Administrative Assistant to the Chair

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The internal posting deadline for this position is February 5, 2026 at 11:59PM.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Job Description:

Primary Purpose

The Assistant to the Chair provides executive-level support and operational leadership to the Chair, ensuring the efficient, compliant, and confidential administration of academic HR cycles (recruitment, appointments, tenure and promotion, sabbaticals), governance and committee operations, and stakeholder engagement. The role anticipates needs, coordinates complex schedules and visits, interprets and applies University policy, and drives process improvements across these administrative responsibilities. It serves as a key liaison to Faculty and central units, for Chair-led initiatives. The Assistant plays a pivotal role in supporting the Department's teaching, outreach, public relations, and research activities and goals.

Key Accountabilities

Executive-level support to the Chair

· Provide comprehensive executive assistance: complex calendar orchestration, proactive prioritization, briefings, and follow-through on decisions and action items.

· Executing all assigned duties to fulfill the department's teaching, outreach, public relations, and research objectives.

· Manages the Chair's schedule efficiently, adeptly handling unexpected changes and ensuring timely communication of priorities or urgent matters.

· Acts as a liaison with faculty, staff, students, visitors, seminar speakers, and external partners, demonstrating appropriate protocol with dignitaries and international guests.

· Identifies and resolves administrative challenges independently or in consultation with senior administrators while maintaining strict confidentiality.

· Attends department meetings as the Meeting Secretary, preparing agenda packages, briefing notes, correspondence, and reports, recording minutes, and organizes administrative meetings such as the Appointments Committee and Tenure and Promotion Committee.

· Facilitates the collection of signatures and prepares correspondence and confidential documents for the Chair's approval, ensuring the Administrative Manager and Financial Officer are well-informed of relevant activities impacting the department budget.

Academic HR Lifecycle (Faculty/Definite‑Term/Postdocs/Visitors) Recruitment, Immigration, and Faculty Relations

· Lead operational administration for faculty recruitment per UW Policy 76 (Faculty Appointments): posting logistics, ad placements and payments, multi‑day candidate itineraries, seminar logistics, travel arrangements, reimbursements, and UARC package assembly in collaboration with the Dean’s Office and Provost (VPA&P).

· Coordinate the Department Tenure, Permanence, and Promotion Committee (DTPPC) cycles per UW Policy 77 and Faculty guidelines: timelines, dossier assembly, committee support, reference solicitation, meeting scheduling, prepare individual candidate packages and perform pre submission quality control.

· Manage definite‑term/part‑time/postdoctoral/visitor/adjunct/cross-unit and sessional appointments: offer letters, Workday transactions, onboarding, renewals, and compliance.

· Manages sessional teaching contracts, liaising with relevant departmental associates.

· Facilitate immigration processes for international hires/visitors (e.g., LMIA/work permits), liaising with the University Immigration Specialist and external agencies.

· Coordinates with the Research Chair and Financial Officer regarding financial support for postdoctoral fellows.

· Administer sabbatical applications/entitlements; coordinate merit/performance documentation; maintain comprehensive confidential faculty files and annual activity reports.

· Monitors and ensures timely renewal of appointment terms.

Confidential Records Management

· Provides faculty members with information on sabbatical application procedures, reviews applications, and prepares sabbatical leave entitlements.

· Maintains up-to-date faculty files, collects faculty annual and bi-annual activity reports, and assists with the performance review process.

· Prepares statistical data for reports and reviews, ensuring accuracy and completeness.

· Organizes and maintains departmental files, including confidential records related to faculty appointments and activities.

· Responsible for maintaining all department records related to faculty activities including but not limited to: peer teaching evaluations, T&P, faculty annual/bi-annual activity report,

General Department Administration

· Assists in organizing special events and holds responsibility for departmental purchasing.

· Provides communication support for web updates and oversees key assignments and allocation for departmental spaces.

· Supports the Administrative Officer as required and maintains student award plaques.

· Updates contact lists and departmental information, serves as a departmental approver for mailing lists and handles the distribution of the master key.

· Coordinates with the Administrative Officer for minor renovations within the department and provides routine clerical support when necessary.

Required Qualifications

Education

· Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (Administration, Public Policy, Business, Communications) or an equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience.

Experience

· 5-7+ years of administrative experience supporting senior leaders (Chair/Dean/Executive) in a complex, unionized, or academic environment.

· Demonstrated end‑to‑end administration of faculty HR cycles (recruitment/UARC, tenure and promotion, sabbaticals), committee secretariat functions, and confidential records.

· Event planning with budgeting and vendor management; P‑Card reconciliation; basic forecasting and reporting.

· Experience leading process improvements and standardizing documentation, templates, and workflows.

· Must have a demonstrated exceptional ability to manage the calendar of a senior leader with competing demands, changing priorities and complicated international travel and protocol.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

· Advanced MS Office (Outlook/Excel/Word/PowerPoint); SharePoint/Teams site management; strong document production and minute‑taking.

· Familiarity with Workday and University HR/finance systems; understanding of UW policies (e.g., Policy 76/77) and records/privacy practices.

· Outstanding written and oral communication; diplomacy; discretion and judgment; ability to navigate sensitive, confidential matters.

· Project management mindset: plan, prioritize, track deliverables, and meet competing deadlines in a fast‑paced environment.

· Excellent customer service skills.

· Aptitude for attention to detail and accuracy.

· Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.

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 coordinated 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.