Associate Director, Operations and Administration

University of Waterloo; Waterloo; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Waterloo is seeking an Associate Director, Operations and Administration for its Institute for Quantum Computing. This senior role involves overseeing operations, managing facilities, and leading process improvements to ensure a world-class research environment. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in operations management within an academic setting and demonstrate strong leadership and project management skills.

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience in an academic setting.
• 6+ years in operations management and project management.
• Experience in performance management and team leadership.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for efficient operations and continuous improvement.
• Lead feedback sessions and implement process improvements.
• Manage the IQC membership database and ensure data integrity.

Skills

Leadership

Project Management

Process Improvement

Data Management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business administration or finance

Tools

Excel

FileMaker

SharePoint

Job description

Associate Director, Operations and Administration

The Associate Director, Operations and Administration is a key senior position at the Institute for Quantum Computing. The incumbent is responsible for the Institute’s efficient operations, facilities, and space management. The incumbent is responsible for continuous improvements of institute processes, all administrative functions and is the business owner of IQC’s membership database.

This role is accountable for ensuring a world-class research environment at IQC. The incumbent is experienced in leading process improvement projects, managing facilities and space with a focus on enhancing productivity, reducing waste, and implementing innovative solutions across multiple locations and groups. This role ensures consistent, professional and excellent customer service to IQC membership, partners and visitors and ensures the administrative research environment, processes and systems uphold the reputation of the Institute for Quantum Computing as a premier research institute.

2 Year Term

This role is contigent on funding

Responsibilities

Institute Operations and Continuous Improvement

• Accountable for ensuring IQC’s operations run efficiently and on time, coordinating activities across Quantum Nano Centre (QNC) and the Research Advancement Centre (RAC) buildings
• Provides senior leadership with confidential and strategic advice, information, and data to support decision making and long-term operation plans for the institute
• Responsible for identifying and implementing process improvements through an understanding key principle of continuous improvement, risk management and community satisfaction
• Lead feedback sessions (individual/group) with IQC faculty, HQP, staff and leadership to solicit feedback, facilitate opposing views, and design and implement plans, requiring change management
• Accountable for operational improvements being aligned with IQC goals and ensuring integrity of the core operational processes for all members
• Responsible for progress on operational plans and results through reporting on key performance measures and identifying when course corrections are required and facilitating the entire process
• Business lead on identifying and sourcing new software solutions and processes for effective institute operation. Works closely with Associate Director, Technology Services and IST on solutions
• Responsible for the IQC membership database and accountable for data integrity, accuracy and security. Incumbent is responsible for requirements gathering process which includes meeting with various stakeholders and documenting what data is required to meet stakeholder needs
• Responsible for collaborating with seven departments and academic support units to streamline processes, collect data and identify opportunities for resource sharing
• Responsible for monitoring foreseeable security risks and working with IQC Leadership to maintain emergency plans, including emergency preparedness and strategies for maintaining operations
• Maintains in-depth understanding of UWaterloo, Ontario and Canadian policies, guidelines, and procedures that govern operations and ensures IQC adherence in all operational activities

Facilities Management

• Accountable for the coordination of activities necessary to ensure an effective facilities management system is operating in the physical environment of the IQC QNC and RAC buildings
• Ensure on-going management necessary to ensure an effective preventative maintenance program in consultation with IQC community, central support units, such as Plant Ops, and others as required
• Deliver operational leadership for the design, improvement and implementation of facility renovations and repairs (excl. lab space) to increase operational efficiency aligned with community needs. Partners with the Director,
• Comms and Strategic Initiatives to ensure space renovations are on brand
• In consultation with senior leadership, authorizes the purchase and allocation of equipment and furnishings. Responsible for the optimal design, acquisition, distribution, and maintenance of furniture, equipment, and associated office infrastructure
• Manages telecommunications services (landline and mobile) for IQC across QNC and RAC
• Accountable for key management, building security and security concerns
• Oversees all non-laboratory health and safety requirements of the unit, and responsible for risk management, if required
• Authorizes procurement and allocation of all services and products relating to the shared office, meeting room spaces and common areas for QNC and RAC
• Accountable for space allocation, forecasting needs, and all issues related to the physical buildings. Includes one-on-one faculty consultation to understand office space needs, explore more efficient alternatives and requirements should those alternatives
• Accountable for IQC (QNC and RAC) space plans and ensuring the office/space coordination of incoming and outgoing members including staff, 250+ HQP and faculty while balancing requirement for efficient space utilization, faculty needs, and a focus on collaboration
• Responsible for providing timely and accurate analyses of space utilization and forecasts with options for greater efficiencies. Data from a variety of sources like internal data records and collaborations with IQC community
• Ensures a world-class research environment with a high level of customer service and innovative problem-solving culture aligned with the institute’s strategic goals and priorities
• Ensures the effective and efficient operation of the Institute’s various internal committees; serving as a resource to committees as required
• Partners with the Associate Director, Finance to ensure a financial culture of high performance, high ethics and continuous improvement across all administrative and financial staff
• Regularly reviews the administrative and operations staff structure to ensure that human resources are efficiently and effectively managed and services to IQC community delivered effectively
• Supports and assists with the planning and execution of various special events, such as faculty retreats, as necessary
• Ensures adherence to University of Waterloo policies in all administrative activities
• Collaborates with IQC leadership and other management staff to draft and implement an annual administrative budget
• Develops productive, collaborative working relationships within the IQC community (faculty, HQP, staff, affiliates and visitors) and establish strong relationships with partners across campus

Leadership Human Resources Management

• Supervise a professional team responsible for the institute’s operations and administrative services
• Ensure membership database and information systems meets the internal requirements to efficiently managing member data, space and statistics for planning and reporting purposes
• Serve as key liaison with Human Resources on human resources issues relating to the IQC and supporting IQC leadership and faculty members
• Ensure IQC follows Ontario Employment Standards Act, Canada Revenue Agency and immigration laws for the employment and salaries of staff, contractors, postdoctoral scholars and students
• Oversee and authorize expenditures for the IQC administrative and operations budget for facilities and administrative operations ($1M+)
• Responsible for planning, forecasting and managing administrative and operational elements of IQC project budgets and monitor costs against budget
• Ensure the effective use of institute funds by looking for cost savings opportunities within the institute operational budget
• Provide financial input for the institute strategic and annual plan

Other Duties

• As needed, will provide back up to job roles within the administrative and operations team
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in a related discipline to business administration or finance
• Six Sigma Green Belt, Lean or other modern quality management process improvement experienc
• Professional training in business and human resources administration is an asset
• 5-7 years of experience and progressive responsibility in an academic setting, resulting in a strong understanding of the university’s collegial and complex organizational structure and governance
• 5-7 years of experience managing a team of professionals with diverse backgrounds and skillsets to achieve specific goals and objectives. Must have experience in performance management
• 6+ years of experience, in operations management, issues escalation resolution, infrastructure, continuous process improvement and project management
• 3+ years of developing, monitoring and managing budgets including developing financial projections
• Demonstrated leadership in improving operational efficiencies, saving and cutting costs
• Experience developing and implementing effective strategic initiatives in collaboration with diverse stakeholder groups
• Strong project management skills focusing of executing and completing tasks under pressure and managing conflicting priorities and deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to design and implement new and changing operational, administrative, data management and financial systems
• In-depth knowledge of UW policies, procedures and best practice as well as Canadian immigration policies and employment legislation (Employment Standards Act)
• Extensive experience guiding, coaching and mentoring staff and fostering constructive team relationships
• Demonstrated ability to exercise judgement and discretion when handling confidential information
• Independent judgement in areas of time management, task prioritization and decision making
• Demonstrated ability to synthesize complex information, and analyze, and resolve issues
• Excellent interpersonal skills are required, including outstanding verbal, written, and listening skills
• Outstanding leadership and management skills and be a proven strategic and pragmatic thinker
• Demonstrated negotiation skills, ability to influence others toward a unified purpose and promote a respectful, and inclusive culture
• Core competencies are attention to detail, excellent financial and budgeting acumen, analysis and analytical insight, creativity and flexibility, organizational and communications skills.
• Flexible and dynamic with the ability to deal with difficult, often ambiguous and challenging situations and creatively solve problems
• Change management experience is an asset
• Advanced proficiency in Excel with the demonstrated ability to perform data cleansing and analysis functions. Membership database expertise is an asset
• Experience with FileMaker, SharePoint and University of Waterloo proprietary HR software

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at [e-mail] or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.

About the company

The University of Waterloo is a public research university with a main campus in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

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