Graduate Program Assistant

About Western

Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the "Western Experience" - an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and new ways to make a difference.

About Us

Western’s Department of Philosophy aims to provide students with a broad general education in philosophy, while also being home to many faculty members and students who work in specialized areas. We are a department where the history of philosophy is held in high regard. At the same time, we maintain strong ties with the Departments of Women’s Studies and Feminist Research, Biology, Economics, Physics and Astronomy, Political Science, Psychology, and Mathematics; with the Faculties of Law and Medicine; with the Brain and Mind Institute at Western and with the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo.

Responsibilities

The Graduate Program Assistant is responsible for supporting the effective and efficient administration of the graduate programs (MA, PhD Philosophy and the MA in Ancient Philosophy) within the Department of Philosophy, under the direction of the Graduate Program Chair. The incumbent will act as a resource for faculty members, current and prospective students and the public and will provide information on matters related to the graduate programs from the time of inquiry through application, orientation, program progression, examination and post-graduation. The Graduate Program Assistant will act as a resource providing support and guidance regarding University, School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and departmental policies and procedures. The incumbent will assist with allocating, processing and tracking graduate student funding, generating data and reports for review, providing administrative assistance to leaders and committees, maintaining and updating program websites and assisting with the development of recruitment and communication materials. The Graduate Program Assistant works with Faculty of Arts and Humanities Dean’s Office regarding Faculty specific policies and budget allocations for graduate student funding as required.

Accountabilities

• Serves as a point of contact for various inquiries related to graduate programs, graduate students and related matters, responding or referring inquiries to other resources as appropriate, using discretion to escalate concerns to a supervisor as required
  • Provides guidance to others on an ongoing basis regarding departmental and graduate studies policies, procedures and regulations including application and admission processes, progression requirements, program eligibility and graduation requirements
• Assists with the departmental admissions process, including interpreting admissions data to assess admissibility and completeness of the application, distributing and tracking applications, supporting selection committees, recording decisions and preparing formal correspondence
• Administers graduate student appointments for Graduate Research Assistants and Graduate Teaching Assistants, completing documentation, forms and letters as required
  • Gathers information on Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) eligibility and requirements based on class size, number of assignments, exams, etc. and drafts GTA allocations for the Chair’s approval
• Facilitates graduate student scholarships, internal and external awards and funding packages in accordance with established guidelines
  • Creates, updates and maintains funding sheets that outline all eligible funding for students for approval
  • Completes all documentation for Graduate Teaching Assistant appointments and ensures the timely submission of paperwork to meet multiple deadlines
• Provides administrative assistance to department leaders, faculty members and instructors to support the smooth operation of the department (e.g. maintaining electronic calendars, scheduling meetings, making room reservations, typing and photocopying course materials/examinations, collating reports and statistics, preparing correspondence)
  • Provides orientation information to new faculty members/lecturers, communicates deadlines and answers questions about department policies and procedures
  • Maintains departmental files and supports the Leaders with a variety of academic and administrative processes, ensuring deadlines are met
• Acts as a resource and participates on various committees, assisting with preparing agendas, meeting minutes, coordinating materials and following up on action items, etc.
• Supports program review processes including preparing statistics, performance indicators and reports for review

• Supports graduate course scheduling, registration and evaluation processes and the coordination of thesis presentations and examinations
• Compiles and uploads grades electronically for approval and submission, reviewing incomplete grades and facilitating a resolution
• Maintains departmental records, including class lists, enrollment statistics, records of exams, program progression and adjudications and provides related data and reports to faculty members as requested
• Assists with the planning and delivery of orientations for new graduate students and maintains and updates graduate student handbook/orientation materials
• Supports the development of print and electronic materials for student outreach and recruitment activities, maintains social media accounts and ensures the departmental website is monitored and maintained

Qualifications

Education:

• 3 year Community College Diploma in Business Administrative or related field

Experience:

• 2 year of administrative experience providing customer service

Skills, Abilities & Expertise:

• Knowledge of general office procedures
• Written and verbal communication skills to express ideas clearly, and adapt communication style to suit the situation and audience
• Computer skills with the ability to learn and use software programs
• Basic computer skills in Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to maintain a positive, outgoing attitude with genuine customer service orientation
• Ability to follow formal business practices with high attention to detail
• Ability to multi-task and maintain an organized and effective personal work environment
• Adapts readily and effectively to changing priorities and demands
• Personable and courteous in working relationships with colleagues, students and the public
• Demonstrated ability to understand and resolve external and internal partner issues
• Ability to work independently and effectively as a member of the team to achieve department goals
• Ability to work in a manner that is compliant with confidentiality requirements
• Strong keyboarding skills

Why Western?

Western offers a broad and exciting variety of part-time and temporary employment opportunities with ample room for job exploration and growth. Within our beautiful campus, you are part of a progressive work environment that promotes work/life balance including access to our state-of-the-art recreation centre. Apply for an opportunity to be part of the Western community and contribute to its success!

Applying at Western

To ensure that your application is given full consideration, please complete all relevant sections of the application. In addition, you can choose to supplement your application with a cover letter and current resume.

Consideration of applicants will include an assessment of previous performance, experience, and qualifications. Applicants should have oral communication skills in English.

Western Values Diversity

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.

Please Note:

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.