Wellbeing Strategic Initiatives Planner

As a member of the UBC Office of Wellbeing Strategy (OWS), the Wellbeing Strategic Initiatives Planner provides strategic planning, facilitation, and evaluation guidance for institution-wide wellbeing initiatives.

This position stewards complex strategic planning processes that involve stakeholders from both Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. This role is responsible for the planning, development, and evaluation of wellbeing strategic initiatives, guided by the Okanagan Charter for Health Promoting Universities & Colleges and UBC’s Wellbeing Strategic Framework. This includes providing consultative and capacity building services on strategic direction, initiatives, programming, and policy decisions to administrative and academic leadership, the UBC Wellbeing Advisory Committee, the UBC Wellbeing Strategic Support Team, and UBC Wellbeing committees and lead units. This position will be responsible for leading projects including regular reporting and communication on progress related to the Wellbeing Strategic Framework and the supporting Wellbeing Roadmap of priority actions and milestones.

The Wellbeing Strategic Initiatives Planner oversees projects holistically with a whole university, settings, and systems-change perspective. This position works as part of a small team that is responsible for advancing intersecting priorities, requiring an ability to work collaboratively and strategically to advance processes and plans.

The Planner is guided by the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Universities & Colleges and UBC's Wellbeing Strategic Framework within the context of the University's Strategic Plan.

Organizational Status
Reporting to the Director, Office of Wellbeing Strategy, the position provides whole university guidance to Faculties and units in wellbeing strategic planning and evaluation, closely collaborating with the VP Students portfolio, in particular the Health Equity, Promotion, and Education unit; VP Human Resources, in particular the Workplace Wellbeing unit; and Health and Wellness on the UBC Okanagan Campus. This position may supervise staff involved in planning and evaluation projects.

Work Performed

Wellbeing Strategic Framework Planning & Development

• Provide leadership and guidance on the implementation of UBC’s Wellbeing Strategic Framework (WSF), including the development and implementation of strategic planning processes and tools to analyze and report on progress. Lead the ongoing review and update of the WSF and associated documents and web pages to ensure alignment with institutional goals and best practices.

• Lead annual review and updates of the WSF Roadmap with UBC Wellbeing partners, ensuring that priorities remain relevant and actionable.
• Plan with and facilitate various health promotion units, leaders, and community partners on the implementation of university-level Wellbeing Strategic Framework as well as on the development of health promotion initiatives.
• Research, synthesize, analyze, and report on WSF target metric data for the Wellbeing Annual Report, providing insights to inform decision-making and strategic planning.

Stakeholder Engagement and Consultation

• Advise and provide strategic planning consultation for units and senior leaders across the institution in the development and implementation of strategic wellbeing plans and institutional initiatives, such as the Activate Wellbeing Toolkit, within faculties, departments, and units.
• Advise on facilitation design to effectively engage faculty and staff in the development of initiatives and programs, utilizing design thinking approaches and other responsive engagement methods as needed.
• Designs strategic planning tools and advises UBC Wellbeing units, committees, and partners on their use through the annual planning, implementation, and evaluation cycle, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities.
• Responsible for facilitating dialogue and collaboration among UBC community members, committees, and working groups in order to identify opportunities for improvement and joint initiatives.

Data Analysis and Reporting

• Provide advice and works with the Director on the preparation of reports and presentations for UBC community, senior leadership, and Board of Governors as required, providing comprehensive insights and analysis.
• Responsible for identifying evaluation needs and solutions to inform institution-wide strategic planning and decision-making, including planning and implementing research projects, surveys, and other investigative tools.
• Ensure reporting mechanisms are in place to support senior leadership in central administration, faculties, and governing bodies on the progress of WSF targets and other wellbeing-related strategic initiatives and priorities.
• Research and synthesize wellbeing data and information from multiple sources, including the research literature, into summaries and reports to inform decision-making and strategic planning processes.

Collaboration and Partnership Building

• Seek and create opportunities to advance goals of various institutional priorities intersecting with health and wellbeing including sustainability, climate emergency, reconciliation, Indigeneity, and equity through strategic initiatives and partnerships.
• Proactively seek and foster strategic relationships with partners on both campuses to enhance collaboration and achieve common goals.
• Ensure that the needs of historically, persistently, and systemically marginalized groups are prioritized and addressed in initiatives and planning processes.

Psychological Demands of the Role

• The Office of Wellbeing Strategy fosters a flexible work environment and encourages team members to prioritize wellbeing in their day.
• This role has agency to work with the supervisor to identify priorities and projects that blend OWS needs with the interests and strengths of the individual in the role.
• This role is subject to shifting priorities.
• Role responsibilities include managing some requests that are time constrained or outside of the scope of the role, and it is up to the individual to decline, negotiate or prioritize these requests as needed.
• The successful outcomes of this role can be dependent on external factors beyond the control of OWS.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
This position represents the University as well as the Office of Wellbeing Strategy. Incorrect decisions or judgement can have significant negative impacts on the achievement of UBC’s strategic goals and commitments related to wellbeing and UBC’s reputation with students, faculty, staff, and the broader community.

Supervision Received
Works independently under general guidance from the Director, Office of Wellbeing Strategy. Works in close co‐operation with health promotion and wellbeing Directors and colleagues in VP Human Resources, VP Students, and AVP Students portfolios on both UBC Vancouver and Okanagan campuses, keeping the Director informed.

Supervision Given
May supervise staff and coordinate the work of project teams and external service providers.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of four to five years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent lived experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, facilitation, project management, and evaluation.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of issues that impact health and wellbeing both in and outside the workplace, University policies and procedures, and familiarity with federal and provincial health promotion organizations an asset.
• Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and engage effectively within a diverse, large, and complex organization.
• Experience in distilling large amounts of information into succinct, accurate, and resonant reporting.
• Experience in, or capacity to evolve skills required for analysis as needed (e.g., online survey programming, testing, deployment, and quality assurance).
• Experience working exceptionally collaboratively and with cross-functional teams and multiple stakeholders in the implementation of complex strategic initiatives, processes, and programs.
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Dedicated to meaningfully engaging with and considering priorities raised by Indigenous students, faculty, staff, and community members when developing plans.
• Acknowledges, reflects upon and challenges one’s own biases and assumptions. Fosters a learning and growth mindset in self. Ability to assess own performance and regularly report on project status.
• Ability to take initiative independently, exercise sound judgment, and work well under pressure.
• Strong proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and other work productivity software.