Career Development & Engagement Consultant, School of Public Policy

We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta. The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.

Position Overview

The School of Public Policy is currently seeking a Full-time Temporary Relief Career Development & Engagement Consultant for approximately 12 months.

The School of Public Policy (SPP) is home to the University of Calgary’s Master of Public Policy (MPP) and Master of Science in Sustainable Energy Development (SEDV) and is dedicated to providing a high-quality student experience and ongoing support as students progress through from prospect to alumni. The Career Development and Engagement Consultant, offers support in preparing students to re-enter the work force, establishing and maintaining industry relationships, and following our alumni community throughout their careers. Reporting to the Academic Director and working under the direction of the MPP and SEDV Program Directors, this position works with a wide variety of stakeholders, such as senior administration, faculty, students, various business units and centres across campus, and external industry partners to meet the needs of the program and students through career and professional development and implementation. The Career Development and Engagement Consultant, Graduate Programs, provides graduates students and recent alumni with professional skill development programs, one-on-one coaching, and seeks out internship, mentorship, and employment opportunities to assist in meeting their career goals. High levels of organizational, analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills are required to foster strong relationships to support student success following graduation. The position plays a significant leading role in internal and external stakeholder relations, industry partnerships, alumni engagement, and participates in various committees.

Position Description

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

STAKEHOLDER RELATIONS

• Under the guidance of the Directors, the incumbent takes lead responsibility for designing and managing the implementation of graduate career management programs, including, but not limited to, career advising and coaching, professional development workshops, mock interviews, panels, and special events.
• Advises and provides coaching to graduate students and recent alumni on career development and job search and personal branding strategies. These areas may include including development and identification of transferable skills and the correlation between their experience and employer needs, how to position an interdisciplinary degree within the job market, how to prepare and maintain a high-quality cover letter, resume, and professional online presence, mock interviews, networking contacts, tracking tools for job search, salary negotiations, etc.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with local, national, and international public policy and energy related employers and industry association representatives including executives, human resources managers, and alumni to market capability and availability of our students and determine the qualifications they desire.
• Provide advice to employers on potential roles and job descriptions for students and recent graduates.
•  Coordinate luncheons, meet and greet events, mentorship events, and informational interviews with representatives in Industry and students.
• Support the university’s strategic objectives and direction of Energizing Eyes High when interacting with industry representatives.
• Maintain the SPP Careers LinkedIn account with relevant career opportunities, job searching tips, etc.
• Oversee the SEDV Mentorship program, which pairs students with senior level mentees in their targeted career paths to better assist with career transition within the energy sector. This includes securing and maintaining industry mentor relationships, promotion, internal selection and pairing of mentees, monitor progress of the mentor/mentee relationship through a series of touch base measures, events, etc.
• Develop and maintain graduate employment information and statistics, to better inform current and prospective students on opportunities and trends.
•  Establish and maintain an online platform to house student development tools such as resume and cover letter templates, social media profile resources, samples of professional communication, and opportunities for student-alumni involvement initiatives.
•  Remain current on employment and labour market trends that may initiate change in program policies and procedures, and changes/trends in the industry/employment market.

ALUMNI RELATIONS / ENGAGEMENT

• Works collaboratively with the graduate program team, central alumni relations, SPP development, and other internal teams to establish and carry out our alumni engagement strategic plan. This plan centers around building and maintaining strong alumni relationships to encourage continued connection through communications, events, active participation in ongoing program activities, and general outreach.
•  Builds and maintains strong relationships with central alumni relations, UCalgary’s Alumni Association, and the incumbent’s counterparts across campus.
• Serve as program advisor on the programs’ alumni councils to provide guidance in establishing council functions/initiatives in an effort to increase overall alumni engagement.
• Oversee the process to identify and nominate alumni for SPP recognition awards.
•  Develop and maintain graduate employment information and statistics, and track alumni engagement rates; regularly report back to central alumni relations to ensure our data is up-to-date and benchmarks are met.
• Suggest alumni event sponsorship proposals and presentations to foster engagement and generate opportunities for the SPP development team across our alumni.
• Work with the events team and other graduate program team members to conceptualize and plan alumni events as they relate to the strategic objectives of the program.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, public policy, or related fields is required; a Master’s degree in a relevant area is preferred.
• Career coaching experience and/or certification is an asset.
• Up to 7 years’ proven experience in a professional services environment, especially in a human resources, talent management, career services, and or employment consulting environment.
•  Proven business development or corporate stakeholder relations experience required.
• A strong and thorough understanding of the public policy, energy, and related industries’  employment and placement industry and labour market trends in Calgary and Alberta is required, with other relevant locations being an asset.
• Ability to design, deliver, and assess the effectiveness of our career development curriculum and alumni relations functions.
• Strong knowledge of the Calgary and western Canadian economy and employer needs.
• Strong interpersonal skills: ability to work collaboratively and interact respectfully and persuasively with wide variety of stakeholders including students, administration staff, faculty, senior administration and other various internal and external clients.
• Experience with data analysis; e.g. interpreting employment trends and forecasts – leading to recommendations of new, innovative approaches, or processes; graduate survey results interpretation and reporting.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment, and analytical skills in reaching sound decisions and resolving complex problems.
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills, including providing feedback, dealing with conflict and managing performance.
• Ability to exercise tact and discretion in dealing with confidential and sensitive matters.
• Demonstrated budget administration skills, particularly with large, complex budgets
• Proficiency a wide range of software including, but not limited to, MS Office applications, Marketo, Adobe Acrobat, PeopleSoft, and database/information management systems.

Application Deadline:  September 28, 2023

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.

Additional Information

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist/Advisor Job Family, Phase 3.

To find out more about management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary and all we have to offer, view our Management and Staff Careers website . 

The University strongly recommends all faculty and staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

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 in line with the foundational goals of Eyes High , 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 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion ([email protected] ) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ([email protected] ).

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.