Program Assistant

Program Assistant

Position Details

Position Information

Position Title: Program Assistant

Who We Are

At BCIT, putting people at the core of everything we do is paramount. This idea is the foundation of BCIT’s People Vision, which describes the Institute’s goals and priorities in respect to our people. In a complex and uncertain world, it’s vital our people feel valued, supported and connected. BCIT champions a culture of innovation and global progress through people’s imagination and creativity. With a competitive compensation package, great work-life balance, and career advancement opportunities, see why we’ve earned the title of one of BC’s Top Employers for over ten years running.

Position Summary

BCIT’s School of Construction and the Environment is seeking a temporary, part-time (0.5 FTE) Program Assistant. This position provides administrative and operational support required to ensure successful delivery of all full-time and/or part-time studies programs within the School. This position reports to the Associate Dean and receives functional direction from the Manager, School Operations, Program Coordinators and/or the Program Head. Plans and implements actions required within the scope of the role to support the course/program development, organization, marketing, student enrollment, faculty and staff management and continuous operation of the School.

Duties & Responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Responsible for the coordination and provision of Department-wide functions associated with the operation and administration of full-time and/or part-time studies within the assigned program areas. Acts as a liaison between the Academic Dean, faculty, students, staff, industry clients and other internal/external stakeholders/agencies in accordance with BCIT policies and procedures, to provide information and coordinated assistance on a variety of matters related to programs and courses. Supports Program Heads in a collegial manner by performing administrative activities associated with the development of courses or programs, as well as supporting course loading review and faculty availability as needed; advises Program Head of any issues; prioritizes program administrative workload and performs any necessary follow-up. Reviews department timetabling requests, resolves conflicts and suggests alternative options, and maintains the department spreadsheet. Provides administrative and logistical support, inclusive of room bookings, catering, invitations, minute-taking and meeting preparation, as needed for departmental or Institute meetings and events, such as department meetings, orientation, information sessions, Program Advisory Committee (PAC), students awards, selection committees, interviews, department tour and site visits, etc. Provides support for completion of meeting minutes. Takes minutes at meetings, prepares drafts for review after the meetings, finalizes minutes by getting all required signatures/approvals and archiving minutes for future uses. Responds to general inquiries and re-routes emails to appropriate responder as needed. Acts on matters arising from correspondence. Ensures that material is delivered to the Instructors’ Resource Room is correct, complete and meets all timelines as needed. Provides course/program information and assistance to current and prospective domestic and international students and industry clients, referring them to information resources, appropriate agencies, counselling or faculty as required. Troubleshoots and resolves instructor and student operational and administrative issues. Provides general information and redirection to students regarding who to contact or where to go for registration issues, course cancellations, refunds, transfers, records and course delivery; explains procedures and offers alternatives when appropriate; maintains records regarding transfer credit applications; assists in troubleshooting technical and system issues for students and faculty, with assistance from BCIT IT Services. Monitors enrolment and financial feasibility for each course on database and performs all functions related to cancelling courses; oversees credential and course tracking to ensure course pre-requisites are met; maintains course files for term rollover and ongoing additions/deletions/changes. Maintains confidentiality and applies discretion to supporting the selection committee activities with new faculty recruitment, including supporting the scheduling of interviews and submitting e-hires; assisting with onboarding and orienting new faculty, and assigning department office space and equipment. Submits and tracks PTS faculty contracts for approval. Facilitates term start-up process by preparing and delivering all necessary materials faculty may need; ensures accurate and timely preparation of course and program planning materials, including ordering and distributing textbooks and software. Provides administrative support for term-end final marks approvals; prepares final exam packages and their schedules; coordinates exams from online courses and/or exams outside of Lower Mainland between students and proctors; organizes and invigilates Prior Learning Assessment Recognition and make-up exams. Assists with preparation and maintenance of course information packages, final exam packages, and coordinates with Scheduling and Course File teams on course schedule update (i.e., CRN request, schedules for students, instructors, rooms, exams, make-up classes, and computer lab bookings, etc.). Participates in the development and implementation of internal School processes for handling student assessments, records and reports in accordance with School and Institute guidelines, policies and procedures and in a manner appropriate for internal and external quality assurance, verification and reporting, using data management reporting systems Initiates department purchase orders per budget guidelines to maintain office supplies, to ensure office equipment is serviced as necessary, and to performs routine office upkeep. Maintains awareness of Department and Program‘s goals and objectives, aligning Program Assistant priorities and flagging impacted items/issues requiring immediate attention. Maintains and updates processes and procedures related to day-to-day operation of department. Maintains website content for programs, ensuring accuracy and currency of information; interacts and communicates with the School’s Business Development Manager and Marketing Coordinator, and adheres to applicable website policies and procedures. Supports the departmental Attendance Keeping by assisting with the full-year cycle of attendance maintenance according to Institute guidelines and collective agreements. Participates in Records Custodian training and remains current with current record keeping practices, policies, and procedures (both BCIT and FOIPOP). Undertakes the duties and responsibilities of Records Custodian in compliance with FOIPOP and Institute policies and procedures, including: maintaining index and retrieval system of office files through the directory of Records Database (DRDB), or appropriate alternative; procuring file folder labels through the DRDB as appropriate , indicating the classification to which files belong; and, as appropriate, assisting other office staff with proper security levels to identify and retrieve active records. Undertakes related duties as assigned, consistent with the job grade of this position.

Qualifications

Definition: The qualifications section for this job was developed using the approved job evaluation plan, agreed to between the BCGEU and BCIT. The qualifications represent the minimum qualifications required in the future (i.e. to be reflected in job postings) and do not reflect the incumbent’s existing qualifications.

Education

Requires the equivalent of full secondary school education plus completion of a two-year Business Administration Diploma or equivalent.

Experience

• Two years of general experience plus two years of relevant experience in a similar position. Knowledge of and/or experience in a post-secondary education system.
• Software/Computer
• Application(s) and
• Expertise: Demonstrated skills in the use of MS Office, with particular emphasis on the ability to create complex, multifunctional spreadsheets using Excel. Demonstrated skills in the use of internet applications, as well as administration, reporting and Content Management Systems (e.g., Banner, Cognos, Marqui, WordPress).
• Communication/Interpersonal
• Skills: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Demonstrated ability to work both independently and as a team member. Strong customer service orientation required, especially when dealing with students, instructors, and clients in order to maintain a good relationship and continuous business/working relations. Administrative Skills (e.g. prioritizing, minute taking, wp speed, etc.): Ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, work well under pressure, and effectively manage time. Ability to exercise tact and discretion when handling sensitive matters. Excellent planning, coordination, prioritization and follow-up skills. Proven ability to meet deadlines and changing priorities while maintaining high levels of customer service. Must be able to work independently and as a team player. Must be very well organized, responsible, detail oriented and professional. Ability to take and transcribe meeting minutes. Accurate keyboarding skills.
• Other
• Skills/Abilities: Must have the ability to work to work with a diverse range of stakeholders, including students, faculty, and internal and external departments.

Additional Information

Benefits – Why you’d love working with us Competitive pay Minimum of fifteen days of vacation prorated per year Competitive employer-paid extended health and dental plan including access to a Health Care Spending Account of up to $325 if eligible! Defined benefit pension plan with employer contributions Professional Development funds and resources Access to most BCIT Flexible Learning courses free of charge Wellness and Employee Assistance programs Complimentary membership with free access to the Fitness Centre, Gymnasium, and more Eligibility requirements apply, benefits may vary depending on the employee group the position belongs to and whether the position offered is temporary or part-time. For more information on our generous benefits, click here! BCIT is committed to the principles of equity, diversity & inclusion and to promoting opportunities in hiring for systemically oppressed groups who have been excluded from full participation at BCIT and the larger community. This includes Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and those who identify as 2S/LGBTQIA+. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. Persons with disabilities who require accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact us using our contact form. Please note that all applications must be submitted via the careers page portal. Applications submitted through the contact form will not be accepted. For additional information, please visit our frequently asked questions (FAQs) page and see how we hire. The British Columbia Institute of Technology acknowledges that our campuses are located on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish Nations of xwməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh).

Salary Range

Salary Grade 7: $59,214 - $64,490 per annum.

Additional Salary Information

External hires are initially placed at the minimum of the salary range with set progressions to the maximum as per the Collective Agreement. Salary prorated based on percentage and term of appointment.

Position Details

Posting Category

Administration Department 2 Eng and Geospatial Technologies Campus Location Burnaby campus Bargaining Unit BCGEU Support Staff Job Status Auxiliary in Temporary Appointment (BCGEU SS Only) Full-Time/Part-Time Part-Time Number of Vacancies 1 Anticipated Start Date 09/02/2026 Anticipated End Date 08/31/2027

Competition Information