Awards and External Relations Officer

Department: OAC Office of the Dean
This position is represented by the agreement between the Professional Staff Association and the University of Guelph

Temporary full-time from 04/01/2026 to 07/30/2027 
Temporary Absence of the Regular Incumbent

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. 
Career Opportunities (sapsf.com) 

Duties and Responsibilities

Working in the Dean’s Office, this role is responsible for leading OAC’s substantial awards portfolio, as well as providing a high level of project management and coordination to the portfolio of the Associate Dean, External Relations. There are currently 500+ undergraduate, graduate, and diploma merit and need-based awards in addition to external and government-funded scholarships. Expendable award endowments of more than $2M span numerous funds and generate approximately 30 new awards each year. This role has significant interaction with donors and alumni, and shares responsibility for developing, nurturing and maintaining strong alumni and donor relationships with respect to awards. In leading OAC’s awards and supporting the broader external relations portfolio, this role offers you:

• Membership in a complex organization, whose mission is to Improve Life by inspiring leaders, generating knowledge and creating innovative solutions for food, agriculture, communities and the environment. (https://www.uoguelph.ca/oac/);
• A chance to effect change and impact the community through engagement with academic units in the creation of new scholarships; and the capture and communication of impact back to donors both directly and through our Alumni Affairs & Development partners;
• The opportunity to evolve your financial and operational management skills through your leadership of the awards process, including: collaborating with donors and Alumni Affairs & Development in developing and updating terms and conditions for awards; representing OAC at monthly Joint Editorial Awards Committee meetings; counselling students regarding how to apply for awards; pre-screening all in-course award applications and ensuring that students meet eligibility requirements; assisting in the process of student selection; and leading efficient meetings of the OAC Awards committee;
• The opportunity to execute a full scope of project management for a variety of broad reaching, multi-year projects. Spanning infrastructure to major events including OAC’s upcoming 150th anniversary, projects impact a broad range of constituents. This role supports and sometimes leads the execution of commitments to external partners that bridge students and faculty to community and industry.

Requirements

• Client focused and consistently demonstrate a high standard of service that provides an example for those around you and that helps you develop strong relationships, including anticipating the needs of your clients in order to drive awards activity and provide project management and organizational support to the Associate Dean, External Relations;
• Process orientation, with attention to detail and the ability to synthesize information, develop best practices and reconcile a high volume of transactions across disparate systems;
• Project-based work that includes excellent time and attention management;
• Advanced knowledge of desktop software, databases and other software products that, combined with your financial management skills, enables you to manage awards delivery at both the transaction and aggregate level by completing critical analyses and maintaining meticulous records;
• Undergraduate degree preferably in in accounting, finance, business, commerce, agriculture or another related field;
• 5-7 years of experience finance experience and a strong background in project management, preferably with awards management and donor stewardship as well an understanding of University financial policies and systems (FRS, Colleague) or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Employee Type: Regular 
Position Number: 10101069 
Classification: P&M FT- Band 03    
Professional/Managerial Salary Bands 
The target hiring salary for this position is minimum and up to 96% of midpoint for the salary grade.

*Tentative evaluation; subject to committee 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:  12/05/2025  
Closing Date:  12/15/2025