Academic Programs and Administrative Assistant

Department: Plant Agriculture
Position covered by the Collective Agreement with USW Local 4120
 

If you are a current employee of the University of Guelph you must apply on the internal Career Page in order to be considered as an internal applicant. 
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General Purpose

The Department of Plant Agriculture is one of Canada’s largest and most diverse applied plant biology departments. It is a research-intensive department dedicated to teaching excellence. Plant Agriculture is a large and vibrant department, with 30 faculty members, approximately 30 regular full-time staff members and 200+ contractual & student positions.

Undergraduate program offerings the position supports include the B.Sc.(Agr.) Crop Science and Horticulture Science majors and the B.Sc. in Plant Science. In addition, the Associate Diploma in Turfgrass Management (ADTM) program is supported. The department is also responsible for several core courses within the B.Sc.(Agr.) Honours Agriculture program. Total overall weighted undergraduate and diploma course enrolments taught by the department exceed 3,000.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Academic Programs & Administrative Assistant reports to the Administrative Officer for the Department and works closely with the Department Chair, Departmental Curriculum Committee, the ADTM Program Manager, the Registrar’s Office and the OAC Dean’s Office (Undergraduate Program Counsellors). This position is primarily responsible for providing comprehensive administrative support for the department’s undergraduate and diploma programs, performing liaison activities and providing general administrative support to the department as part of a team.

Specific academic-related duties include course scheduling, classroom bookings, facilitating course additions/cancellations/changes, reviewing course outlines, exam scheduling, grades collection and submission, and overseeing the instructor evaluation process. Main liaison-related duties include promoting the department and its activities (including via social media platforms), planning & overseeing special events, and maintaining the department’s SharePoint & external websites. General administrative duties include first point of contact for the public, initiating building maintenance work orders, managing photocopier use & mail, and arranging resource bookings. The Academic Programs & Administrative Assistant is a valued member of the department’s administrative team and is essential to the success of the department’s academic programs.

Requirements

• Completion of a two-year Community College Diploma program in office/business administration, communications, or related field and one year of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience in an office environment, preferably in an academic setting, with exposure to a wide variety of policies, procedures, and systems.
• Experience in communications and social media, including working knowledge of AODA requirements and experience with communication tools such as Twitter / X and web pages.
• Experience interacting with and serving diverse groups of people.
• Excellent computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams, Adobe), familiarity with using general office software, and ability to master and adapt to specialized software.
• Above average communication skills (both oral and written) required to interact with faculty, staff, students, visitors, etc.
• Proven independent judgment for decision making, task prioritization, and time management while dealing with conflicting priorities and deadlines.
• Dependability and ability to work effectively both independently and as a member of a team in a busy office environment with frequent interruptions.
• Discretion, maintaining confidentiality and exercising a high degree of tact & patience.
• Existing knowledge of academic policies & procedures at an Ontario University would be considered an asset.

Employee Type: Regular 
Position Number: 10128077 
Classification: USW, Local 4120 Salary: Band 3  
USW Local 4120 Wage Grid

*Tentative evaluation; subject to final review.

At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.

Posting Date: 03/31/2025  
Closing Date: 04/07/2025