Program Co-ordinator & Employment Consultant

Department: Student Affairs 

Job Type: Continuing

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

Campus: Waterloo 

Reports to: Associate Director, Career Development & External Relations

Employee Group: WLUSA 

Application Deadline: May 19th 2026

Requisition ID: 10780 

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 Career Development Centre exists as the student affairs unit within the Teaching & Learning portfolio that engages students and alumni in their career development as an integral part of the Laurier experience. This encompasses delivery of comprehensive programs and services that support experiential learning, career decision making, employment preparation, facilitation of connection with the employer community, and pursuit of further education opportunities. Specific programs and services include individual consultation and workshops on career planning, resumé writing, job search strategies, interview skills and further education; a Career Resource Centre; comprehensive employment services for full-time, summer and part-time opportunities for students and alumni; volunteerism; career-integrated learning in conjunction with campus partners; online resources; numerous events such as career panels, employment recruiting sessions, Career Fair, Job Fair and a Further Education Fair; and the Laurier Experience Record.

This position has a university-wide mandate and is based at the Waterloo Campus. The incumbent provides subject matter expertise to all campuses, requiring regular interpersonal interactions and collaboration with departments at the Waterloo Campus, the Brantford Campus, the Kitchener Campus and the Milton Campus. Special attention is given to ensure equitable service delivery across all locations.

Accountabilities

Career Development in Academic Programs (Career-Integrated Learning)

The Career-Integrated Learning (CIL) program is designed to support students in identifying and articulating career competencies gained in academic courses and how this relates to their career decision making (jobs, further education, etc.). The incumbent will:

• Lead the design, delivery and evaluation of the CIL program in classrooms (undergraduate and graduate) through outreach and consultation with faculty across diverse disciplines.
• Develop marketing/communication strategy for reaching out to faculty to embed career-integrated learning in the Laurier academic experience.
• Assess course syllabi (course objectives outcomes, assignments, deadlines) to identify competencies and knowledge embedded in courses and its relation to career decision making.
• Coordinate and schedule CIL presentations with faculty, teaching assistants and program coordinators (Over 3000 students in 50+ academic courses annually, often outside of regular working hours).
• Design competency worksheets and reflection questionnaires and rubrics for students in tracking and assessing classroom competencies.
• Identify the primary delivery mode and intended student audience to create appropriate classroom activities to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate career decision making.
• Collaborate with faculty to meaningfully embed career assessments and reflection in their courses to connect career development to learning outcomes.
• Coordinate and train course TAs where applicable who are involved in awarding credit/marks for CIL reflection summaries as part of course evaluation.
• Create Career-Integrated Learning presentation videos and resources for asynchronous courses to be posted on MyLearningSpace.
• Attend and conduct presentations and consultations at faculty meetings and events to promote the CIL program and advise faculty and academic committees regarding strategies to incorporate career development into curriculum (course and/or program level).
• Evaluate CIL feedback from students and faculty using Qualtrics to assess and inform future program design and delivery.

Specialized In-Class Career Sessions

• Liaise, build, and steward co-curricular relationships with university departments and academic staff to grow experiential learning and career development opportunities in the classroom.
• Conduct tailored in-class sessions including career planning, transferable skills, employment preparation (resume and cover letter, job search, networking) and specialized topics related to various career areas, industries and academic programs.
• Utilize diverse instructional styles to create an engaging classroom to maximize student learning and ensure positive outcomes for students
• Develop an understanding of the industry context/careers in a variety of academic disciplines to develop a broad range of career development programs tailored to those programs

Volunteer Placement Co-ordination and Facilitation

• Support students in developing a volunteer action plan identifying their volunteer interest, values, skills, and timelines for the completion of their placement.

• Provide individual consultations for students in identifying and securing volunteer placements and improving their resilience strategies to support their academic growth and success.
• Mediate and problem solve tensions and/or conflicts that arise in volunteer placements between students and community partners towards meeting placement goals within contracted timelines.
• Provide individualized support to students who need assistance in acquiring necessary documents in preparation for placements (i.e., international students looking to secure a vulnerable sector check)
• Develop strategies and marketing resources (print, online, community events) to increase awareness of volunteer opportunities to both students and community partners
• Promote volunteerism at Laurier through coordinating a database of volunteer opportunities available to Laurier students on Navigator.
• Collaborate on an ongoing basis with Community and Workplace Partnerships to identify new organizations and volunteer opportunities.

Community Partnerships

• Generate and sustain partnerships with community organizations to develop volunteer and experiential learning opportunities.
• Collaborate with community organizations to assess needs for direct service volunteerism and co-curricular project-based experiences and ensure these opportunities are made available to Laurier students
• Establish and maintain connections with volunteer and professional associations for networking and development of placement opportunities
• Plan and organize an annual Volunteer Fair (50 external organizations-multicampus) in collaboration with the Community and Workplace Partnerships unit for organizations to engage with students on both the Waterloo and Brantford campuses.
• Participate in initiatives that promote volunteerism through best practices symposiums, professional development opportunities and development of online resources.

Career Research and Curriculum Development

• Continually engage in career development research to innovate and inform curriculum content, design and implementation.
• Develop resource materials, including print and multimedia resources. This could include writing articles and creating (planning) materials such as brochures and career education and professional development handouts.
• Responsible for the development of competency resources to support the utilization of the Laurier Competency Framework by identifying competency levels, reflection modalities, career readiness progress, employer competency videos and ongoing inititiatives
• Research and initiate new programs to address competency development needs of undergraduate and graduate students and alumni, by strategically collaborating with internal and external stakeholders
• Work independently, and collaboratively with career consultants, outreach and marketing coordinator to brainstorm and develop creative content ideas, improve and/or create written and digital materials for use in a variety of student contexts
• Conduct detailed analysis of surveys and feedback forms to create reports to inform program planning activities
• Participate in projects that support the institution-wide approach to the integration of career development.

Career Consulting

• Support students in developing their career strategy by communicating various tools and frameworks to help them develop focus in terms of career goals and a feasible action plan.
• Provide one-on-one career and employment consulting consistent with the needs of undergraduate students, and with the philosophy of the career consulting unit including the administering and interpretation of personality and interest inventories and incorporate these results into career consulting and job search. This role also includes providing a drop-in service, where students and alumni can have a shorter appointment concerning a career related question.
• Assist clients in developing effective employment/job search techniques including skills identification, employer research and networking, professional brand development, resumé and cover letter writing, interview preparation, salary negotiation and career management strategies.  This would include the ability to identify information about global employment trends and job search strategies including working/volunteering abroad.
• Support clients in making meaningful career choices through assessing their values, interests, personality and skills; and relating these to opportunities for employment, further education and/or training. The consultant assists clients in making informed decisions, develops strategies to carry out career plans and advises on how to present themselves effectively throughout the employment planning process.
• Identification of individual client needs (including, but not limited to, students experiencing crisis, grief, potential barriers) and referral to appropriate student support services (i.e., Wellness Centre, Study Skills and Course Support, Accessible Learning, Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion).
• Responsible for gathering and communicating relevant professional information and acting as a resource for other staff and student volunteers in their distinct portfolio area of expertise. The incumbent will be required to prepare resource materials for students on various topics related to career planning and job search, in hardcopy and electronic formats.

Professional Development

• Special knowledge requirements of the Career Education Consultant position encompass the following: familiarity with the use and interpretation of standardized testing procedures such as career interest surveys and personality assessments, ongoing learning on emerging theories and practices in the field of career development and experiential learning; training in counselling theory and practice, knowledge of educational programs, knowledge of labour market trends and the interpretation and communication of these to individuals making career decisions, expertise in transitional and career preparation services and awareness of job search resources and strategies in the global context. The Career Education Consultant has ongoing responsibility to keep current with emerging developments in the profession.
• This role requires extensive knowledge of diverse career-related information including, but not limited to industries, professional associations, regulations, and certifications; further education options and entrepreneurship.
• Ongoing knowledge acquisition through conferences, collegial networks and professional/academic literature on emerging theories and practices in the field of career development.
• Ongoing learning on emerging theories and practices in the field of career development and experiential learning

Qualifications

• Master’s Degree (in education, assessment, research, counselling, career development or related field) with four years of related experience
• Experience with project and program coordination
• Knowledge of career development and experiential learning theories and practices and the ability to articulate the importance of connecting academic experiences to career decisions.
• Awareness of current issues in higher education, experiential learning, strategic enrollment management, retention and transition from post-secondary to employment or further education
• Knowledge of labour market trends and employability with the ability to interpret and communicate these trends
• Experience in developing and implementing career development resources and programs in a post-secondary setting, with a focus on experiential learning, community-based engagement, innovative partnerships and/or equity centered approaches.
• Demonstrated knowledge, skill, and experience with curriculum/instructional design teaching, facilitation, consultation, and resource development preferably in a higher education setting.
• Excellent ability to manage multiple priorities with strong organizational and time management skills, results driven.
• Superior verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with students, faculty, staff and external partners.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and work with faculty and other stakeholders to assess program needs, develop presentation materials, and conduct workshops at all levels.
• Excellent interpersonal, analytical, negotiation and conflict-resolution skills to coordinate programs and establish effective relationships with students, internal and external stakeholders while obtaining feedback.
• Awareness of job search resources, strategies and recruitment practices in the domestic and global context.
• Excellent technical and research skills including knowledge of appropriate software programs required for the creation and delivery of online and in-person curriculum and assessment (i.e., Microsoft Office 365, MyLearningSpace, Qualtrics, Navigator).
• Ability to work independently and in teams as well as the ability to interact professionally with a diverse group of stakeholders

A strong commitment to achieve challenging objectives and a willingness to be flexible in rearranging work schedule and priorities

Hours of Work

This is a Full-time, continuing opportunity with a start date on June 8, 2026. The normal hours of work are 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. Flexibility in hours may be required. The incumbent is required to work an alternating evening schedule on Wednesdays from 11 a. to 7 p.m. When possible, the manager will adjust hours to ensure no more than 35 hours are worked in a week. 

This position is eligible for a flexible work arrangement, as per Policy 8.14 (Flexible Work Policy). All arrangement must be approved by the direct manager. In-person attendance for events, as required to meet operational needs, is expected. On occasion, this schedule may need to be adjusted to meet operational requirements.

Compensation

• Level: F
• Rate of Pay: $47.26 - $49.97 per hour with an annual step progression on anniversary date up to $54.01 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.