Manager, Operations & Community Engagement

University of British Columbia - Staff; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 30,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Vancouver is seeking a Manager for Operations & Community Engagement. This role is pivotal in fostering climate action through effective coordination of initiatives and community-building activities. Candidates should possess strong organizational and communication skills, along with an undergraduate degree in a relevant field. Competitive compensation is offered with a supportive work culture.

Benefits

Diverse and inclusive workplace

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Minimum two years of related experience preferred.
• Experience in sustainability or climate-focused programs.
• Ability to prioritize multiple projects in a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day operations of the Centre.
• Manage program and event logistics and budgets.
• Oversee the Centre’s community engagement initiatives.

Skills

Community engagement

Event planning

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Project management

Team collaboration

Education

Undergraduate degree in relevant discipline

Undergraduate degree in Environmental Science or Sustainability

Tools

G-Suite

Slack

Graphic design tools like Canva

Job description

Staff - Non Union

Job Category M&P - AAPS Job Profile AAPS Salaried - Administration, Level A Job Title Manager, Operations & Community Engagement Department Operations | Centre for Climate and Business Solutions | UBC Sauder School of Business Compensation Range $5,791.00 - $8,323.42 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date August 17, 2025

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

September 1, 2030

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

UBC Sauder School of Business is one of the world’s leading business faculties. The school consistently ranks among the top 100 in the world and is recognized internationally for excellence in research and learning, outstanding faculty, and unmatched global partnerships. A collaborative and respectful culture within which all members of our community can thrive is a key principle in our strategic plan, and one that underpins our educational mission.

We acknowledge that UBC Sauder at the Vancouver Point Grey campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territory of the Musqueam. We acknowledge that UBC Sauder at UBC Robson Square is situated on the traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh.

The UBC Sauder’s Centre for Climate and Business Solutions (CCBS) serves as a central hub for research, education, and innovation and is dedicated to advancing climate action through business solutions. CCBS fosters experiential, applied, and action-focused approaches, supporting diverse educational programs and research initiatives to accelerate climate action.

The Manager, Operations & Community Engagement supports the Centre’s climate programs through effective coordination, community-building, and public-facing communications. This role manages the Centre’s signature events, communications channels, and the Storytelling Studio , helping bring to life the stories, people, and impact behind the Centre’s work.

The Manager, Operations & Community Engagement is responsible for a broad range of duties in coordinating and managing all operational aspects of the Centre for Climate and Business Solutions, ensuring that Centre activities run smoothly and reach the right audiences, from students and alumni to faculty and climate professionals and support the centre’s mission.

Organizational Status
Reports to the Executive Director of the Centre for Climate and Business Solutions, and works closely and collaboratively with Centre’s leadership. Works closely with other UBC Sauder units, UBC Sauder faculty, industry partners and other internal and external stakeholders.

Work Performed

Operations

• Leads the day-to-day operations of the Centre and manages the broad range of the centre’s administrative functions, ensuring timelines are met and deliverables across programs and events are executed effectively.

• Oversees operational systems and processes, identifying improvements to enhance Centre’s efficiency.

• Develops and implements the centre’s administrative policies and procedures to ensure efficiency and effectiveness, including manuals for training and onboarding, in support of overall strategic priorities, goals and initiatives.

• Working closely with the Executive Director, develops and manages centre’s budget, tracks financial information, and prepares summary reports.

• Manages funding and grant application processes, proposal writing, and donor reporting as needed.

• Manages space allocation, including moves, renovations, installations and security issues.

• Researches and writes project documentation, including briefing notes, plans, schedules, reports, and status updates. Creates templates, policies, guidelines and contracts for the centre’s use.

• Acts as a primary contact person for the centre-related information and inquiries, as well as policy and procedures for UBC Sauder and UBC, ensuring effective communication and engagement with stakeholders.

• Supervises centre’s student employees and volunteers; responsible for hiring, onboarding, offboarding, work schedules, training and performance management. Develops policies and processes in support of recruitment for the centre, consulting with UBC Sauder People and Organizational Development team.

Program and Event Management

• Plans and manages all aspects of special projects and flagship event programs such as webinar series and the Working in Climate series, including logistics, budget and materials preparation. Works closely with the UBC Sauder events and UBC Sauder IT teams and liaises with external vendors.

• Contributes to the development of new initiatives by researching and identifying businesses and industry trends and determining the demand for skills.

• Oversees the launch and delivery of Centre initiatives, enhancing the centre's educational and business impact, ensuring activities align with strategic goals and timelines.

• Supports cross-program coordination by managing timelines, preparing materials for program delivery, and facilitating effective student engagement.

• Works with the CCBS team to curate events and workshops that share updates on UBC Sauder’s climate programs and Scope 3 emissions profile, engaging students, faculty, staff, and partners in emissions reduction efforts and broader climate initiatives.

Communications, Engagement and Outreach

• Manages the Storytelling Studio project, including day-to-day operations, intake process, recruitment and coordination of student creators, production schedules, and integration into Centre’s communications, programming and broader engagement strategy.

• Advises students and companies and provides guidance on meeting participation requirements; ensures the data needs and timelines are met.

• Develops and implements distribution strategies for Studio content, including cross-promotion with related partners and platforms.

• Prepares for the Studio’s launch and supports its ongoing development to advance the Centre’s engagement, learning, and community-building objectives.

• Develops and implements communications plans for programs and events, including planning for distribution and collaboration with UBC Sauder Marketing and Communications, Alumni Engagement, and external partners to ensure alignment with Centre priorities and maximum reach.

• Creates and coordinates promotional materials and outreach content for internal and external audiences to recruit students, companies, and industry partners into programs.

• Manages the Centre’s LinkedIn presence, newsletter, and other digital channels to engage and grow its climate community.

• Curates and shares stories from Centre programs — including student experiences, partner collaborations, and research insights — to foster community connection and demonstrate

• impact.

• Develops and implements strategies to grow the Centre’s community of alumni, students, and industry partners, fostering ongoing connection and collaboration.

• Plans and delivers engagement opportunities such as events, workshops, and networking sessions to strengthen relationships and maintain an active climate-focused network.

• Develops and fosters relationships and partnerships with industry partners and other internal and external stakeholders in support of the centre’s activities.

• Participates and represents the Centre on various UBC Sauder committees and Centre-wide projects as required.

• Performs other related duties within the guidelines of the role to support the Centre’s mission.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
The Manager plays a critical role in the success of the Centre for Climate and Business Solutions. Centre’s initiatives and outcomes can significantly impact the public profile and standing of UBC Sauder and UBC. Lack of professionalism and poor decision-making could lead to loss of support and damage to the reputation of the centre and UBC. Frequent interaction with UBC Sauder students, faculty and units and external organizations requires excellent communication skills and tact to avoid negative impact on the University’s, the school’s and the centre’s public profile.

Supervision Received
Reports to the Executive Director of the Centre for Climate and Business Solutions.

Supervision Given
Supervises student employees and volunteers with regard to work assignments, schedules, and event work assignments.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.

• Proven experience in community engagement, program coordination, or event planning, preferably within sustainability or climate-focused programs.

• Strong organizational skills and an ability to prioritize, coordinate and execute multiple concurrent projects and initiatives while working under tight time constraints in a dynamic environment.

• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.

• Familiarity with UBC systems is an asset.

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with various internal and external stakeholders.

• Highly motivated with a strong interest in all aspects of business development and relationship management.

• Strong, team-oriented work ethic with a willingness and ability to work independently and autonomously.

• Working knowledge of digital communication and scheduling tools, G-Suite, Slack, spreadsheets, presentation software, and graphic design tools such as Canva.

• Experience in project coordination/project management, leading projects from initiation to closing phases, as well as planning, developing, and implementing new processes.

• Self-directed and able to complete projects with limited supervision.

• Ability to effectively facilitate groups to achieve appropriate outcomes.

• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to anticipate and mitigate potential issues.