Director, Service Team

at  University of Saskatchewan

DIRECTOR, SERVICE TEAM

Primary Purpose: The Service Team contributes to student success by providing strategic and integrated communications, events and marketing support to all units in the Teaching Learning and Student Experience (TLSE) portfolio. As the leader of the Service Team, the Director oversees all staff, functions and activities of the team ensuring that all work and events are aligned with the strategic goals of the university and contribute to our strategic enrolment goals, teaching and learning, and enhance the student experience for all students.
Nature of Work: Reporting to the Associate Vice-President (AVP) and Chief Communications Officer (CCO), Strategic Communications, the Director determines the best way to support the many and diverse audiences served by the TLSE—in particular, prospective students and their key influencers, and current students and their supporters, including instructors—by utilizing recognized best practices and data, adhering to USask branding and standards, and exploring new opportunities that enhance student success. The Director also contributes to broader University of Saskatchewan (USask) initiatives that directly impact those key audiences—such as addressing emerging needs, new requirements and emergency situations—through collaboration with the AVP and CCO, Strategic Communications and other units across campus.
Evening, weekend work and travel are occasionally required. Discretion is required as this position is privy to sensitive and confidential information. Errors can significantly impact the reputation of the unit and the university at the local, national and international level.
University Relations is responsible for institutional advancement programs (alumni and external relations, development, strategic communications), and as such is dedicated to supporting the related needs of all colleges, units and the university as a whole. University Relations is comprised of specialized teams that work together in an integrated model to ensure that the University of Saskatchewan has the reputation, relationships and resources necessary to take its place among the most distinguished universities in Canada and the world.
The University of Saskatchewan values diversity and Indigenous engagement is a strategic priority. In support of this priority, the position will contribute to a team environment which recognizes and supports the importance and value of equity, diversity, and inclusion in achieving the mission of the university, and actively seek out those with diverse cultural backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences to support the mission.

In University Relations, the nature of our work centres on our guiding principles of being:

• Inspiring: We are confident in ourselves and our goals. We instill confidence and excitement in others to bring them along with us.
• Committed to each other’s success: We look for opportunities to make all our teams and the University successful.
• Collaborative and integrated: We work together toward shared goals.
• Solutions- and action-oriented: We continuously seek a path forward and we get things done.
• Brave and courageous: We expect to encounter obstacles. We face these challenges head-on.
• Respectful: We demonstrate our regard for others through listening, understanding, and acknowledging the contributions of all.

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Manage the staff, functions and activities of the Service Team while facilitating a strong commitment to customer service and teamwork in all activities.
• Collaborate with TLSE leaders and staff to understand their priorities and needs related to communications, events, and marketing.
• Oversee, and contribute to, the development and implementation of effective and efficient strategies for all digital and print communications related to the TLSE portfolio.
• Collaborate within Strategic Communications to develop and implement proactive, timely, and effective marketing solutions to best support prospective students and their influencers. Also ensure that all marketing follows USask approval processes and strategies as laid out by the AVP and CCO, Strategic Communications.
• Oversee, and contribute to, the development and implementation of effective and efficient event support strategies related to the TLSE portfolio
• Identify, establish and maintain positive, productive and collaborative working relationships across the TLSE, and with colleges/schools, to increase awareness of key TLSE activities, identify shared challenges, and develop cooperative and coordinated solutions for all communications, events, and marketing for prospective and current students and their influencers and supporters.
• Liaise with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to develop and implement proactive, innovative, timely, cost-effective IT services that support communications, marketing and events across the TLSE.
• Support the coordinators within the Service Team in determining all work priorities and the distribution of work. With the coordinators, ensure that work across the team is aligned with TLSE priorities and that it is completed on brand, with respect, and meets strategic objectives.
• Identify, and contribute to the resolution of, challenges related to competing demands, service gaps, and system challenges within the Service Team and as they impact communications, marketing, and events across the TLSE.
• Responsible for the unit budget and workforce analysis.
• Lead and motivate the team in their activities, including unit planning activities, recruitment and hiring of staff, professional development and performance reviews of all staff.
• Lead, and contribute to, the development, refinement, implementation and continuous improvement of communication, marketing and event support plans, strategies and processes for prospective and current students and those supporting and influencing them.
• Lead, create and coordinate the provision of expert advice and recommendations, based on analytics, user testing and institutional data, to inform the development of feasible and effective communications and event plans and tactics that address and reflect the audiences served by the TLSE.
• Lead, create and coordinate communications materials for currents students and those supporting students that recognizes and respects the diversity of our students and those supporting them.
• Prioritize work to meet strategic goals in consultation with the appropriate leaders as needed and assign work to teammates ensuring that work is completed on time, on brand and aligned with strategic goals.
• Identify new opportunities, based on best practices, technological upgrades, or changes to policies, practices and structures that enhance the impact of communications materials and that improve efficiencies within the team.
• Lead and develop communications plans and write content for news stories and other promotional pieces that share success stories from across the TLSE within USask and the broader community.
• Work within several systems, such as Banner, PAWS, Knowledge Base and Cascade, to lead, problem-solve and create communications plans, content and messaging for to addresses on-going needs through the student learning and development cycle as well as new programming and urgent, or crisis, situations.
• Ensure that USask standards, procedures, policies, branding and best practices are utilized in all communications materials in support of the visual identity of the university.
• Support event planning teams to ensure the successful communication of major student events.
• Education: A university degree in communications, publishing, journalism, marketing, or another related field. A combination of education and directly relevant experience will be considered.
• Experience: Minimum five years of communications work experience with a demonstrated capacity to work with multiple academic and administrative units in a post-secondary environment. Significant coordination experience is required as well as demonstrated ability to manage and meet deadlines. Experience leading or supporting a team would be a significant asset.

SKILLS:

• exceptional leadership and management skills
• demonstrated ability to work independently, lead a team and meet deadlines on multiple projects with competing demands
• exceptional ability to understand the needs of the intended audience and communicate to diverse audiences across multiple communications platforms.
• tact, discretion, diplomacy, good judgment, and ability to establish and maintain the level of professional relationships that support exceptional collaboration
• strong strategic thinking and a commitment to continuous improvement
• strong problem solving and creative thinking skills
• capacity to effectively use technology to meet accountabilities and leverage technology to increase effectiveness and quality of work
• demonstrated customer service orientation
• ability to identify and pursue opportunities as they arise
• financial skills to support budgeting and reporting
• project management skills
• ability to build relationships with a broad range of stakeholders
• ability to analyze data to inform decisions in support of meeting strategic priorities and intended outcomes
• ability to work and communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• excellent interpersonal skills including relationship building, diplomacy, negotiation, active listening and coaching
  Department: University Relations
  Status: Term 12 months with the possibility of extensionmaternity leave replacement
  Employment Group: ASPA
  Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1.0
  Salary: The salary range, based on 1.0 FTE, is $85,555.00 - 142,503.00 per annum. The starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
  Salary Family (if applicable): Managerial
  Salary Phase/Band: Phase 3
  Posted Date: 6/24/2024
  Closing Date: 7/14/2024 at 6:00 pm CST
  Number of Openings: 1
  Work Location: On Campus
  The University is committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion, and are proud to support career opportunities for Indigenous peoples to reflect the community we serve. We are dedicated to recruiting individuals who will enrich our work and learning environments. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. We are committed to providing accommodations to those with a disability or medical necessity. If you require an accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please notify us and we will work together on the accommodation request. We continue to grow our partnerships with Indigenous communities across the province, nationally, and internationally and value the unique perspective that Indigenous employees provide to strengthen these relationships. Verification of Indigenous Membership/Citizenship at the University of Saskatchewan is led and determined by the deybwewin | taapwaywin | tapwewin: Indigenous Truth policy and Standing Committee in accordance with the processes developed to enact the policy. Successful candidates that assert Indigenous membership/citizenship will be asked to complete the verification process of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation. The University of Saskatchewan’s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and Métis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. Together, we are uplifting Indigenization to a place of prominence at the University of Saskatchewan

Please refer the Job description for details