Job Description

Staff - Union
Job Category
CUPE 2950
Job Profile
CUPE 2950 Salaried - Administrative Support 3 (Gr7)
Job Title
Administrative and Operations Coordinator
Department
Administrative Support | Botanical Garden and Centre for Horticulture
Compensation Range
$4,594.00 - $4,827.00 CAD Monthly
Posting End Date
September 1, 2025
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 Senior Administrative Specialist is responsible for providing financial, HR and administrative support for UBC Botanical Garden and the various programs within the Garden, including the Horticulture Training Program, the Admissions Desk, and the Shop in the Garden. This position is responsible for interpreting and following university policies to ensure compliance with the use of financial funds, human resource management systems and collective agreements. As the main point of contact for the Botanical Garden, this position coordinates procedures and processes of a complex nature. Including, but not limited to, coordinating office expenses and reconciliations, processing HR business processes, creating tracking and management systems for human resources and financial processes, establishing priorities and resolving complex customer, staff and volunteer issues. This position oversees the coordination of the Admissions desk scheduling calendar, including training and onboarding of new employees, and coordinates Shop and Garden expenses.
This position works independently, using judgment, initiative and ingenuity to determine the best solutions for effective Guest Experiences, Administrative, Financial and HR processes and procedures.

Organizational Status
This position reports directly to the Associate Director, Administration, works with staff, students, volunteers and clients, and contacts and liaises with other university administrative units, service providers, and vendors.
UBC Botanical Garden's Senior Administrative Specialist ensures the Garden's Vision and Mission are fully supported. UBC Botanical Garden's Mission and Vision are as follows:
Vision Statement
UBC Botanical Garden's living plant collections, landscapes and people inspire communities, ideas and actions for a resilient, biodiverse world.
Mission
UBC Botanical Garden's foundational work in documented plant collections, innovative horticulture and engaging education invites curiosity and learning. We connect communities with science through research, exceptional visitor experiences and academic service. We conserve biodiversity, demonstrate sustainable practices and provide spaces to encourage health and wellbeing.



Work Performed
Performs administrative, HR and financial responsibilities under the direction of the Associate Director, Administration. Working within UBC Botanical Garden's Administrative Building, the Senior Administrative Specialist coordinates the administrative procedures and processes in the following areas:
GUEST EXPERIENCEUsing tact and discretion, acts as the first point of contact within the active environment of the Campbell Administrative Building for faculty, staff, students, volunteers, customers, visitors, service providers and the general public. As first point of contact for many guests within the Garden, actively listens, probes and seeks information to defuse challenging situations. Acts in coordinating the Admissions Desk, including scheduling and training Admissions Desk staff. Investigates different options for improving methods for training and improving the Garden's frontline staff. Stays abreast of new training information from UBC Finance & HR to ensure Admissions Desk staff are up to date in their training and that processes are current and functional. Maintains and assists in the development of the Garden's membership database, including optimization, tracking and consistently improving the performance of the contents, this support for the membership program must be completed in a pro-active and positive manner. Responds to confidential telephone, email and in-person inquires, and provides the information for next steps. The Garden has a complex set of enquiries from the public, and it is important that the best information and/or contacts are coordinated in order to maintain high level of consistency.

FINANCEPrioritizes and uses initiative in reconciling general operating, specific purpose and endowment project/grants. Works independently to troubleshoot, resolve, and follow-up on financial system problems (Workday) with Financial Services, Human Resources, Development, and other related units on campus. Prepares, monitors and reports on budget expenditures for the Shop in the Garden, Admissions at both Nitobe Memorial and UBC Botanical Garden. Reconciles daily & weekly Shopify transactions into Workday, identifies, delves into and solves any irregularities. Analyzes the data collected through Shopify to see where improvements and changes can be made to existing processes. Completes and tracks all garden requisitions, journal vouchers, travel claims and expenses. Assists with transfer of funds and payments of expenses for Garden project/grants according to Faculty guidelines and University policies, including Internal Service Delivery transfer. Assists in collecting and reconciling revenue from gatehouses and Shop in the Garden. Arranges weekly deposits. Assists with admission desk responsibilities as necessary, including covering lunch breaks.

ADMINISTRATIVEPerforms duties including word processing, and photocopying. Maintains department listservs. Organizes catering for meetings as required. Maintains administrative files. Responds to routine oral and email inquiries for the Garden's general inquiry email address, booking inquiries, and Horticulture Training Program, asking for assistance from the Administrative Manager and other staff/faculty members as required. Assists on special projects as required during regular working hours (e.g., plant sales, Apple Festival, research projects, etc.). Responds to building concerns or concerns with rental facilities, contacts the appropriate services as necessary, and submits building service requests including custodial, security and maintenance requests, identifies items requiring follow-up and forwards to the appropriate person. Requests all security access for employees such as key requests and access control. Orders supplies, maintains inventory of supplies and arranges for servicing of office equipment for the BG, including the Shop in the Garden. Researches and makes recommendations regarding service contracts as necessary.

HORTICULTURE TRAINING PROGRAM SUPPORT
This position provides program administration to the Horticulturist Training Program, including:Tracks applications, including creating tracking for confidential correspondence between prospective students and the instructor. Ensures Marketing & Communications have current and correct information for the Horticulture Training Program's website. Oversees and arranges the HTP Graduation ceremony, including arranging the graduation certificates, ensuring the correct signatures are complete, and the certificates are delivered to the ceremony site. Creates and maintains student files and correspondence. Tracks tuition and application payments and reconciles them to the program. Prepares tax slips for students. Prepares invoices for the Industry Training Authority. Sends out delinquency reminders for accounts outstanding. Creates program and individual report cards. Maintains and files student records. Coordinates payments to vendors for course materials and for field trips.

HR SUPPORTWorking closely with UBC Human Resources and the Associate Director, Administration, this position is responsible for ensuring UBC Botanical Garden's personnel activities are consistent with UBC policies and procedures and best practices. Identifies ways to improve efficiencies with HR processes, policies, practices and procedures by developing and implementing streamlined methods. Assists with onboarding and offboarding of staff, students and volunteers. Ensures appropriate training, development and performance discussions occur for all staff through tracking methods and communications with supervisors. Oversees sick leave, vacation and overtime records for Garden staff. Processes Workday tasks such as new hires, new positions, job changes, leaves, timekeeping, salary changes, promotions, transfers, etc. and ensures that they adhere to the various employment agreements. Monitors end dates for staff and student positions, ensuring individuals are reappointed or terminated as necessary. Assists with special projects related to workflow, Workday and HR processes. Responsible for the integrity, confidentiality and security of all staff and student personnel records, documents and file systems in UBC Botanical Garden. Performs other related duties as required.


Consequence of Error/Judgement
This position works within authorized prescribed limits, and exercises independent judgement in selecting and interpreting information, as such, the inability to deal with the public and volunteers in a tactful, helpful and courteous manner would directly affect the operation and give an adverse image of the Botanical Garden, the University and to the public. Errors in payroll/appointment submissions could have a significant impact on employees. Impact of financial errors could seriously compromise achieving revenue targets.



Supervision Received
Works within broad instructions, objectives and policies to deliver a high quality of service to the Garden. Expectation that assignments are approached independently, and the candidate makes necessary decisions to determine priority areas, and makes reliable decisions



Supervision Given

Supervises Admissions Desk (up to ten seasonal staff), volunteers, and Work Learn students (up to 3 students).



Minimum Qualifications

High School graduation, plus one year of post-secondary education, plus four 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 QualificationsMinimum 4 years of related experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience. Trained in office procedures and basic accounting/bookkeeping processes. Thorough knowledge of UBC's business procedures and practices. Experience with Workday procedures. Computer experience required Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint. An understanding of quality customer service. Excellent oral and written communication, interpersonal, analytical, problem solving and organizational skills. Knowledge of HR processes and procedures. Ability to type 50 w.p.m. and to operate a normal range of office equipment. Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines. Ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail. Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment. Ability to exercise tact and discretion. + Must be available to work occasional weekends.

Ability to effectively resolve client complaints in a calm, non-confrontational manner, and by exercising sound judgment. * Ability to provide quality service to customers in a courteous, patient manner.