Associate University Registrar – Enrolment Services and Administration

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Reporting to the University Registrar, the Associate University Registrar – Enrolment Services and Administration provides strategic and operational leadership in the development, delivery, analysis, and continuous improvement of student service strategy, financial aid and awards, business operations and student financials. This role plays a critical role in ensuring effective, student-centred services, while supporting equity and access for students, enrolment management, compliance with government regulations, and the university's strategic priorities.

The Associate University Registrar plays a key role in shaping the future direction of the OUR by providing expertise and leadership in the design and implementation of tools, business processes and change management strategies that support an exceptional student experience and deliver on the University's commitment to students. In addition, this role is responsible for planning, directing, implementing and managing the provision and coordination of financial aid, oversees student financials and plays a key role in ensuring the collection and management of student accounts and providing financial analysis for strategic planning purposes and statistical reporting to stakeholders including Advancement, Financial Services, and the Central Budget Office. The incumbent is responsible for preparing reports, analyzing data, audit considerations, account maintenance and support/monitoring of transactions.

A key member of the OUR Senior Management Team, the Associate University Registrar, leads cross-functional initiatives to enhance service excellence and process improvement across all OUR units. The incumbent collaborates extensively with academic and administrative partners, Advancement and ministry agencies to ensure operational alignment and efficiency. The Associate University Registrar maintains active involvement with professional organizations such as OURA, OASFAA, ARUCC, and OUAC to ensure Queen's University interests are represented and to support professional development for themselves and their team.

The Associate University Registrar plays an important role in the University's efforts to enhance indigenization, equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism while contributing to the shared mission of supporting and engaging students in safe and meaningful ways.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Strategic Leadership and Collaboration

• Collaborate with OUR leadership to develop and implement strategic initiatives that advance divisional and institutional priorities.

• Ensure alignment of student financial aid systems, student financial records and management processes, registration management, and service to students including operations, reporting, and ministry compliance with the goals of the OUR, Division of Student Affairs, and the University.

• Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with Advancement and Admissions and Recruitment to support strategic enrolment and access and inclusion programming goals.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and innovation across all OUR units.

• Lead and manage teams comprised of institutional colleagues, fostering collaboration and resolving challenges to deliver learner-driven services.

• Provide counsel to the Registrar regarding a wide range of issues, from student concerns to the impact of legislative and policy changes, service strategy and student financial aid policy development.

• Act as a change leader for new initiatives impacting service, student financials, and student financial aid and awards.

Financial Aid and Awards

• Coordinates the administration and distribution of student financial aid to provide the maximum benefit to students and to the University; allocates internal need-based and merit-based funds to provide the optimal student financial aid package for recruiting and retaining top undergraduate students and need-based support for graduate students.

• Maintains internal and external liaison with, and for, the University on all matters that relate to student financial aid and its role in recruitment, admission, retention, and international opportunities and participates on a wide variety of standing and ad hoc committees where valuable and appropriate.

• Collaborates closely with the Office of Advancement and directly with donors to achieve maximum value and flexibility in the definition terms of reference for various bursaries, awards, and scholarships.

Service Delivery and Strategy

• Provide oversight, strategic planning, supervision, leadership and management of staff and operations of the Integrated Service Hub.

• Collaborates across the OUR to develop and implement ongoing training plans and continuous service improvement activities.

• Interprets policies and procedures and makes independent decisions pertaining to frontline enrolment support service.

• Resolves or redirects student complaints pertaining to, though not limited to, domestic and international admissions, program requirements, fee payment, service provision, financial aid and student awards. Collaborate with institutional colleagues to resolve concerns and develops recommendations for process or service improvements.

• Collects, monitors and analyses data related to service satisfaction uses data to inform recommendations for policy, process and technology improvements. Continuously monitors environment for evolving technology and champions innovation.

Student Financials

• Responsible for the integrity of student financial records within the PeopleSoft system, ensuring compliance with university policies and all government regulations, procedures, and reporting requirements.

• Strategic leadership and oversight for student finance activities, including but not limited to processing, billing, funding, collections, and reporting, including assisting in the coordination of the University's response to any internal/external audits related to student financial operations and preparing documentation requirements to meet audit compliance standards.

Operations Management

• Develop and manage operating budgets within the portfolio, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently to meet operational and strategic objectives.

• Identify, recommend, and implement enhancements to workflows, service delivery, and digital processes.

• Plan, prioritize, and manage the work of employees, providing strategic and tactical advice, guidance, and coaching. Identify the need for staff resources, participates on staffing committees, and makes effective recommendations regarding employee selection.

• Manages performance by establishing performance standards, reviewing, and evaluating performance and conducting formal performance reviews on an ongoing basis.

• Assesses staff training and development needs and ensures that employees receive training required to improve and sustain successful performance.

• Investigates, addresses, and resolves employee/labour relations issues, including making decisions regarding disciplinary and discharge matters.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Undergraduate degree in relevant field required (Student Affairs, Business, Public Administration), Graduate degree preferred.

• Minimum ten years demonstrated experience leading a large team of people, preferably in a post-secondary environment, carrying out a diverse range of activities.

• Progressive management and leadership experience in a complex, service-oriented environment.

• Proven experience with government policy and support systems, student/customer experience, project management expertise and experience.

• Familiarity with fundraising and alumni relations would be an asset.

• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative working relationships across diverse teams.

• Working knowledge of accommodation legislation (e.g. AODA) and best practices for accessible assessment logistics.

• Excellent communication, consultation, problem-solving, and analytical skills.

• Commitment to student-centred service, equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigenization, and accessibility principles.

• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

SPECIAL SKILLS:

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills to foster strong relationships, build consensus, influence direction and priorities, and develop a commitment among staff to the OUR's goals.

• Strong collaborative leadership skills.

• Strong change management skills, including the ability to plan, organize and lead members of the team to achieve objectives.

• Ability to move from high level conceptualization to detailed and thorough implementation with the ability to engage in both independent and consultative decision making to move issues forward and build required consensus around a resolution.

• Proficiency in using a variety of information technology tools and the ability to understand and adapt new tools to business operations.

• Strong project management, organizational and time-management skills. Ability to prioritize among many competing demands and remain focused upon key objectives in managing resources. Ability to multi-task and meet needs in a prioritized and strategic fashion.

• Objective, fair, impartial, and flexible without compromising standards and established policies.

• Analytical and interpretive skills to synthesize information and conceptualize creative plans and solutions for dealing with issues.

• Ability to modify approach and formats to convey information and to facilitate dialogue and consultation.

• Excellent problem-solving skills.

• Strategic planning skills to provide leadership and direction for the ongoing evolution and long-term sustainability of services within the portfolio.

• Proven successful experience directing and motivating people and demonstrated leadership skills are essential.

• Highly developed analytical skills – the ability to identify and analyze opportunities and challenges to propose and execute solutions.

• Excellent organizational, research and administrative skills with the ability to manage multiple demands and execute on competing priorities.

• Values individual differences from all backgrounds and lived experiences such that their own, and others' contributions are maximized; supports fair treatment and opportunity for all; demonstrates commitment to diversity and equity.

DECISION MAKING:

• Develops strategic and tactical plans, direction and integration of student financial aid, student accounts and service strategy across all functional and systems areas of the OUR.

• Determines specific timelines, establishing outcomes and benchmarks, in line with overall goals and budget.

• Determines student information functional priorities, in consultation with the University Registrar and AUR management team as well as other stakeholders.

• Identifies and recommends optimal solutions for data collection, reporting and management challenges and opportunities.

• Determines the needs of the OUR systems team required to identify and implement functional capabilities and to evolve current systems, policies and processes.

• Develop staffing structures to meet operational needs.

• Supports the staff recruitment process within their team and OUR and selection of candidates for positions.

• Makes decisions and/or effective recommendations regarding transfers and promotions.

• Evaluates employee performance and decides on appropriate training or coaching to address lack of proficiency in carrying out responsibilities, or remedial action for staff disciplinary situations.

• Assesses investigation outcome of grievances and makes effective recommendations on appropriate course of action or next steps on grievances.

• Makes effective recommendations on level of discipline up to discharge and probationary termination.

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen's is strongly committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from Black, racialized persons, Indigenous people, women, persons with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQI+ persons. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to those who are legally eligible to work in Canada.

The University provides support in its recruitment processes to all applicants who require accommodation due to a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code, including those with disabilities. Candidates requiring accommodation during the recruitment process are asked to contact Human Resources