Manager, Student Engagement

The University of British Columbia; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 86,000 - 124,000; Full time

Job summary

The Manager, Student Engagement at The University of British Columbia leads a portfolio of programs that support student transition, belonging, leadership, and success within the Centre for Student Development and Leadership. It requires strategic planning, program development, and cross‑unit collaboration to foster student outcomes across undergraduate and graduate populations.

The role involves staff supervision, budget oversight, and risk management, with a focus on scalable initiatives and

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
• Minimum of four to five years of related experience.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion; ability to lead inclusive teams.

Responsibilities

• Oversees leadership for a portfolio of student engagement programs.
• Develops and assesses strategic plans aligned with student success objectives.
• Manages budgets, risk, and staff supervision across multiple programs.
• Builds partnerships with campus units to advance belonging and leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Stakeholder engagement

Program development

Strategic planning

Staff supervision

Communication

Education

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

Staff - Non Union Job Category M&P - AAPS Job Profile AAPS Salaried - Student Management, Level C Job Title Manager, Student Engagement Department Development and Leadership 1 | Centre for Student Development & Leadership | VP Students

Compensation Range $7,727.33 - $11,112.00 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 September 18, 2026

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

Job End Date Ongoing

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

The Manager, Student Engagement is responsible for the leadership, development, implementation, and evaluation of a portfolio of student engagement initiatives, partnerships, and institutional initiatives that advance the mandate of the Centre for Student Development and Leadership (CSDL) in the areas of Transition and First-Year Experience, Community and Connection, and Peer Leadership. The position provides leadership for interconnected programs, services, partnerships, and initiatives that collectively support undergraduate and graduate students in their transition to, engagement within, and leadership across the UBC community. Through a combination of strategic planning, program development, partnership building, and operational leadership, the Manager contributes to student success, belonging, leadership development, and community formation throughout the student experience. The Manager is responsible for identifying emerging student needs, developing new initiatives and approaches, and ensuring that programs and services remain responsive to changing student populations, institutional priorities, and evolving research and practice in student development and student success. The Manager is accountable for strategic planning, design of services and programs within a broad portfolio, assessment, budget oversight, risk management, staff leadership, and partnership development within a portfolio that engage thousands of students annually and contribute directly to university priorities related to student success, engagement, transition, belonging, and leadership development. The position manages the full lifecycle of major student engagement initiatives, including strategic planning, development, implementation, assessment, continuous improvement, budget oversight, risk management, and staff supervision. The role acts as a connector across the university, convening partners from VPS, faculties, departments, student organizations, and campus communities to develop coordinated approaches that advance institutional priorities related to student engagement, belonging, leadership, and success. The Manager maintains a broad portfolio perspective while ensuring excellence in implementation and delivery.

Organizational Status

The Manager, Student Engagement reports to the Associate Director and/or Director of the Centre for Student Development and Leadership (CSDL). The role requires extensive collaboration across VPS, faculties, Enrolment Services, student organizations, and other campus partners. The position serves as a key liaison, collaborator and subject matter expert with administrators, faculty, and campus partners in the development and advancement institutional approaches to student transition and engagement, leadership development, belonging, community building and student success. The position provides leadership for professional staff, student staff, volunteers, and distributed student leadership structures operating across multiple programs, services, and campus environments.

Work Performed Program and Portfolio Leadership

Leads the development, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of a portfolio of sophisticated and interconnected programs, systems, and engagement initiatives that advance CSDL's mandate in Transition and First-Year Experience, Community and Connection, and Peer Leadership. Identifies emerging student needs, institutional priorities, and opportunities for innovation and develops new programs, initiatives, services, and approaches in response. Develops and implements strategic and operational plans that align portfolio activities with institutional priorities and student success goals. Oversees multiple interconnected programs, projects, events, and initiatives involving multi-unit partnerships, campus-wide implementation and large-scale student participation, ensuring alignment across activities and desired student outcomes. Establishes frameworks, processes, and systems that support the effective delivery, assessment, and continuous improvement of student engagement initiatives. Monitors, assesses, and evaluates outcomes using student feedback, institutional data, assessment findings, and emerging research to inform decision-making and future direction. Resolves complex operational, programmatic, and student-related issues requiring independent judgment, risk assessment, and coordination across multiple stakeholders.

Strategic Leadership and Collaboration

Provides leadership in the development and advancement of student engagement strategies that support institutional priorities and student success objectives. Advises and collaborates with campus partners to develop coordinated approaches to student transition, belonging, engagement, leadership development, and community building. Builds and sustains collaborative partnerships and coalitions across VPS, faculties, departments, and student organizations to advance shared institutional goals. Leads cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholders with differing priorities and interests and achieves outcomes through collaboration, influence, negotiation, and consensus-building. Leads or contributes to institutional committees, working groups, and initiatives that influence university-wide approaches to student engagement and student success. Represents CSDL in discussions requiring subject matter expertise related to student development, engagement, belonging, leadership, and first-year experience.

Staff Leadership and Capacity Building

Supervises professional staff, student staff, including recruitment, onboarding, training, performance management, coaching, and professional development. Oversees supervisory structures that support large and distributed student leadership teams operating across multiple programs, services, and locations. Provides leadership, mentorship, and support to staff responsible for delivering student engagement initiatives. Develops tools, resources, and training programs that strengthen the capacity of staff, student leaders, and campus partners to contribute to student success and engagement. Fosters a culture of collaboration, accountability, inclusion, continuous learning, and student-centered practice.

Financial and Resource Management

Develops, monitors, and manages budgets associated with multiple programs, initiatives, and operational activities. Allocates resources strategically to support priorities and achieve desired outcomes. Prepares budget forecasts, reports, and recommendations and contributes to broader resource planning discussions. Ensures compliance with university financial policies and procedures and exercises sound stewardship of institutional resources.

Assessment, Reporting, and Institutional Planning

Develops reports, assessments, proposals, briefing notes, and recommendations that inform decision-making and future planning. Analyzes trends, data, and assessment findings and translates them into actionable recommendations. Contributes to divisional and institutional planning processes related to student engagement, student success, belonging, leadership development, and first-year experience. Communicates outcomes, priorities, and recommendations to a wide range of stakeholders.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

The Manager exercises substantial independent judgment in the leadership of programs, partnerships, staff, budgets, and strategic initiatives that affect large numbers of students and contribute directly to institutional priorities related to student success, engagement, belonging, and leadership development. Errors in judgment, planning, implementation, assessment, resource allocation, partnership management, or risk management could negatively impact students, damage relationships with campus partners, affect institutional reputation, and reduce the effectiveness of university-wide student engagement efforts. The position regularly addresses complex and sensitive issues requiring interpretation of policy, balancing of competing interests, assessment of risk, and development of solutions with significant organizational implications.

Supervision Received

Works independently under the general direction of the Associate Director and/or Director. Work is reviewed in relation to achievement of strategic objectives, quality of outcomes, effectiveness of partnerships, leadership of staff, and contribution to institutional priorities.

Supervision Given

Provides leadership, guidance, supervision, and performance management to professional staff, student staff, volunteers, and project teams. Provides direction and coordination to campus partners engaged in collaborative initiatives and programs.

Minimum Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
• Minimum of four to five years of related experience, or an 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

• A Master's Degree in a relevant discipline.
• Experience developing and managing large-scale and ongoing programs in a university or public sector environment.
• Knowledge of student development theory, transition and retention practices, and student success research.
• Experience in change management, budget planning, and risk management.
• Demonstrated ability to develop long-term program strategies and align them with institutional priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Strong interpersonal skills with proven ability to resolve conflicts, build consensus, and foster partnerships.
• Ability to manage multiple sophisticated projects with competing deadlines while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated leadership and supervisory experience, including mentoring and coaching staff.
• Ability to anticipate issues, analyze challenges, and develop innovative, student-centered solutions.
• Familiarity with UBC’s academic and administrative structures is an asset.

The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities globally. A large part of what makes us unique is the community of engaged students, faculty, and staff who are collectively committed to shaping a better world. Recognized as a leading employer in British Columbia and Canada, UBC supports inspired students, faculty and staff on their journey of discovery, and challenges them to realize their greatest potential. New ideas, changing infrastructure, innovative technology, and fresh approaches are opening up possibilities for the future of research, teaching, and work.

Are you ready to embrace the future together?

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community foster the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged.

We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, and/or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

If you have any accommodation or accessibility needs during the job application process, please contact the Centre for Workplace Accessibility at [e-mail].