11970 - Academic Freedom and Tenure and Policy Officer

Department
Faculty Association University of Waterloo
Employment Type
Permanent
Time Type
Full-Time
Hiring Range
$76,538 - $95,673
Job Category
Administration
Job Location : Location
CA-ON-Waterloo

The Academic Freedom and Tenure and Policy Officer manages two complementary roles in the Faculty Association. As Academic Freedom and Tenure and Policy Officer, the incumbent works closely with the Academic Freedom and Tenure (AF&T) Committee Chair on all matters involving faculty terms of employment and labour relations concerns. The incumbent also provides administrative leadership for the AF&T Committee and FAUW in the interpretation and implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between FAUW and the University, and of policies relevant to the terms and conditions of employment of faculty. As AF&T and Policy Officer, the incumbent is responsible for conducting research, providing analysis and strategic advice, and developing and proposing policy and MOA language revisions to the AF&T Chair and to the members of the FAUW Board of Directors as needed. The incumbent must remain apprised of issues concerning the terms and conditions of employment of faculty (including labour law, and relevant legal and arbitration decisions). In all matters the AF&T and Policy Officer will maintain documentation necessary to preserve the historical perspectives and decisions as the institutional memory for the Association on employment and labour relations, the MOA, policy, and procedural matters. The AF&T and Policy Officer will consult with, and keep the FAUW Executive Manager informed of workload, workload and coordinate projects to maximize the efficiency of the FAUW Office. Reporting directly to the Executive Manager, the AF&T and Policy Officer will also perform duties as assigned by the Executive Manager.

It is essential that the AF&T and Policy Officer, along with the AF&T Chair and the FAUW Board of Directors, cultivate effective relationships with senior administration and faculty and staff across all academic and service units to facilitate productive problem and conflict resolution.

The Faculty Association is recognized by the University of Waterloo as the sole representative of all regular faculty members about terms and conditions of employment. FAUW is recognized by the University administration as the body that currently represents over 1350 faculty members and has three full-time staff positions. The Academic Freedom and Tenure Committee plays a crucial role in the Association by assisting individual faculty members in their interaction with the University as their employer. The Committee includes an appointed Chair and several members, all of whom are faculty volunteering their service, where membership on the Committee varies from year to year, the Academic Freedom and Tenure and Policy Officer provides continuity and ongoing guidance to the committee members. Faculty members typically seek assistance from the AF&T Committee when they have a concern, a question, a complaint, or a dispute, for instance about an annual performance review, tenure and/or promotion, discipline, academic misconduct, intellectual property, salary, teaching assignment, leaves, accommodations, health and pension benefits, the actions of a colleague or an administrator, or the application of the MOA or a policy. AF&T Committee members may assist members, with their permission, in finding solutions via informal discussions, providing guidance and support to involved parties, and by advocating on behalf of the member(s). Matters may be resolved by providing information (about established practices, the MOA and/or relevant policies, etc.) or having informal discussions with involved parties. Matters that cannot be resolved through informal channels may involve formal dispute resolution processes, such as a grievance or arbitration. The AF&T and Policy Officer and Chair of the AF&T Committee are the initial points of contact for new cases (faculty members issues). The Chair of AF&T Committee, with the assistance of the AF&T and Policy Officer, decides which committee member might be best suited to assist the faculty member. The AF&T and Policy Officer and Chair of the AF&T Committee provide relevant policy and MOA interpretation, analysis of situations, strategic advice, coaching and support throughout to committee members when needed. Support sometimes extends, with member’s permission, to initiating proactive collegial, consultative, and collaborative measures, advocating on behalf of the member with senior academic and other administration. The AF&T and Policy officer may be required to manage some cases independently, and keep the Chair informed of progress unless a conflict of interest has been identified. The work of the AF&T Committee involves highly sensitive and confidential matters requiring timely responses related to dealing with people in situations of stress. The amount of work facing the AF&T and Policy Officer, the Committee chair and Committee members at any time is unpredictable and volume and intensity fluctuates with the academic cycle and evolving employment and labour concerns; some processes are regulated by the MOA or policy deadlines which must be adhered to. FAUW is continuously engaged in an ongoing process of discussion and negotiation of policy and practices relevant to the terms and conditions of employment of faculty, primarily through the Faculty Relations Committee. Effectively managing this role involves significant research and preparation.

• Co-lead / lead and manage informal and formal employment and labour relations conflicts and disputes to resolution, where formal resolutions proceed through the grievance and/or arbitration stages, in a unique academic environment where the AF&T Committee and FAUW Board strongly advocate for informal, collegial resolutions where possible and more formal grievance routes when not.
• Cultivate and maintain effective collaborative internal organizational relationships with senior administration and faculty and staff across all academic and service units to facilitate productive problem and conflict resolution.
• Conduct research on legal, bargaining, benefit, policy, and procedure issues, understand the established practices and precedents of the university.
• Understand and interpret the MOA and policy language; draft agreements, reports, and grievance documentation; and recommend to the AF&T Chair and/or FAUW Board of Directors revised or new language and proposals for continuous improvement of policies, procedures, guidelines, operations, and services for faculty members on matters of concern.
• Establish, maintain, and safeguard a system of accurate and complete confidential case records management that will produce timely analysis of sensitive faculty employment and labour relations concerns and university precedents to develop effective strategies for improving terms of employment and labour relations for faculty.
• Keep abreast of relevant developments, including trends at other universities, legislative changes, arbitration, court, and Ontario Human Rights Tribunal decisions, with a firm understanding of the relevant provisions of the Employment Standards Act, the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA), and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA);
• Assist in the preparation and delivery of educational workshops for members.
• Serve as a resource person at FAUW Board, AF&T Committee, and the Equity Committee (EC).
• Reporting to the Executive Manager, maintain close and open lines of communication with the Executive Manager over all major developments, internal and external, relating to issues of employment and labour relations.
• Other duties as assigned by the Executive Manager, AF&T Chair, and FAUW President

• Undergraduate degree: graduate or other secondary degree in a professionally related area preferred.
• Experience in an Association, Union, or similar environments would be an asset
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills, proactively effective at building and maintaining a network of university and external professional association relationships and consultative partnerships
• Ability to build consensus, work collaboratively, and foster teamwork among diverse faculty members located on multiple campuses
• Ability to exercise judgement and discretion when handling confidential situations
• Significant understanding and successful experience managing employment and labour relations matters and interpreting policies, procedures, and the MOA, particularly in a complex academic structure with a collaborative resolution culture
• Ability to make reasonable estimates of resource needs to complete projects
• Attentive to fulfilling due diligence obligations
• Ability to recognize irregularities, identify program and process deficiencies, problems, and potential problems arising from practices, policies and employment relations concerns
• Resourceful and creative, proposing effective solutions appropriate to the circumstance
• Proven ability to advise, coach, mediate, analyze, strategize, advocate, persuade and negotiate to effective resolution of problems and conflicts
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team at an advanced administrative level
• Conscientious, strongly results-oriented, with the ability to manage confidential and complex matters in a sensitive and time-sensitive manner, set priorities, multi-task effectively, and exercise good judgement and discretion in often difficult circumstances
• Informed about evolving trends and employment patterns at universities in Canada and abroad, with the recommendations for policy changes developed by OCUFA and CAUT, and with developments in human rights and labour law and precedents
• Attentive to the effects of stressful situations on faculty members, AF&T Chair, and committee members, and oneself

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+.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

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.