Office Administration Coordinator-Geography & Environmental Studies-Graduate Program

Department: Faculty of Science 

Job Type: Limited Term

Full-time/Part-time: Full time (>=1249 hrs /year)

Campus: Waterloo 

Reports to: Administrative Manager, Faculty of Science

Employee Group: WLUSA 

Application Deadline: May 26, 2026 

Requisition ID: 10827 

Wilfrid Laurier University is a leading multi-campus university that excels at educating with purpose. Through its exceptional employees, students, researchers, leaders, and educators, Laurier has built a reputation as a world-class institution known for its rich student experience, academic excellence, and global impact. With a commitment to Indigenization and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Laurier’s thriving community has a place for everyone.

Laurier has more than 21,000 students and 2,100 faculty and staff across campuses in Waterloo and Brantford, as well locations in Kitchener and Milton. The university is committed to providing an inclusive workplace, a flexible work policy and employing a workforce that is reflective of local and national demographics. Laurier's Waterloo, Kitchener, and Brantford campuses are located on the shared traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources, and not to engage in conflict. Laurier's Milton campus is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and part of the Nanfan Treaty of 1701 between the British Crown and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.

This job posting is for a current vacancy.

Position Summary

The Office Administrative Coordinator is accountable for the overall efficient administrative functioning of graduate programs offered by the Department of Geography & Environmental Studies (MA, MSc, MES, PhD). As part of the joint Waterloo-Laurier Graduate Program in Geography, students can take courses on either campus. The two campuses combined make the Waterloo-Laurier Graduate Program in Geography, the second largest graduate geography program in Canada and the 6th largest in North America.

The incumbent takes principal and secondary roles in the cycle of applications, admissions, academic progression, scholarship and graduation, enrolment projections and all administrative operations related to these processes. The incumbent is the first point of contact for potential graduate applicants and all registered students and faculty members with respect to the MA, MES, MSc, and PhD graduate programs.

Accountabilities

Program and Administrative Support

• Provides front-line reception and information dissemination concerning university policies, procedures, rules and regulations, and other general inquiries; refers queries as appropriate;
• Provides information to prospective and current students regarding academic programs, courses available, admissions process, scholarship opportunities, graduate policies, administrative procedures, degree requirements, financial matters, issues pertaining to international students, thesis regulations and graduation requirements;
• Tracks each student’s program from admission to completion and confirms milestones have been met and timelines are followed;
• Creates and maintains accurate program database;
• Reviews marks sheets each term and notes discrepancies;
• Responsible Obtains individual student records as needed for scholarship competitions, admissions, faculty members writing references for students, etc.;
• Develops annual course offerings with UW Geography & Environmental Program and other department coordinators in the Faculty of Environment at UW (Planning, ERS, Tourism) to ensure all cross-listed courses appear on the timetable and avoid conflicts;
• Updates department timetable as required and post in department;
• Assists in the preparation of the Waterloo-Laurier Graduate Program in Geography OCGS appraisal brief by obtaining COGNOS reports and other information needed for the completion of the OCGS submission;
• Revises annual submission to the American Association of Geography Programs in the Americas;
• Provides statistics and program activities for the Director’s Annual Report;

• Responsible for the interpretation and implementation of Laurier (FGPS) and departmental policies and procedures as they pertain to graduate studies in the Geography Graduate program;
• Collaborates with the Graduate Officer and the Director with long-term planning, statistics and analysis of short-term and long-term goals;
• Participates in WLU Geography Graduate Program and Waterloo-Laurier Graduate Program in Geography committee meetings;
• Provides the Graduate Officer and Director with statistics and data to external agencies;
• Reviews student progress reports ensuring that students are registered each term for FGPS government reporting;
• Assists the Graduate Officer with student appeals;
• Submits grades to the Registrar’s Office from UW faculty, converting them from percent to alpha grades;
• Provides general departmental assistance, as needed;
• Provides back-up assistance to the Senior Administrative Assistant in the Department of Geography & Environmental Studies during absences or during peak periods;
• Handles other administrative duties as assigned by the Department Chair, Graduate Officer or Administrative Manager.

Applications and Admissions

• Creates applicant files and maintains database for tracking applicants;
• Pre-screens applications to ensure that only complete, accurate and verifiable applications are sent to the Selection Committee for review;
• Calculates GPAs, interprets grading schemes from domestic and international universities and converts to Laurier’s alpha-grade scale;
• Ensures that minimum university admission requirements have been met, including degree, academic standing, English language proficiency certification, financial support and recommended level of study;
• Prepares and submits admissions recommendations to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office;
• Responds to email, telephone, in-person and written inquiries regarding application procedures; provides correct and timely information; manages the volume and complexity of inquiries;
• Maintains frequent communication with applicants regarding process and status of application;
• Obtains feedback from faculty members that could serve as potential supervisors to new applicants.

Scholarships

• Manages graduate funding process to ensure that the commitment for the Minimum Guaranteed Fuding (MGF) processOrganizes the application process for external funding (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR);
• Advises students of scholarship and application requirements;
• Reviews applicants for eligibility, ordering transcripts and calculating transcript averages, checking for accuracy, editing and tracking applications;
• Organizes and records ranking meeting results, ensuring that all applications are complete and appropriately signed; submits completed, ranked applications to FGPS;
• Liaises with staff in the FGPS for issues related to award applications and supplementary funding.

Thesis Defences/Oral Dissertations/PhD Comprehensive Examinations

• Coordinates Master’s thesis defences and PhD comprehensive examinations;
• Verifies student records for completion of degree requirements and initiates steps to address problems;
• Updates and distributes Master’s department thesis guidelines and PhD comprehensive examination procedures;
• Advises students and faculty members of thesis submission deadlines and guides students through the defence procedures;
• Books rooms for the examinations and defences and prepares, distributes and posts notices;
• Schedules Chair for the examinations and comprehensive oral defences; distributes comprehensive papers to committee members.

Teaching Assistantships

• Assists Graduate Officer with allocating graduate teaching assistantships each term;
• Determines the funding level provided to each student and ensures financial commitments are honoured as set out in offer letters;
• Calculates number of graduate TAs required based on undergraduate course enrolment.

Waterloo-Laurier Graduate Program in Geography

• Responds on behalf of the Director and liaises closely with UW Geography faculty and staff;
• Coordinates and attends all Joint Program meetings;
• Prepares and distributes materials needed for monthly program meetings;
• Commutes between UW and WLU for meetings and orientation sessions;
• Records, prepares and distributes all minutes;
• Maintains application statistics, program course enrolment and program evaluations;
• Responds to inquiries regarding the status of applications and admission conditions;
• Develops and maintains joint program website.

Qualifications

• Secondary school plus one (1) year post-secondary education and more than two (2) years relevant administrative experience within university environment, preferably in an academic department or comparable environment;
• Experience working with university policies related to regulations affecting student academic life (undergraduate and graduate);
• Excellent customer/student service skills, including exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, in person and on the phone;
• Experience with meeting procedures and minute taking;
• Ability to handle multiple tasks and prioritize work;
• Excellent administrative and time management skills;
• Proven ability to work independently, but must also be a supportive team player;
• Diplomacy, discretion, tact and good judgement in dealing with sensitive situations and confidential materials/issues with ability to effectively handle complaints;
• Excellent computer skills, including knowledge of Word, Excel, Outlook, Banner, Loris, Cognos and Millennium;
• Skill and experience in managing web pages and in preparing and posting materials to the web;
• Excellent problem-solving skills;
• Experience in organizing special events an asset.

This position is eligible for Educational Equivalencies.

Hours of Work

This is a Full-time, Limited-term opportunity with an anticipated contract of 6 months.

The normal hours of work are 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. Flexibility in hours may be required, including evening and/or weekend work due to periods of high volume. When possible, the manager will adjust hours to ensure no more than 35 hours are worked in a week.

This role offers limited flexibility regarding flexible work arrangements. Please see Policy 8.14 (Flexible Work Policy) for more information. All arrangement must be approved by the direct manager. On occasion, this schedule may need to be adjusted to meet operational requirements.

 As per Article 12.7.6, prior approval from a manager is required to return to a previous position after a Limited-Term Position.

Compensation

• Level: D
• Rate of Pay: $38.80 to $41.02 per hour with an annual step progression on anniversary date up to $44.35 per hour. Considerations for new hire step placements include, qualifications and length/depth of required experience, relevant market rates for similar jobs, internal equity, and estimated learning curve in starting the job. 

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier's Employee Success Factors.

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-apply/

Should you be interested in learning more about this opportunity, please visit www.wlu.ca/careers for additional information and the online application system. All applications must be submitted online. Please note, a resume and cover letter will be required in electronic form.

Please note, when pre-screening questions are used as part of the application process, AI is utilized to score responses. All other aspects of the hiring process are reviewed by our Talent Acquisition team.