Assistant Registrar, Convocation

Date Posted: 12/04/2025

Req ID: 46304

Faculty/Division: Vice Provost Strategic Enrolment Management

Department: Office of Convocation

Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

About Us:

The University Registrar's Office (URO) is a central support team that provides institutional leadership on student financial aid & awards, student accounts, client services & records, student systems and learning space management (LSM) and convocation. The URO works with faculties and divisions to support undergraduate and graduate students throughout the student life cycle and is an advocate and service provider for University of Toronto students and tri-campus registrarial services.

The Office of Convocation is responsible for the logistical details of student and guest related elements of the convocation ceremonies at the University of Toronto. This includes over 40 annual ceremonies, 21,000 graduating students and more than 40,000 guests annually. The Office supports convocation ceremonies that respect long-standing traditions and protocols of the University while introducing innovations to enhance the graduating student's convocation experience. The office is also responsible for the secure year-round reissuing of degrees, diplomas and certificates, as well as the verification of graduation status of University of Toronto alumni.

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Director, Convocation and Communication, the Assistant Registrar, Convocation is responsible for the overall management of the front-line services of the Office of Convocation. Frontline services oversee all the logistical details of student and guest-related elements of convocation for all graduate, professional and undergraduate divisions across the tri-campus). The incumbent manages and leads a team of staff who execute all student aspects of the convocation ceremonies and a range of services that include credential certifications and verifications for third-parties, diploma replacement ordering, and a broad spectrum of convocation-related services.

The Assistant Registrar, Convocation is the logistical lead for convocation ceremonies, which includes developing production schedules, project timelines, procedures, and delivery of timely convocation communication and services to students, staff and faculty. The incumbent also coordinates galley and program publications. They provide advice and expertise to the university community on convocation related issues, this includes registrar's, senior and executive leadership. The incumbent will play a key role in developing training, workshops, sessions and resources to support best convocation practices (includes development of training tools), serves as editor and content provider for convocation publications such as policy/procedure manuals, the website, and forms used by administrators, students and alumni.

Working under the direction of the Director, the incumbent will oversee the development, logistics and implementation of strategic initiatives. These initiatives focus on modernizing and improving the service and operating model within the Office of Convocation and across the broader University Registrar's Office, and are in alignment with the short, medium and long-term vision for the University Registrar's Office.

The incumbent leads complex projects including, but not limited to changes in processes, consideration of new positions, changes to existing organizational structures, workflows, policies, new service opportunities, as well as other growth and change initiatives. This will also include cross-divisional and external partnership projects and opportunities. The incumbent will be required to go beyond project management and provide proactive advice and analyses regarding resources, opportunities, and possible obstacles.

Working under the direction of the Director, the Assistant Registrar, Convocation will be responsible for developing and implementing internal and external communication strategies of the highest quality that enhances the student experience and align with the strategic goals of the University.

The incumbent manages a skilled team that delivers over forty annual convocation ceremonies, along with diploma production and distribution. This includes recruitment, training and development, coaching and other human resources management functions.

Essential Qualifications:

Education:

• University Degree or an equivalent acceptable combination of education and experience.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 (five) years related experience, preferably in a university setting.
• Prior experience with convocation and strategic planning is essential.
• Experience handling diverse projects with a varied degree of complexity and scale is an asset.
• Demonstrated operational and strategic leadership success.
• Experience in setting strategic direction and design and implementing effective programs.
• Experience with University and knowledge of university policies and procedures, the university's organizational structure is an asset.
• Experience working in a unionized environment and interpreting and applying collective agreements, policies and procedures is an asset.

Skills:

• Ability to identify and address core issues and engage others in developing and implementing solution(s).
• Ability to lead and operate in areas of ambiguity and prioritize.
• Excellent event management skills. Superior communication skills (oral and written); with the ability to interpret, summarize and present information.
• Strong analytical and evaluation skills and creative problem-solving skills with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated leadership ability in a team environment; ability it coach staff and assess performance.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with staff, colleagues, senior university administrators and external contacts;
• Demonstrated ability to work with a wide range of stakeholders comfortably and professionally with a customer-service orientation and maintaining confidentiality.
• Ability to exercise tact, discretion and exercise good judgment.
• Initiative taker, eager to break new ground and create innovative solutions to enhance stakeholder services.
• Excellent technical skills and must be proficient with the Office365 suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and productivity and collaboration tools.
• Working knowledge of web technologies (ability to maintain the office's web applications) an asset.
• Knowledge of the current university student information system (ROSI/RXP) an asset.

Other:

• Familiarity with shared governance in higher education setting.
• Ability to work independently with a high-degree of initiative, discretion and diplomacy with the ability to diffuse difficult and high-stress situations.
• Demonstrated ability to promote service excellence and evaluate changes required to ensure a high-functioning service environment including analysis, design and implementation of changes.
• Ability to work well under pressure, with a high volume of demands and continuously changing priorities and competing strict deadlines.
• Exhibit a high degree of flexibility, strong research and problem-solving skills and excellent time management.
• Superior organizational skills in planning, project management and task coordination with excellent attention to detail.
• Exceptional customer service orientation, with the ability to interact effectively with diverse group of persons, stakeholders and partners with a high degree of responsiveness, tact and confidentiality.

Note: This is a term position, starting approximately mid-January 2026 and ending at the end of December 2027.

Closing Date: 12/12/2025, 11:59PM ET

Employee Group: Salaried

Personnel Subarea:PM

Appointment Type: Budget - Term

Schedule: Full-Time

Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: PM 4 - Hiring Zone: $106,705 - $124,491 - Broadband Salary Range: $106,705 - $177,843

Job Category: Administrative / Managerial