Graduate Academic Services Advisor

**Date Posted**:11/27/2024
**Req ID**: 40868
**Faculty/Division**: School of Graduate Studies
**Department**: School of Graduate Studies
**Campus**: St. George (Downtown Toronto)
**Position Number**: 00041549

**Description**:
The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) promotes University-wide inclusive excellence in graduate education, research and professional training to ensure high standards across the various academic divisions, as well as supporting postdoctoral fellows. SGS defines and administers University-wide regulations for graduate education. We share responsibility for graduate education with graduate units and divisions and operates through a system of collegial governance, consultation, and decanal leadership.

SGS also provides expertise and advice; reviews the design and delivery of programs; develops performance standards; supports access, equitable inclusion, fairness, and ethical conduct in graduate education; organizes services and financial assistance to graduate students; encourages a close and positive relationship between research and graduate instruction and represents the cause of graduate education at the University of Toronto and in the broader academic and general community.

**Your Opportunity**:
Under the general direction of the Director, Student Academic Services, the incumbent(s) will play a pivotal role impacting the academic journeys of our graduate students, and an important part in the development of graduate enrolment management (GEM) best practices in support of University objectives. As the Graduate Academic Services Advisor, you will focus on proactively reaching out to graduate administrators to identify and resolve emerging issues. You will work with and advise graduate units and students on the full range of student academic services and provide a high level of expertise to equip graduate units in their mission, acting as a resource person, and resolving escalated problems affecting graduate students’ academic record. Process improvement is a key aspect of this role. You will recommend and contribute to plans to enhance records administration activities that will reduce processing time, improve data accessibility, and streamline administrative tasks.

In this position, you will oversee the graduate student lifecycle processes of a cluster of graduate programs. You will work with graduate administrators to identify trends in academic performance and ensure that data has been recorded and analyzed for accuracy and consistency. Your expertise in interpreting academic regulations will guide both staff and students. You will develop and conduct workshops, seminars and training sessions for administrative staff to explain the nuances of academic regulations and how they affect student progress and records. By doing so, you will ensure that everyone involved understands the impact of these regulations, fostering a culture of compliance and accuracy. Building and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders and strategic partners is essential for this task.

You will provide advice to the SGS leadership team and other SGS staff on academic guidelines and procedural matters related to admissions, registration, course enrolment, changes in program status, fee payments, program progress and completion. Additional responsibilities include updating forms, procedural manuals, and other training and information material, and communicating with a wide variety of graduate units and students on policy and procedural issues. You will have responsibility for coordinating one or more specialized portfolios in the area of student academic services, such as the student services website, records management, and the student services sections of the SGS Calendar. As a Graduate Academic Services Advisor, you will work closely with the other advisors on the team to provide mutual support, ensuring the seamless operation of graduate student services and the successful resolution of issues.

**Essential Qualifications**:

- Bachelor's Degree or an acceptable combination of equivalent experience.
- Minimum four (4) years of experience in Higher Education or a related field
- Experienced in use of student information systems
- Strong analytical skills with experience in data collection and analysis.
- Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with stakeholders.
- Superior interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
- Experience in advising and supporting students in an academic setting.
- Demonstrated ability to lead workshops and seminars.
- Compassionate approach to providing support and making referrals.
- Excellent investigative and problem-solving ability, sound judgment and decision-making skills; demonstrated ability to work in a team setting.
- Excellent time management, prioritization, multi-tasking skills, and attention to detail
- Expert use of MS Office tools, including Excel, Teams, PowerPoint, and relevant communications and presentation systems
- Ability t