Job Description

Department Manager




About Queen's University

Queen's University is the Canadian research intensive university with a transformative student learning experience. Here the employment experience is as diverse as it is interesting. We have opportunities in multiple areas of globally recognized research, faculty administration, engineering & construction, athletics & recreation, power generation, corporate shared services, and many more.


We are committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcome applications from individuals from equity seeking groups such as women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, persons who identify in the LGBTQ+ community and others who reflect the diversity of Canadian society.


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Job Summary

Reporting to the Department Head, the Department Manager oversees the administrative operations and leads the technical services of the Department, supporting all teaching and research administrative activities in both the graduate and undergraduate programs. The role is responsible for assisting the Department Head in long and short term strategic planning, leading operational planning, and is a key contributor in growing and improving the Department's status as a world leader in chemical engineering research.




The primary responsibilities include leading administrative and technical staff, financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, procurement, facilities management, health and safety, and overseeing a broad scope of departmental activities and events. The manager serves as a liaison with other administrative units of the University, as well as, external service providers to ensure the diverse operational objectives are achieved.

Operations Management

- Oversees administrative and technical requirements for the Department's graduate, undergraduate and research programs, and specialized testing services.


- Leads a support staff team research and bargaining unit staff.


- Coordinates with faculty members on Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and large (> $1M) proposals for Provincial and Federal funding sources and manages procurement of equipment, facilities and laboratory renovations.


- Provides oversight to the administrative team that is responsible for the effective administration of the undergraduate and graduate student programs, services and events.


- Supervises the departmental technical staff that support the laboratory facilities, support the delivery of the undergraduate laboratory courses, and assisting with graduate research project work in the laboratories.


- Plans, prioritizes, and manages the work of employees, providing strategic and tactical advice, guidance and coaching. Identifies the need for staff resources, leads staffing committees, and makes effective recommendations for employee selection.


- Assesses staff training and development needs to sustain and improve and performance.


- Manages all departmental health & safety processes and regulatory requirements, including monthly audits, annual inspections, and safety training requirements (e.g. Online Safety Training, WHMIS, Safety Orientation, hands-on equipment training, and chemical and bio-hazard safety.


- Ensures compliance with the University's OCASP policy for off-campus activities (e.g. field research).


- Assists the Head in various Advancement matters including tours of the facilities, gift funding proposals, donor appreciation, reporting on special gift projects, and expenditures of endowment funds and managing special donor projects.


- Primary Department contact for internal communications and for external agencies; participates in the planning, development, and production of publications/graphical materials to meet the Department's internal and external communication and marketing needs in conjunction with Department and Smith Engineering Marketing and IT staff. Monitors and develops website content


- Contributes to reports/plans (e.g. Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board, Queen's University Quality Assurance Processes, Department Annual Report, 5-Year Strategic Plans, and Space Plans).


- Creates a positive work environment that supports and promotes a culture of diversity and inclusion that respects and incorporates different perspectives in decision-making.

Facilities Management

- Manages the operations of a range of facilities including labs, technical shops, collaboration rooms and off-campus sites.


- Coordinates maintenance, safety compliance, renovations, facility upgrades, and specialized equipment development for all departmental space.


- Oversees consultant interface and procurement activities for evaluating and acquiring equipment and supplies, ensuring alignment with the needs of faculty and researchers.


- Manages security and access for all departmental space. Manages space assignments, renovations, and building maintenance.


- Serves as primary contact and liaison with external service providers as well as the University's service departments (Physical Plant Services (PPS), Information Technology Services (ITS), Security, EH&S).

Financial Management

- Prepares annual budget, reports, multi-year forecasts and costing scenarios.


- Manages the Department's operating fund, technical cost recovery system, specialized testing service, trust funds, and endowment funds, and assists faculty members with managing their research project awards.


- Compiles and analyzes statistical and financial data for all aspects of the Department's operations; develops reports and provides recommendations on key financial management aspects, as required.


- Directs, advises, reviews and approves the work of general and budgetary accounting functions for assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses on a daily basis; including assisting Principal Investigators with contract/grant accounting issues.


- Assists faculty members with establishing large research grant budgets.


- Allocates financial resources to lab courses, student projects, student teams, and special functions.


- Ensures that all grant opportunities and Advancement gifts are fully leveraged to meet the goals of the Department.


- Collects and synthesizes information and prepares reports for various regulatory and other requirements (e.g. CFI-IOF, Research Support Fund, Endowments).

QUALIFICATIONS:

- University degree, preferably in engineering and/or business is an asset.


- Several years of progressively responsible management experience, including supervision of administrative and technical staff, financial management, planning, and project management.


- Experience in safety management systems related to industrial establishments.


- Experience in an engineering firm or technical/ manufacturing environment is preferred.


- Previous work in a university or other academic environment, and experience managing in a unionized environment is an asset.


- Knowledge of building systems and complex scientific equipment is an asset.


- Experience with PeopleSoft Accounting is an asset.


- Consideration will be given to an equivalent combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL SKILLS:

- Strong organizational skills to coordinate and direct the work of the Department. Ability to cope with multiple demands, manage competing priorities, and meet deadlines.


- Exceptional planning skills to develop new initiatives and to improve efficiency to meet the strategic goals of the Department; demonstrated project and change management skills.


- Strong analytical interpretive and problem solving skills with the ability to synthesize information from a wide variety of sources.


- Ability to apply practical accounting procedures and perform budget analysis.


- Sound judgement, tact, and discretion when working with staff and faculty members and when collaborating with external managers and directors.


- Excellent oral and written communication skills including effective business writing, and presentation skills; able to influence without direct authority.


- Ability to work in a collaborative and diverse environment with a service orientation.


- Ability to motivate and to create a strong work environment.


- Adaptable to changing technologies and innovation.

DECISION MAKING:

- Makes decisions regarding operations, financial resources, and communication activities. Prepares operating budget for Head's final approval and determines optimal allocation of resources.


- Makes human resource management decisions; including effective recommendations on suitable administrative and technical hires.


- Evaluates staff performance and decides on appropriate training or remedial action for disciplinary actions.


- Makes decisions on day-to-day facilities issues, renovation projects and specialized equipment/facility repairs and upgrades.


- Provides expertise to faculty and students in determining facility and equipment requirements.


- Develops appropriate policies and procedures, decides how modifications should be proposed and implemented.


- Investigates all safety incidents, near misses, and contraventions of safety policy/practice, and acts to rectify issues. This may include stopping work and/or enforcing corrective actions for students or staff.


- Decides when to advise the Head on staff, financial and risk management issues.


- Determines appropriate strategies to ensure successful project management for a multi-discipline group of researchers.


- Determines content of various reports, such as business plans and other short- and long-term planning documents. Makes decisions on data collection approaches and decisions regarding methods of analysis and presentation.


- Resolves resource allocation problems for teaching/research laboratories.


- Authorizes the purchase of supplies, furniture, software and equipment for offices, laboratories, and meeting rooms.


- Determines appropriate course of action to handle emergencies with experience and mature judgement and in accordance with departmental and university procedures.




Employment Equity and Accessibility Statement

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen's is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.


The University provides support in its recruitment processes to all applicants who require accommodation due to a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code, including those with disabilities. Candidates requiring accommodation during the recruitment process are asked to contact Human Resources at hradmin@queensu.ca.

Skills

Reference

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