Job Description

Description

The

Signature Learning Experiences Office w

ithin

Provost and Vice-President (Academic)

is currently seeking a Full-time Regular

Director, Student Success and Operations.

The Director, Student Success & Operations is a key member of the Office of Signature Learning Experiences (OSLE) leadership team, reporting directly to the Executive Director. This role oversees portfolios related to student advising, student success, cross-campus partnerships, operational excellence, and strategic implementation across OSLE's signature learning experience areas.


The Director's responsibilities are extensive, requiring both strategic vision and operational expertise to support transformative student outcomes. The position demands a strong understanding of how each operational function supports student engagement and OSLE's mission while appreciating their interconnected nature. A systems-level leadership approach is crucial for translating OSLE's strategic vision into operational processes that promote a student-centric culture, drive efficiency, and encourage innovation in signature learning experiences.


The Director is accountable for ensuring that operational decisions and process enhancements directly contributes to exceptional student outcomes and transformative learning experiences. This position serves as the Executive Director's implementation partner with an unwavering focus on student success, taking strategic directives and academic priorities established by the Academic Leadership Team and converting them into student-centered operational plans, sustainable processes, and measurable student outcomes.


Given the scope and strategic importance of creating accessible, high-quality signature learning experiences for all UCalgary students, the Director operates with significant autonomy while maintaining close alignment with the Academic Leadership. The role involves cultivating strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to achieve targeted student success outcomes. This position provides inspirational leadership, ensuring OSLE's signature learning experiences are synonymous with excellence and transformative student impact.


As a key member of the OSLE leadership team, the Director works closely with Academic Directors, central university partners, faculty leadership, and external stakeholders. The position operates in a dynamic, multi-stakeholder environment that requires balancing academic excellence with operational efficiency, managing complex cross-campus initiatives, and responding to emerging opportunities in experiential learning.


The role requires exceptional diplomatic skills and change management expertise, as signature learning experiences span multiple faculties, involve diverse community partnerships, and require integration with existing academic structures. The Director must demonstrate considerable autonomy in decision-making while ensuring alignment with university policies, academic standards, and OSLE's strategic priorities.


Due to the collaborative nature of experiential learning, this position may require flexible working arrangements beyond the campus standard working hours, including occasional evening and weekend commitments for student programming, partner engagement, and cross-institutional collaboration.

Primary Purpose of the Position:

(Key purpose, functions, roles):


The Director's primary objective is to execute the vision and strategy for student success across OSLE's signature learning experiences, collaborating closely with the Executive Director and Academic Directors to enhance student outcomes and elevate OSLE's impact within the university and broader community. The Director ensures that direction is implemented through a comprehensive student success framework that includes:

Student-Centered Strategic Implementation

- Converting the OSLE's strategic initiatives into detailed implementation plans that prioritize student access, engagement, retention, and career outcomes with clear timelines, resource allocations, and student impact metrics in alignment with Ahead of Tomorrow.

Operational Excellence for Student Success

- Managing all operational functions through a student success lens, ensuring budget decisions, HR practices, compliance monitoring, data collection, and technology integration consistently enhance the student experience and remove barriers to participation in signature learning experiences.

Cross-Campus Student Advocacy

- Building and maintaining operational relationships across campus and with external partners that center student needs, ensuring signature learning experiences are accessible, inclusive, and responsive to diverse student goals, backgrounds, and career aspirations.

Student Experience Innovation

- Designing, implementing, and continuously improving operational processes that eliminate friction for students while enhancing the quality, accessibility, and transformative impact of signature learning experiences.

Student Outcome Measurement and Accountability

- Establishing comprehensive measurement systems focused on student success indicators including participation rates, satisfaction, learning outcomes, career readiness, and post-graduation impact, conducting regular reviews of student experience data, and ensuring OSLE consistently delivers on its commitments to student transformation.

The Director operates as OSLE's senior operational leader with student success as the primary lens for all decisions, providing inspirational leadership that ensures operational excellence supports Academic Leadership while creating the infrastructure needed for transformative student outcomes and OSLE's continued growth and impact. Key performance metrics include student participation (quantity and quality), student satisfaction and retention in signature learning experiences, and career outcomes that demonstrate the transformative impact of these experiences. This role requires someone who can work independently on operational matters while maintaining close alignment with the OSLE's strategic vision and academic priorities.

Summary of Key Responsibilities

(job functions include but are not limited to):

Implementation Support

Translate Academic Leadership's strategic directives and academic priorities into detailed operational plans with clear deliverables, timelines, and resource requirements Manage operational crises and urgent issues independently when appropriate Ensure operational compliance with university policies and procedures, maintaining institutional accountability Collaborate with the Executive Director and OSLE leadership team to develop and implement strategic plans aligned with the "Ahead of Tomorrow" vision Lead operational planning processes that translate strategic goals into actionable initiatives across all signature learning experience areas Monitor progress on strategic objectives and adjust operational approaches as needed

Strategic Planning and Implementation

Provide operational leadership for OSLE's integrated programming across global learning, undergraduate research, entrepreneurial thinking, work-integrated learning, and campus-as-a-learning-lab Oversee day-to-day business operations ensuring efficient, student-centered service delivery Develop and implement standardized processes for program administration, student support, and partner engagement Lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational effectiveness and program quality

Student Experience and Success Management

Design and implement comprehensive student experience strategies that ensure signature learning experiences are accessible, inclusive, and transformative for all UCalgary students regardless of background, discipline, or career goals Establish and monitor student success metrics including participation rates, completion rates, satisfaction scores, learning outcomes, and post-graduation impact measures Develop student feedback mechanisms and regularly assess student experience quality, using data to drive continuous improvement in program delivery and support services Create student-centered operational policies and procedures that reduce barriers to participation while maintaining program quality and academic integrity Lead crisis response and student issue resolution, ensuring students receive timely, effective support when challenges arise Collaborate with other units to ensure holistic student support throughout signature learning experiences Manage OSLE's annual operating budget and long-term financial planning in collaboration with university finance partners Identify sustainable funding models and identify revenue diversification opportunities Analyze program costs and contribution margins to inform strategic decision-making
Ensure fiscal accountability and compliance with university financial policies

Data Management and Performance Analytics

Build and maintain operational relationships with faculty administrators and staff that prioritize student needs and ensure signature learning experiences are designed with student success as the primary outcome Manage operational aspects of partnerships with industry, community organizations, and international institutions, ensuring all partnerships deliver meaningful value to students and enhance their career readiness Serve as student advocate in operational liaisons with central units, ensuring policies and procedures support rather than hinder student participation in signature learning experiences
Champion student voice in operational decision-making by involving students in feedback processes, advisory roles, and continuous improvement initiatives

Financial Management and Budgeting

Establish comprehensive student success data collection and analysis systems to track participation, learning outcomes, career impact, and long-term student success indicators Develop student-centered performance metrics that measure not just participation but transformation, skill development, and career readiness outcomes Create accessible dashboards and reporting systems that enable data-driven decisions focused on improving student experience and success Conduct regular student outcome assessments and use findings to continuously enhance program design and delivery Oversee the administration and strategic management of signature learning experience scholarships, awards, and financial support programs, ensuring equitable distribution of resources that removes financial barriers and enhances accessibility for diverse student populations while maximizing the impact of available funding on student participation and success outcomes

Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement

Recruit, develop, and manage high-performing teams with a shared commitment to student success and inclusive, student-centered service delivery Foster a culture of student-centricity throughout OSLE operations, ensuring all team members understand their role in creating transformative student experiences Provide coaching and mentorship focused on developing team members' abilities to support diverse student populations effectively Ensure all staff understand and can articulate how their work directly contributes to student success outcomes and career readiness

Qualifications / Requirements:

Education and Experience:

Graduate degree in business, education, or policy with a minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in higher education. Demonstrated expertise in experiential learning, student success, or academic program administration with evidence of improving student outcomes. Proven track record in strategic planning, change management, and cross-functional collaboration.

Leadership and Management Competencies:

Demonstrated success leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives in academic or similar environments with proven results in enhancing student outcomes. Experience managing budgets, developing financial strategies, and ensuring fiscal accountability while prioritizing student impact and accessibility. Proven ability to build and lead high-performing teams while fostering inclusive, collaborative work environments focused on student success. Experience leading in a complex university environment with understanding of competing demands.

Strategic and Analytical Skills:

Strong analytical capabilities with experience using data to inform decision-making and program improvement. Demonstrated success in process improvement, project management, and organizational development. Experience with technology integration and digital transformation in educational contexts.

Relationship Building and Communication:

Exceptional interpersonal skills with ability to work diplomatically across diverse academic and professional communities. Strong written and oral communication skills, including experience presenting to senior leadership and external partners. Demonstrated success as a facilitator, negotiator, and consensus-builder

Knowledge Areas:

Understanding of higher education structures, academic governance, and university operations. Familiarity with experiential learning pedagogies and student development theory. Knowledge of partnership development, community engagement, and industry collaboration. Commitment to Indigenous engagement, equity, diversity, inclusion, and Truth and Reconciliation principles.

Application Deadline:

November 3, 2025.

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.


This position is classified in the

Management Career Band, Level M4

of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework.


For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our

Management and Staff Careers website

.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.


The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments (

equity@ucalgary.ca

) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources (

hrhire@ucalgary.ca

).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.