Saskatchewan Polytechnic – Director, Enrolment Services & Registrar (ESR)

The Role: Director, Enrolment Services & Registrar
The Director, Enrolment Services & Registrar (ESR) leads with Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM)-informed thinking to support our learners and our institute across all stages of the student life cycle. Accountable to the AVP, Student Services, the director provides strategic and operational leadership for student-facing admissions and enrolment services; student registration and records; and student information system. The Director is also integral in moving student services at SaskPolytech towards a Provincial Delivery Model.

The director is strategically positioned as a primary collaborator and trusted advisor supporting academic planning, policy, quality assurance, and innovation both at the divisional and pan-institutional level. The director champions a strong service orientation, extensive connectivity with colleagues, and intuitive, technology-supported systems, processes and workflows – all to support an exceptional applicant-student experience, student success, academic integrity and quality, and sound enrolment management.

This position will be accountable for supervising, directing and coaching a team of 6 Managers and ~80 staff in Enrolment Services located across Sask Polytech’s campuses. On a continual basis the director interacts with the Associate Vice President Student Services, Sask Polytech Deans and other school leaders, Student Services leaders, and many other departments to support student and institutional needs.

Given the institution’s focus on the importance and value of strategic enrolment management, particular attention and focus on the synergies between this portfolio and SEM will be necessary to continue our student-centered focus. The director identifies data needs, uses institutional data to develop and implement service models, reporting, tracking and projecting admissions, and developing student profile reports that indicate predictors of enrolment success. In this role, the director will collaborate with leaders in other post-secondary institutions locally and beyond, and will be required to travel locally, provincially and nationally, representing Sask Polytech on related committees or in performance of their duties as necessary.

Accountabilities
Service Excellence
• Foster a culture of exceptional forward and systems thinking services which prioritizes the applicant-student experience as a critical determinant of student success. The applicant-to-student-to-alumni life cycle is central to our success and the success of our students.
• Educate, inspire and energize Enrolment Services colleagues to implement strategies that support student success and the academic needs of the institute.
• Seek and embed student-centered, technology-supported solutions for service provision and supporting work-flows and processes.
• Embed a consistent service model with a seamless network of services across the four campuses and integration of Enrolment Services with other Student Services on the student life cycle, particularly related to admissions, applicant conversion, and transition for incoming students.
• Integrate SEM-focused models and processes to maximize student-centered services and outcomes.

Academic Records, Operations and Risk Management
• Optimize records management and archive processes to ensure integrity, security and sustainability.
• Ensure alignment of operations to any legislative areas related to student data and student records, including ensuring that freedom of information and right to privacy legislation are upheld to the highest standards.
• Ensure a common structure and coordination of services among all four of our campuses with a goal of shared processes and workflows.
• Leverage technology to support efficiency and effectiveness of operations and services.
• Provide leadership and advice on matters pertaining to the student information system(s), web-based self-service products, and other technologies utilized by Enrolment Services and SaskPolytech to enhance real-time service and self-service to our students.
• Ensure accountability and transparency of Enrolment Services activities, information and reports.
• Evaluate complaints and conflict situations and determine appropriate resolution techniques, involving and informing all necessary stakeholders to bring about timely and safe resolution.
• Act as official officer and signatory for validation and authentication of student records.

Strategic and Operational Planning
• Provide leadership in formulating the strategic direction, priorities and goals for Enrolment Services in alignment with the overall strategic agenda of the Student Services Division and the institute broadly, and informed by external forces and emerging trends that may precipitate changes to policy, process, planning and services.
• Establish a highly collaborative planning and operational environment to meet SEM goals of attracting, converting, welcoming, and retaining students, and supporting institutional academic needs.
• Support, lead and be accountable for the implementation of Enrolment Services planning priorities and initiatives.
• Oversee the development and implementation of procedures, processes, and integrated systems that are strategically positioned and operationally organized to support student success and institutional academic goals.
• Embed ongoing assessment and metrics to drive evidence-based decision-making.
• Provide leadership in analyzing policies and procedures to ensure ongoing alignment with goals.
• Participate in Student Services Division strategic and operational planning initiatives including the budget and capital plan.
• Prepare effective project proposals which include specific plans, timelines, assignments to key stakeholders and project budget requirements.
• Lead the team and projects with a one-team model for success. This is integral in this role as a lead agent and contributor to many of the student-centered projects and processes. The need to collaborate and optimize outcomes is critical. Where necessary, hold the teams accountable for the achievement of projects and outcomes.
• Analyze project milestones and outcomes, compare with project objectives, evaluating effectiveness, and strive for continual improvement in project management processes across the divisional and pan-institutional levels.

Academic Planning, Governance, and Quality Assurance and Innovation
• Provide leadership to and participate in the development of academic policies and guidelines.
• Direct the implementation of policies and guidelines that affect the academic careers and experience of our students.
• Provide advice and support to Deans and program leadership in the development and revision of programs to support academic innovation, ensure quality assurance and alignment with academic models, and support for service and enrolment goals.

Resource Allocation and Management
• Develop and manage both operational and capital budgets in alignment with goals of student success and student experience, enrolment management, and academic needs across the institute, as well as in accordance with generally accepted accounting practices and initiate corrective action as required.
• Ensure resources are allocated in accordance with our multi-year business planning model.
• Ensure the general safeguarding and stewardship of all resources within Enrolment Services.
• Develop innovative solutions to resource challenges.
• Conduct regular reviews of performance against objectives, monitor financial performance to ensure adherence to established budgets, and provide monthly and ad hoc reports to the AVP Student Services as required.

People Management
• Ensure a positive, diverse and inclusive work and learning environment.
• Develop resourcing/workforce plan(s) for project and program initiatives identifying the staffing levels, knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully meet objectives. In this role, project management objectives and leadership will be important to ensure strategic and operational plans are achieved with and through the guidance of the team.
• Effectively recruit, select, train, develop and motivate employees through implementation of Sask Polytech human resource policies and practices, in consideration of the terms and conditions of the collective agreement.
• Address people management issues, including discipline where appropriate, applied in a timely manner and with respect for provisions of the collective agreement where applicable.
• Develop and communicate clear performance objectives for direct reports. Monitor overall effectiveness in meeting these performance objectives and work to overcome obstacles as they arise.
• Monitor direct reports and hold them accountable for meeting performance objectives and for compliance with the collective agreements and Sask Polytech policies.
• Provide mentorship, coaching and developmental opportunities to enhance performance and to enable direct reports to achieve their accountabilities.

Relationship Management
Internal
• Guide the work of Enrolment Services in symmetry with key partners including SEM, Student Recruitment, Extension, Institutional Research and Analysis, ITS, Program areas, other Student Support areas, Alumni Relations, and Communications and Marketing.
• Act as a connector across the institute, building collaborative relationships and partnerships within the division and throughout the institute.
• Act as a key consultant to a variety of colleagues in policy and procedure development, program revisions, and enrolment-related initiatives, and as a key contributor to SEM planning and implementation overall.
• Participate in and contribute to Sask Polytech’s operational effectiveness and policy development in a wide range of strategic, operational and professional decisions through various committees or councils.
• Communicate specialized information to a variety of audiences.

External
• Liaise and collaborate with leaders in other post-secondary institutions on shared initiatives.
• Represent Student Services on cross-functional or external project teams as required
• Build a network of contacts and information sources to keep up-to-date and well informed on matters relating to Enrolment Services, SEM, technologies to enhance services to students, and the professional operations of a high functioning Enrolment Services operation.

The Person
A relevant post-graduate degree (e.g.: business administration, information systems, educational administration, engineering) and a history of senior-level experience in a post-secondary environment with a strong record of relevant progressive achievements. Candidates must demonstrate leadership, strategic planning, operations management and project management skills as well as a strong, demonstrated understanding of post-secondary enrolment and/or registrar-related functions. A combination of education and experience may be considered.
• Leads Transformation. Anticipates emerging trends and creates opportunities that shape and transform the organization and the polytechnic sector in Canada.
• Inspires Courage & Innovation. Models and enables creative thinking, curiosity, and calculated risk taking to challenge conventional practices to create new solutions.
• Cultivates Strong Relationships. Builds strong and trusting relationships and brings a stakeholder and learner-centric mind set and focus to all elements of the organization.
• Knowledge and Expertise. Demonstrates proficiency in the knowledge and skills specific to the position and uses expertise to serve the objectives of both the department and organization as a whole.
• Drives Operational Excellence. Leverages business insight, financial acumen, and operational rigor to maximize productivity and build long-term, sustainable success.
• Builds Leadership & Culture. Brings authenticity, emotional intelligence and accountability to develop leadership effectiveness in individuals, teams and our culture.
• Valuing Diversity. Demonstrates the promotion of a workplace where diversity in background, thought and practice is welcomed and valued.

Compensation
A competitive compensation package will be provided including an attractive base salary and excellent benefits. Further details will be discussed in a personal interview.

Express Your Enthusiasm
Email a convincing cover letter and tailored resume (PDF or Word document only) to Shalini Bhatty and Chelsey Howarth at calgary@leadersinternational.com indicating the job title in the subject line of the email.

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