A Brief Overview

Reporting to the Director, Graduate Program Administration, the Graduate Program Coordinator is responsible for providing academic advising, regulations, policies and career advising for students in graduate programs and alumni. The Graduate Program Coordinator is required to maintain an excellent working knowledge of admission, registration, program policies, School of Graduate Studies regulations and clearly communicate these requirements with various stakeholders. The Graduate Coordinator must maintain an updated knowledge of departments at Queen’s and outside agencies such as the Ontario Ministry of Education, the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) and the Teacher Qualification Service (TQS).

The Graduate Program Coordinator provides individual and ongoing support, academic advice, and assistance to students in achieving their academic objectives. This position is responsible for ensuring the timely and professional provision of academic advising services and works closely with key stakeholders to facilitate communication. The Graduate Program Coordinator works closely with key stakeholders [e.g., the Associate Dean, the Director, instructors and administrators in the Departments, the School of Graduate Studies, to coordinate and facilitate academic consideration requests for students facing extenuating circumstances, and liaises with Student Wellness Services and the Chaplain’s Office as required to ensure the timely and professional provision of student support services.

The Graduate Program Coordinator delivers programs and services to assist graduate students and alumni (clients) in managing their careers now and into the future. Services include resume and cover letter writing support, interview preparation, liaising with Canadian and International employers, on-campus, and virtual recruiting events, and providing information on employment opportunities in education and related careers. The Graduate Program Coordinator is responsible for establishing and maintaining strong professional relationships with students from registration through to graduation and will act as their primary point of contact for all student service matters.

This position is the first point of contact on academic support matters within the department for students, prospective students, faculty and staff. This position advises students on academic program planning, course selection, program completion requirements, faculty regulation and policies and procedures. The position also provides program administrative support in areas such as recruitment planning and events, admissions, academic calendars, class lists, convocation and graduation.

Job Description

• Promotes the program to prospective students by attending events, and organizing and tracking other program recruitment activities.
• Serves as the first point of contact for students, and/or faculty, departments, prospective students, parents of students, external and internal contacts regarding programs
• Advises students on academic program planning, course selection, registration, and program completion requirements
• Organizes and administers processes that relate to student progression such as processing applications, grade completion, eligibility to graduate, convocation etc
• Determines individual student eligibility for awards and/or scholarships
• Collects and submits timetabling information
• Coordinates exams, including room bookings (thesis defences, midterms, oral exams etc.)
• Prepares and deliveries surveys, including course evaluations
• Ensures accurate recordkeeping of all student activities with the program
• Reviews transcript information for international or external applicants
• Provides administrative support to department including, maintaining files and student records, scheduling meetings and appointments, travel and accommodation booking, RTP (renewal, tenure and promotion) process, preparing agendas, course preparation, archiving, security and access tracking, maintaining security and access protocols, supply and merchandise inventory
• Collects data and prepares statistical reports, identifying trends and potential issues
• Maintains accurate financial records including, including accounts payable, journal entries, monthly reconciliations, payroll processing, monitoring endowment accounts etc
• Recommends revisions and/or maintains policies, procedures and/or handbooks
• Other duties as required in support of the department and/or unit

Job Knowledge and Requirements

• Practical and applied knowledge of specialized methods and processes that are typically acquired through a combination of technical or academic qualification and/or work experience
• Provide consultation and advice on non-straightforward and/or complex issues
• Interaction with others typically requires interpersonal skills and the ability to understand and influence
• Adapt messages to meet the needs of the intended audience
• Build relationships, trust and credibility
• Manage own work and may train and review the work of casual employees, work study students and/or volunteers, to see commitments through to completion
• Contribute to setting work priorities and direction, supporting the team in achieving goals and objectives
• Participate in project team meetings and develop individual project plans
• Lead procedural or technological change within a unit
• Identify new problems and seek information and input to fully understand the cause of problems
• Identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of work processes
• Draw logical conclusions and provides opinions and recommendations
• Research equity, diversity, accessibility and inclusion resources and best practices relevant to the job and unit operations in order to inform evidence-based planning
• Commitment to principles of equity, diversity, accessibility, inclusion, Indigenization and human rights for equity deserving groups

Required Experience

• More than 3 years and up to and including 5 years of experience
• Experience with providing administrative support considered an asset (e.g., document editing, proofing, formatting and production, data entry, scheduling/coordinating meetings and/or travel arrangements, receiving/relaying messages, etc.)
• Experience working at a post-secondary education institution considered an asset
• Consideration may be given to an equivalent combination of education and experience