Manager, Examinations and Classrooms

Overview

The Manager, Examinations & Classrooms plays a pivotal role in overseeing all aspects of the university's final examination schedule and administration of final examinations. Additionally, the role involves directing the general maintenance of Registrar’s Office-managed classrooms and managing the furniture inventory for these classrooms. The incumbent will coordinate exam scheduling activities with the Manager, scheduling to support examination scheduling, as well as providing input and participation in the preparation of up-to-date guidelines and procedures for related computerized systems. The Manager, Examinations & Classrooms is responsible for the functional analysis of examination-related applications within the Student Information System (SIS) and oversees the research related to examinations and makes recommendations to support Registrar’s Office and University of Waterloo priorities.

Responsibilities

Operations Management

• Leads the day-to-day operations of the examination’s unit within the Registrar’s Office
• Develops plans and operational requirements to ensure the delivery of high quality, effective and efficient support for faculty, academic departments, and other university stakeholders with respect to examinations
• Builds a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging and role modeling, identifying opportunities for improvement and enhancements in processes, service, and technology optimization

Final Examination Schedule

• Oversees all aspects of the production of examination schedules
• Effectively communicates requirements and initiatives with academic departments and ensures timely submission of examinations information
• Oversees development of a conflict-free final exam schedule and coordinates with colleagues at Wilfrid Laurier University to ensure a conflict-free exam schedule for double degree students. Liaises with Departmental Examination Representatives throughout the exam scheduling process
• Supervises a final exam schedule for CEL (Centre for Extended Learning) and reports conflicts for resolution

Final Examination Print Management

• Supervises the completeness and consistency of several thousand final examinations printed through the Registrar’s Office annually
• Reconciles printing costs and reports/corrects mistakes through W Print
• Verifies correct upload and submission of final exam master's through exam management software
• Directs the print requisition requirements for examination papers
• Authorizes and oversees delivery/quality control/integrity of final exam papers at secure exam locations
• Maintains and distributes current policy & procedural information for stakeholders
• Manages confidential shredding of final exam papers and exam-related material
• Oversees departmental proctor information for all scheduled and administered examinations

Final Examination Management

• Creates a cycle of events for each new exam scheduling cycle
• Creates, updates, and maintains Exam Regulations and ensures proper approval through governance pathways, including Senate
• Posts and maintains the Final Examination Schedule on the Registrar’s Office website
• Ensures Registrar classrooms are available for all final examination-related activities
• Recruits, hires, trains, and manages payroll for Presiding Officers overseeing exams
• Oversees physical set-up and teardown of the PAC
• Maintains inventory of examination supplies
• Identifies eligible relief exam candidates and communicates eligibility along with details/deadlines
• Manages Relief Exam applications
• Liaises with AccessAbility Services and instructors for relief exam arrangements
• Maintains relief exam statistics
• Coordinates with Campus Response Team for medical coverage during final exams
• Liaises with WatCard Office to ensure scanners are available and operational during each final exam period
• Acts as primary emergency contact during the entire final exam period
• Oversees writing venues for both "scheduled and administered" and "scheduled only" final exams
• Sets appropriate parameters within the exam scheduling software each term

Classroom Management

• Tracks and maintains the Registrar’s Office furniture inventory
• Arranges replacement or repair of missing or damaged classroom furniture or audio-visual equipment
• Ensures students’ and instructors’ accessibility needs are met in centrally managed classrooms
• Participates as a member on the Teaching and Learning Spaces Operations Committee

Training and Communication

• Conducts regular training workshops and provides one-on-one coaching
• Fosters partnerships with Departmental Exam Representatives
• Participates on the Exam Management System committee
• Coordinates with the Registrar’s Office Communications team for development of training requirements/scripts/manuals
• Manages all exams related web content, Teams sites and SharePoint sites to ensure current and relevant information. Develops, generates, interprets, and distributes information to stakeholders

Knowledge, Expertise, and Continuous Improvement

• Participates in ongoing training to ensure an in-depth knowledge base
• Works with Registrar’s Office Communications Team to educate stakeholders on exam-related policies /procedures
• Coordinates the collection of data for on-campus, Centre for Extended Learning, and Wilfrid Laurier University final examinations
• Guides updates related workplace procedures
• Leads and contributes to special projects when applicable

Ensures the effective utilization, deployment and development of people and capital resources

• Leads, manages, and supervises staff, assigns, and prioritizes tasks, establishes staff and team goals, and evaluates performance
• Hires, trains, develops and performance manages assigned staff
• Assesses and determines staff training needs and technology requirements, and provides staff with development opportunities, as required. Seeks out opportunities to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Deploys staff most productively to meet department goals and objectives
• Conducts Annual Performance Plans with direct reports and ensures adherence to Annual Performance Planning and Review process within the department
• Assists with the management of examinations budget, providing staff projections required to execute examinations and department proposed work plans, preparing reports, analytics, summarizing research and trends, proposals and costing summaries. Validates presiding officer hours and payments

Qualifications

• University or college degree with several years of administrative or operations experience, preferably in an academic environment, or equivalent education and/or experience
• 3+ years working in an academic environment with knowledge of and experience working with the academic life cycle
• 2 years' experience with leading staff, training, and overseeing the work of staff
• Demonstrated experience exercising sound judgement, problem solving and decision-making skills
• Experience managing detailed-oriented teams
• Previous experience working with senior leaders
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills; demonstrates professionalism and discretion when dealing with confidential or sensitive matters
• Demonstrated ability to work with others in a collaborative, positive and diplomatic manner while providing exceptional detailed support
• Develop and maintain excellent working relationships at all levels of the organization
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple and changing priorities while meeting deadlines
• Ability to work independently and accurately and to take initiative when minimal direction is provided
• Approach projects with continuous improvement lens
• Comfort with technology and learning new systems, and able to review and analyze data to make informed decisions
• Experience in managing budgets is an asset
• Asset: Interest in leading team projects
• Technical: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite: Word (highly proficient), Excel (highly proficient), PowerPoint (knowledge of), Outlook
• Asset: experience with Workday, iCIMS, SharePoint

Equity Statement

The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.

The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion.  As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuk (Inuit), Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+.

Positions are open to qualified candidates who are legally entitled to work in Canada.

The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact Human Resources at hrhelp@uwaterloo.ca  or 519-888-4567, ext. 45935.