Program Advisor, China Programs

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed at: Faculty & Staff Benefits .

Location - This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in person work at North Campus Edmonton.

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Working for the Alberta School of Business

The Alberta School of Business is one of the world’s leading institutions in business education and research and is the first and longest continually accredited business school in Canada. We’re positioned to help shape the future of business with over 140 tenured, tenure track faculty and full and part-time academic teaching staff members who are at the forefront of cutting-edge research and innovative teaching. With 3400 students in our undergraduate program and 950 students in our graduate programs (including 58 PhD students), we are dedicated to fostering a welcome and supportive environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential. We equip our faculty and students with the latest insights and tools to ensure students receive a transformative learning experience that prepares them for success in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

Since 1916, the innovative ideas, entrepreneurial spirit and leadership of the school’s more than 33,000 alumni have strengthened businesses and communities worldwide. We actively foster partnerships with local businesses, organizations and government agencies, allowing our students and faculty to address real-world challenges and contribute directly to the local and global economy. Our outreach programs extend beyond the classroom, empowering students to use their skills for the betterment of society.

At the Alberta School of Business, you’ll be part of a dynamic and forward-thinking community that values collaboration, inclusivity and continuous growth, making it an exceptional place to contribute your talents and expertise.

For more information about the school, please visit our website at: https://www.ualberta.ca/business

Position 

Reporting to the Senior Lead of China Programs, the Program Advisor is responsible and accountable for contributing to all activities related to the delivery of the China Programs administered by the MBA Programs office in accordance with best practices and in alignment with the vision of the Alberta School of Business. This includes, but is not limited to, the MBA and Master of Financial Management (MFM) programs in both Shenzhen and Shanghai, China. These programs have grown considerably over the past number of years. The MFM program was initiated in Shenzhen in 2013, and the same program was started in Shanghai in 2018 along with the MBA program in Shenzhen. Additionally, the MBA program was launched in Shanghai in 2020. The China Programs have approximately 300 students, and every year, 180 students get accepted to the China Programs.

This position works Monday through Friday, but exercises considerable flexibility in communicating with key partners and conducting interviews of candidates located in China during non-traditional MDT/MST business hours, and over the weekends.

The Program Advisor must be able to go above and beyond from a service delivery perspective. Attention to detail is important. Service delivery requirements may change from class to class depending upon the needs of the students and, at times, there may be a need for personalized service. The Program Advisor needs to be able to anticipate the appropriate service level and be able to adjust the service level if required.

Duties 

• Ensures the website contains accurate and up-to-date information in both English and Mandarin.
• Provides constant and timely information and courteous service to China partners and students with respect to upcoming deadlines as well as any changes to schedules and/or events.
• Assesses prospective students’ relevant knowledge, skills, experience, aptitudes and communication abilities ensuring the quality of students admitted meet and exceed our entrance requirements and expectations.
• Schedules and conducts admission interviews.
• Receives and processes all incoming China MFM and MBA applications, ensures that transcripts and degree certificates are official, sufficient and authentic, ensures all applicants have completed prerequisites at accredited institutions, completes course registrations on behalf of the students and processes student academic record forms.
• Provides instructions, for completion and submission of grades, to instructors of cost recovery courses during each academic term and inputs grades for both U of A and non-U of A Instructors during each academic term.
• Evaluates student records for convocation purposes, ensuring that all course requirements and GPA requirements have been met, adhering to strict deadlines for spring and fall convocation.
• Monitors student tuition/fee assessments, ensuring assessments are correct; monitors outstanding balances.
• Collaborates with the Senior Lead, China Programs, Academic Directors, various China Partners, and both U of A and non-U of A Instructors to create and update program schedules.
• Creates and runs reports and queries from the PeopleSoft (Campus Solutions) reporting database and creates and maintains spreadsheets and documents (current and historical).
• Monitors students' academic progress to ensure that appropriate pre-requisites have been met, correct course requirements are being met for the program, conditions have been cleared, and identify and resolve any related problems.
• Coordinates courses, contracts, meetings, new program launches, and graduations.
• Coordinates travel arrangements with instructors, partners, and travel agents to book flights, hotels, and transportation, as well as Visa applications and reimbursements for China Programs.
• Provides language translation services in some occasions.
• Plans and works with China partners to organize various events in China and Edmonton.

Qualifications

• A two-year Diploma in Business Administration or an equivalent. University degree strongly desired.
• Working knowledge of Mandarin language is required.
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant work experience in Canada.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and customer management skills.
• Exceptional organization skills, attention to details.
• Great time management skills and the ability to prioritize tasks effectively.
• Knowledge of the various cultural norms that dictate general practices and protocols in China.
• Ability to make independent decisions.
• Demonstrated planning and administrative skills.
• Effective working in a team environment and independently.
• Experience with office systems, records management MS Office.
• Experience communicating via non-traditional mechanisms which are used in China.
• Intermediate to advanced level competency with MS Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint) and Adobe PageMaker.
• Event planning and management experience is an asset.
• Familiarity with copyright and FOIPP rules as per University regulations.

At the University of Alberta, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates. If you require accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let us know at the time of booking your interview and we will make every effort to accommodate your needs. 

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.