Student Ombuds, Student Experience and Support
- Job ID: 36698
- Location: University of Calgary Main Campus
- Closing Date: 2026/2/10
Description
The Student Affairs Team in Student Experience and Support is currently seeking a Full-time Regular Student Ombuds.
The Student Ombuds serves as an independent, impartial, and confidential resource dedicated to promoting fairness within the UCalgary community. Reporting operationally to the Senior Director, Student Affairs, this role is an expert in UCalgary student policy, supporting students as they navigate university processes.
The Student Ombuds promotes fairness across the university by supporting students (visitors) in navigating concerns, delivering training and education, and consulting with members of the campus community about fair application of policy and university processes.
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
- Establish and maintain service standards and frameworks for the effective operation of the Student Ombuds Office.
- Develop and implement processes and timelines for receiving and processing student intake forms, conducting inquiries, and tracking findings and recommendations for reporting purposes.
- Raise issues of fairness through informal inquiry and early resolution processes.
- Promote and uphold principles of natural justice and procedural fairness in decision-making through the identification of issues, early resolution recommendations, provision of training and education, and consultation with decision makers.
- Participate in policy review processes and make recommendations on opportunities for improvement.
- Maintain high standards of accountability and provide regular upward feedback to senior administration through informal reporting as needed, in addition to the annual Student Ombuds report to the community.
- Maintain strict confidentiality of visitor information and act only with the visitor¿s consent, except where required by law.
- Maintain accurate records of visitors to the office.
- Prepare and publish an annual report for the university community.
- Maintain and update the Student Ombuds website with relevant self-service resources, training and education, and related informational materials.
Qualifications / Requirements:
- A graduate or professional degree in a relevant field (e.g., law, public policy, social sciences, conflict analysis, human ecology, education) is required.
- Experience working within an Ombuds office and/or post-secondary environment; familiarity with post-secondary governance, policies, and procedures is required.
- Professional training and/or certification in mediation, conflict coaching, and/or facilitation is strongly preferred.
- A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in work related to conflict resolution, policy administration, and student affairs is required.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify and address systemic fairness issues.
- Expertise in confidentiality, including related to records management and reporting.
- Exceptional relational, communication, and interpersonal skills, including active listening and coaching.
- Demonstrated ability to maintain impartiality, confidentiality, and adhere to high ethical standards.
- Ability to work effectively with diverse partners, including students, faculty, and senior administration.
- Knowledge of Ombuds Standards of Practice (ACCUO and/or FCO) and commitment to their principles.
This position is classified in the Professional Career Band, Level 4 of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework.
For more details on eligibility and how to apply, visit: https://careers.ucalgary.ca/jobs/17273434-student-ombuds-student-experience-and-support
