Job Description

Description

This opportunity is currently available for internal applicants only as THERE IS A STRONG INTERNAL CANDIDATE FOR THIS POSITION.

Adult Education, Lifestyles, and Language

in the

UCalgary Continuing Education

is currently seeking a Full-time Regular

Manager, Domestic Programs

The Manager, Domestic Programs position reports to the Director, Domestic Programs, and works closely with other Program Directors and Program Managers in a cross-functional and collaborative team environment. The Manager acts as a bridge between the Director and the program managers, providing strategic portfolio oversight, operational alignment, and quality assurance across diverse programs, ensuring that each program delivers on financial, academic, and institutional commitments and targets (goals).


This role oversees a team of Program Managers responsible for diverse, public-facing programs ranging from business, professional, community-based and personal interest programs. They provide direction, coaching, and accountability for program managers, ensuring alignment with departmental strategy while fostering innovation and continuous improvement.

Summary of Key Responsibilities

(job functions include but are not limited to):


Portfolio Leadership & Strategy

In collaboration with other Continuing Education leaders, translate the Division's vision and institutional priorities into actionable multi-year portfolio plans that generate high-revenue public-facing programs that position the continuing education portfolio as a competitive, future-ready player in the lifelong learning landscape. Manage human resources, including staff scheduling, leaves, utilization, and performance reviews. Assume accountability and authority for HR transactions including time reporting, job changes, new hires, and new positions. Collaborate with the Director to inform departmental strategic planning and contribute to broader institutional initiatives including building business cases for new programs, expansions, or rationalization of underperforming offerings. In collaboration with other Program Directors, develop multi-year portfolio roadmaps in alignment the strategy and annual portfolio plans that integrate academic, financial, operational perspectives, analyze existing programs within broader portfolio and identify new market opportunities (program innovation), trends, and emerging sectors to ensure the portfolio remains competitive. Perform activities and execute on action plans that balance growth and sustainability across high-revenue flagship programs and smaller, institutional commitment-driven personal interest and community offerings. Align program initiatives with division strategy and institutional priorities by guiding Program Managers in building business cases for new offerings, evaluating market research, sunsetting underperforming programs, and support managers in evaluating market research and translating findings into program innovations. Conduct annual portfolio rationalization reviews, assessing program performance against financial, enrolment, quality, and strategic impact metrics; recommend programs to scale, redesign, or retire. Flag underperforming or high-risk programs and provide evidence-based recommendations on where to focus resources, ensuring the portfolio remains financially sustainable, market-relevant, and institutional mandate aligned. Build strategic alliances with a variety of current and potential learning partners including business, industry and government in the Calgary region and beyond and to identify or qualify new opportunities, through market research, consumer indicators, social patterns and industry trends.

Program Management Operations & Delivery

In collaboration with the Program Director, review annual program plans, sign off on program budgets targets, marketing initiatives, program schedules, delivery formats, fee structures changes, and major curriculum changes proposed by program managers. Provide leadership and mentorship to Program Managers through the establishment of clear annual performance expectations, regular reviews, performance benchmarks, workload management, budget targets, operational procedures and strategic recommendations for program development, marketing, and operational improvements. Set clear annual objectives and KPIs for each program manager, conduct regular one-on-one check-ins and facilitate quarterly performance reviews with Program Managers to provide feedback, address gaps, recognize achievements, and create professional development pathways for direct reports. Collaborate with Program Managers, and internal partners (e.g., support services like Academic Innovation, Operations, Student Servies and so on) to align or establish standardized program delivery frameworks to ensure operational consistency across portfolio. Establish portfolio-level processes for enrolment tracking, scheduling, budgeting, instructor pool management (and/or) engagement, vendor management, and troubleshooting program delivery issues impacting the portfolio. In collaboration with other Program Directors, Program Managers, and internal partners support the alignment and/or embedding of strategic governance structures into operational processes ensuring consistency in program delivery through the standardization of processes workflows, procedures, templates, and best practices across Program Managers group and their diverse portfolio. In collaboration with other Program Directors, provide oversight and guidance to Program Managers adherence to operational business process and/or service delivery operational workflows that support open-enrolment Program Management Delivery across diverse program types. Support the Program Director in data driven culture across the Domestic program using business management mechanisms such as KPI tracking management, benchmarking and data analysis, supervise enrolment management (SACRED) context, portfolio evaluation and other related measures. Recruit, retain, and develop the staff members required for the academic and financial success of the program area(s) under his/her leadership. Supervise staff, approve staffing requests, monitor workload distribution and step in to reassign resources or staff if programs face unexpected challenges. Facilitate collaboration and knowledge sharing across program teams to reduce silos and foster an inclusive, high-performance team culture that aligns with the department's values.

Quality Assurance, Student Experience & Data-Driven Measurement Management


In collaboration with other Program Directors, Program Managers, and internal partners support the establishment, redesign, and implementation of a quality assurance framework, practices and activities for all domestic program's areas ensuring alignment and/or embedding of practices into the portfolio Monitor dashboard regarding participant feedback on course and instruction, to ensure program delivery aligns with adult learning 2 best practices, course outlines, student expectations, accessibility standards, and inclusive andragogy. Recommend KPIs for and track key student experience indicators such as satisfaction scores, complaint resolution times, and retention rates, reporting findings to Program Managers and the Director with recommendations for corrective action. Coordinate with other Continuing Education leaders to provide instructor training, mentorship, and ensure performance feedback is provided to support teaching excellence. Serve as a member of the Continuing Education, institutional and/or industry governance committees, as assigned, and contribute to the overall refinement and achievement of the ContEd mission, mandate, and business strategy. In collaboration with other Program Directors, Program Panagers, and internal partners set and enforce quality standards for the student journey (registration, learning, support, completion) and regularly audit programs to ensure consistency and compliance. Monitor and respond to portfolio KPI Framework success metrics, covering enrolments, retention, learner satisfaction, financial performance, and social/community impact. In collaboration with other Program Directors, Program Managers, and internal partners (e.g., Information Technology unit), assist in defining the portfolio Reporting & Dashboards including scorecards, and regular reporting cycles that give the Director, Program Managers, and institutional leaders real-time visibility into program health. Perform Benchmarking & Competitive Intelligence by identifying mechanisms to track and compare clusters of programs performance against peer institutions, industry benchmarks, and market competitors to identify opportunities for rationalization and differentiation.

Financial Oversight & Resource Management


Contribute to the preparation of annual budget for the entire portfolio, ensuring financial targets for revenue, enrolment targets, margin, cost recovery and contribute to multi-year financial planning and sustainability models to ensure financial targets are consistently achieved. Coach Program Managers on budgets, manager report monthly forecasting, strategic enrolment management, resource utilization, and regularly monitor financial performance indicators (margins, profitability, average enrolment rates, and ROI) and provide actionable recommendations for improvement across all programs to ensure broader portfolio targets are met or exceeded through individual Program Managers efforts. Assist Program Managers in the review and analysis of the current state of program-level business models, including pricing, fee structures, and financial (e.g. revenue & cost) assumptions. In collaboration with the Program Director, support resource optimization goals by identifying opportunities for efficiencies in staffing, vendor contracts, operational efficiency, and shared services, ensuring that resources are deployed effectively across programs based on program performance and institutional priorities. In collaboration with the Program Director, work closely with Finance to ensure compliance with institutional policies, reporting requirements and effective forecasting.

Instructor Pool Experience & Performance Management


Collaborate with Program Managers to ensure the portfolio maintains a diverse, qualified, and mission-aligned instructor pool through effective Instructor Lifecycle Stewardship including supporting Program Managers in executing all administrative and operational activities related to the instructor lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, compensation, performance conversations, fee/compensation guideline administration, professional development, and retention. Partner with Program Managers and internal units to design and implement an instructor pool management system that tracks, monitors, and supports instructor succession and capacity planning. This system will maintain a strong pipeline of instructors and subject matter experts across disciplines, reduce dependency on a limited pool, and support the development of instructional contingency plans such as substitute instructor pools and cross-training initiatives. Conduct an annual analysis of the instructor pool to evaluate instructional practices, identify teaching quality gaps, map subject matter expertise, and forecast future instructional needs. Use the results to inform and support the development and implementation of an instructor development and engagement plan, including tailored training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities that enhance teaching quality, learner engagement, and program innovation. Implement the instructor compensation philosophy, strategy and recognition actions by embedding transparent, competitive compensation models and contract structures that balance program sustainability with the retention of top instructional talent; this includes identifying recognition initiatives to celebrate contributions, promote loyalty, foster a high-performance instructional culture, and reduce instructor turnover.

Stakeholder Engagement & Management


Lead internal stakeholder engagement to ensure the successful delivery and growth of non-degree academic programs; this includes internally, collaborating with key university units, including academic departments, institutes, and/or research projects teams to align priorities or turn institutional priorities into actionable partnerships Build and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders; this includes externally, sustaining relationships industry leaders, community groups, and government partners to keep programs up to date, relevant and help resolve conflicts or challenges when partnership issues are escalated beyond Program Managers. Participate in running Advisory Councils and Committees within the portfolio and help put an action plan in place to make sure these groups are used effectively and that feedback from outside partners is heard and used to improve how programs are planned, delivered, and updated in contribution to the achievement of the ContEd mission, mandate, and business strategy. Work collaboratively with Continuing Education and University of Calgary operational teams including finance, HR, IT, marketing, and academic governance as well as other Program Directors, to support smooth program delivery. Participate in and represent the organization at conferences, professional events, and community gatherings to promote program and course awareness, identify skilled instructors with real-world experience, and strengthen the organizationaEURs reputation and community presence. Support activities to strengthen strategic partnerships with industry, community organizations, government agencies and 3 institutional partners to enhance program quality, expand collaborative opportunities, and drive mutual value; this includes activities to identify partnership scope in alignment with organizational goals, formalize partnership agreements, monitor outcomes, ongoing communication maintenance, and opportunities which strengthen pathways that connect learners to workforce and professional development opportunities. Manage the process for working with outside delivery vendors including making sure contracts, payments, and services run smoothly. This includes working with finance and purchasing teams to ensure vendor management activities (e.g., from procurement, contracting, to external service providers vendor performance monitoring) follow institutional rules, keep costs reasonable, and fix problems with service delivery, or agreements as they come up.

Qualifications / Requirements:

Post-graduate education (preferably in business management, Public Administration, Adult education or a related social science). 5 years experience in frontline leadership roles, preferably within the Post-Secondary Continuing Education sector with a demonstrated ability to manage complex operations involving multiple programs, instructors, vendors, and stakeholders. Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in program management, portfolio oversight, planning, enrolment management, continuing education administration and marketing educational programs to adults. Knowledge of adult learning principles, instructional design, and quality assurance practices in education or training is an asset. Experience with educational technologies, student registration systems, learning management systems (LMS), and digital program delivery. Experience contributing to developing and executing multi-year program or portfolio strategies; or influencing institutional strategy, partnerships, and external relations. Strong financial acumen with demonstrated experience in budget preparation, financial variance forecasting, cost recovery, and revenue growth strategies. Proficiency in data analytics, reporting, and dashboard creation to support decision-making. Expertise in creating standardized workflows, templates, and best practices for consistent program delivery. Skilled in risk management, including enrolment forecasting, contingency planning, and issue resolution. Experience in stakeholder engagement, both internally (academic departments, finance, marketing etc.) and externally (industry partners, corporate and/or community organizations) with an ability to represent UCalgary Continuing Education interests at all levels by demonstrating sound business acumen 1 Expertise and experience building strong working relationships with individuals, business and community organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies . Strong understanding of issues in human resource management, supervision, leading and coaching staff or employees in a unionized environment is an asset. Experience instructional design including teaching/facilitating high quality graduate, undergraduate or continuing education programs in mixed delivery formats (e.g. on-campus and on-line) is an asset.

Application Deadline:

December 22, 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 2

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 ii' taa'poh'to'p 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.


The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.

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 (

oic@ucalgary.ca

) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture (

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.