Manager, Academic Upgrading and Community Initiatives

CLOSING DATE: Open until filled.

Land Acknowledgement

George Brown College is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and other Indigenous peoples who have lived here over time. We are grateful to share this land as treaty people who learn, work, and live in the community with each other.

Equity Statement

George Brown College is committed to creating and sustaining an equitable and inclusive learning and working environment. We encourage and actively seek applications from Indigenous, Black, racialized people, visible minorities, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, all genders, and persons with disabilities.

GBC Vision

To be a college renowned for its inclusion, excellence, relevance, impact, and leadership.

Position Description:

Reporting to the Associate Dean, in the School of Work and College Preparation, the Manager, Academic Upgrading Programs and Community Initiatives provides academic leadership and operational oversight to multiple programs and initiatives in the Academic Upgrading portfolio. Current programs include the Academic Upgrading program (AU), AU for Deaf Adults, Deaf Learn Now online learning program, ACE Distance online, and multiple smaller programs and courses, as well as initiatives and community partnerships.

Key Responsibilities:

• 
  Provides program leadership for program planning and oversight for curriculum development, ensuring attainment of quality standards for program delivery and student experience. Actively engages with teaching faculty to ensure programs are staying current and meeting students’ learning, support, and advising needs. Works collaboratively with program coordinators to provide direction and support to program teams.
  
• Provides leadership to ensure high quality student experience, managing student issues and concerns following College policies and practices, and providing support to faculty and support staff where needed. Actively seeks student feedback, creating systems to gather, analyze and apply student experience data to improve programs on regular basis.
  
• Oversees program operations, ensuring all programs and initiatives are running effectively and efficiently, meeting funder requirements and departmental needs. Coordinates program and course scheduling and teaching assignments.
  
• Oversees effective use of technology in programs, including LMS and CRM systems.
  
• Manages employees and teams, including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and all aspects of employee management, development, and engagement.
  
• Leads business planning for suite of AU programs, setting strategic goals and targets that align with the College strategic plan. Submits annual business plan to funder under guidance of the Associate Dean and is an active contributor to CPLS’s annual planning process.
  
• Manages program data tracking systems carried out by support staff and leads data analysis activities, providing updates on program health to Associate Dean, across metrics set by funder and by Associate Dean, including enrolment targets and student satisfaction data, and utilizes data reports to set improvement goals for programs. Ensures funder data reporting is accurate and submitted on time.
  
• Manages program finances: responsible for setting budgets, allocating resources, ensuring expenditures are accurately tracked by team and reports are submitted to Ministry accurately and on time. Coordinates annual financial audit.
  
• Manages funder liaison responsibilities, ensuring regular updates are communicated, negotiating opportunities, and ensuring financial and operational activities meet annual objectives. Coordinates funder site visits and manages ongoing relationships to positive and productive outcomes.
  
• Serves as College representative for local, regional, and provincial literacy networks and associated committees, actively engaging in partnership development and networking to widen opportunities for GBC in the community. Manages Program Advisory Committee (PAC) activities.
  
• Develops and supports new initiatives internally; works with GBC’s Community Partnerships Office, Apprenticeship Programs, Registrar’s Office and other departments to ensure positive and productive working relationships and to support new program and project ideas.
  
• Develops and supports new initiatives externally; actively sources new partners and revenue streams and nurtures relationships with current partners. Engages in projects initiated by external agencies through partnerships.
  
• Other duties as assigned.

Educational and Experience Requirements:

• Master’s degree from a recognized post-secondary institution in Education or related field.
  
• Minimum five (5) years of experience in leadership roles, ideally educational program management, with responsibilities including people management, financial and project management; and funder reporting.
  
• Must have knowledge in areas related to adult literacy programming, including language and literacy acquisition, learning disabilities, accessibility standards and expectations, Universal Design for Learning, Deaf literacy and Deaf education, adult education, and other relevant areas of study are critical to this role. Experience with curriculum development and assessment is an asset.
  
• Experience in the Ontario Literacy sector and MLTSD guidelines for program delivery.
  
• Experience in a unionized environment is an asset.
  
• Experience recruiting, hiring, onboarding and supervising staff.

Skills and Attributes:

• Expertise with learning management systems, technology use in teaching, and distance education best practices.
  
• Expertise with all aspects of operational management of a large program or centre, including financial management, time management, ability to multi-task, stay organized, and provide attention to detail.
  
• Excellent people management skills, including effective communication skills, team building and team management skills, conflict resolution skills and skills at enhancing employee engagement and development.
  
• Motivated and energized by partnership development. Strong record of successful partnerships with skills in creating new initiatives and managing projects, maintaining effective relationships with stakeholders and partners within and outside the organization.
  
• Strong skills in constructive problem-solving, conflict resolution and negotiation skills as well as excellent judgment, discretion and ability to maintain confidentiality.
  
• Demonstrated commitment to uphold the College’s priorities on diversity and equity.

Interview process may consist of a practical skills component.

Notes:

• The College requires proof of degrees, credentials, or equivalencies from accredited regional or federal post-secondary institutions and/or their international equivalents. Credentials may require validation at the time of interviews or offer.

About Us:

George Brown College prides itself on educating students through real-world learning, in the heart of Toronto. Our faculty and employees make this vision a reality, and we support them by making George Brown a great place to work. See why we are consistently ranked as one of GTA’s top employers.

Why work here?

George Brown College offers hybrid work opportunities, a competitive pension plan, generous holiday and vacation time, a tuition assistance program, discounted rates for employees taking Continuing Education courses, and an equitable work environment where everyone matters.

George Brown College is committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process, in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Candidates who require accommodation in the hiring process may contact [email protected] confidentially.