration, prepares offer letters, submits and tracks appointments for sessional ins