Relocation Coordinator

Staff - Non Union

Job Category
M&P - AAPS

Job Profile
AAPS Salaried - Human Resources, Level A

Job Title
Relocation Coordinator

Department
Housing and Relocation Support | Housing and Relocation | Central Human Resources

Compensation Range
$5,209.17 - $7,485.33 CAD Monthly

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date
April 6, 2024

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary:

Housing, Immigration & Relocation Services (HIRS), is responsible for delivering exemplary and wide-ranging housing and relocation services and programs to support strategic employee recruitment and retention. It provides an enhanced, high-touch, integrated one-stop-shop and personalized service model, intended to make a welcoming difference for people considering employment offers at UBC; to help them navigate their housing, immigration and relocation journey with ease.

The Relocation Coordinator is the first point of contact for faculty and senior staff from the recruitment process until they are fully onboarded at UBC, providing a welcoming and reliable point of reference for technical and generalist relocation support and ongoing knowledgeable advice to new and potential faculty and senior staff. The role communicates with department/faculty administrators across UBC to provide personalized solutions and innovative services to support relocating faculty, senior staff and their families. The position exercises judgment and initiative in addressing complex relocation issues, offering qualified advice promptly to aid newcomers. Faculty and senior staff relocating to UBC from outside of the Lower Mainland require sensitive, confidential and highly case-specific relocation advice, including housing, childcare, spousal employment and immigration as well as interpretation of human resources policies and procedures for benefit and other entitlements. The role demonstrates initiative through client-focused and moderately complex relocation consultations for faculty and staff at all levels, at critical and time-bound stages in the recruitment process via regular and clear communications. Provides excellent client services by ensuring that the specific needs of new hires are identified and appropriate solutions provided or referred to the appropriate manager or specialist team in a coordinated and cohesive process, from the job offer stage to relocation and full onboarding at UBC. Coordinates a full calendar of welcoming events and orientations, providing marketing material and communications to promote the services available.

Interacts with various Human Resources professionals and teams. Works collaboratively with academic and non-academic administrators and is the primary contact for faculty, staff and their families who contact UBC HIRS.

The Relocation Coordinator understands UBC human resources policies and provides advice in regards to interpretation of information on the website or in policy or contract documents and develops responsive and professional programs. Inputs documents to Workday and updates client management systems so that housing and immigration colleagues have access to information. The Relocation Coordinator guides potential and newly recruited faculty and senior staff through a variety of rental housing, neighbourhood and purchasing options and refers technical questions to the Housing team in HRS. The Relocation Coordinator, with a basic understanding of the Canadian immigration system and regular consultation from the immigration team’s Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants, gives an overview of the immigration process, handles general immigration-related inquiries and promptly refers complex questions to the HIRS Immigration team.

Organizational Status:

The Relocation Coordinator reports to the Housing & Relocation Manager. The incumbent collaborates with HIRS Housing and Immigration teams as well as a broad range of stakeholders, including, staff, faculty and HR colleagues at UBC.  

Work Performed:

Plans and coordinates a broad range of Relocation Services to deliver the highest standard of concierge-style, professional advising services to potential/relocating faculty and senior staff;

• Coordinating and delivering moderately complex consultations to potential and newly hired faculty and staff, following through with an integrated service to client enquiries and responsive ongoing support;

• Advising and coaching client departments in various administrative, customer service and immigration processes related to the relocation and onboarding of faculty and staff who may be hired from outside of the Lower Mainland. Work must be performed within time constraints, requiring prompt and accurate responses to unexpected circumstances.

• Collaborating and providing prompt and accurate advice to the HR Housing and Relocation Manager and Manager of Immigration in HIRS and various units and departments related to housing rental and purchase options at UBC(V);

• Communicating with clients and internal stakeholders daily to ensure that all aspects of each case-specific relocation is progressing within strict time limits. Responding to client enquiries quickly and accurately across a broad range of moderately complex relocation and onboarding topics, helping new faculty and senior staff integrate smoothly at UBC;

• Advising on intricate relocation issues to departmental representatives (Administrators, Dept. Heads, Directors, Deans, and VP’s) who are involved in the recruitment and onboarding of faculty, and senior staff.  Discussing recommendations and advising upon numerous policies and procedures pertaining to human resource practices, immigration law, regulations and procedures, relocation process, benefits entitlement, housing and family care, and resolving moderately complex enquiries independently;

• Advising clients on where to find information on UBC benefit entitlements, leaves and payroll information depending on the type and length of the hire, employment group and their immigration status. Assists with applications when required (e.g. online tax and benefits forms);

• Advising non-Canadian clients on their Canadian immigration status with guidance from the Immigration team;

• Advising eligible ‘Dual Career’ couples by assisting spouses/partners in their efforts to gain employment in B.C. Reviews and advises upon resume and covering letter construction and offers advice on job applications for which they are qualified. Coaching spouses/partners on the use of UBC Careers websites and refers to external employers where appropriate. Referring faculty and senor staff to credential checking agency and/or English language courses as required. Advising spouses/partners on selection interview processes and how to prepare them for additional professional development;

• Building ongoing relationships with clients and promoting community engagement by providing personalized advice on a full range of family care issues according to the unique requirements of new hires/potential new hires.

• Conducting research on issues such as housing, neighbourhood profiles, doctors/dentists, child care, school preferences and elder care options and making accurate recommendations on the services available.  

• Liaising with private and public service providers to connect families with relevant services as well as external parties who provide services to temporary foreign workers and immigrants to Canada (e.g., school boards, immigration services, Service Canada). Refers clients to other specialists at UBC where necessary (e.g. UBC Pensions, Benefits, Childcare);

• Leads small projects related to the service and works as part of a team on larger business critical projects, such as the Housing Action Plan;

• Independently gathers client data for management information purposes and statistics. Analyzing information from the Relocation Services tracking system to assess and follow up on client service requirements (e.g. child care, spousal employment needs). Creating and maintaining spreadsheets, databases and other information resources and prepares reports for management and stakeholders using Workday.

• Designing, developing and overseeing the HIRS office service feedback survey among clients, analysing of results and recommending service improvements as needed; Researching, designing and delivering a range of marketing materials related to relocation, and leading numerous onboarding events and educational seminars for staff, faculty and families throughout the year, within a fixed calendar and budget;

• Organizing and presenting a range of relocation-specific topics using a range of media. Participating in working groups and committees, assisting with the implementation of plans and projects that align with the values and strategic direction of Human Resources;

• Additional responsibilities may include project coordination, requirements analysis, business process mapping, training, writing and other duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement:

This position works in close conjunction with the Housing and Immigration teams in HIRS. Also works with other HR units, particularly Faculty Relations and faculty and staff working in departments that are involved in the recruitment and onboarding of faculty and senior staff. Inappropriate decisions/judgement will directly affect UBC’s reputation with new faculty and senior staff as the position has campus-wide influence on the effectiveness of the administration of faculty appointments and quality of service to faculty members and some senior staff hires. Inappropriate decisions would impact the quality of service provided to new hires and the reputation of the University. In the case of faculty and senior staff candidates who have not signed the job offer yet, poor service could result in the loss of a first-choice candidate if their relocation challenges could not be adequately understood and mitigated. Poor working relationships and the failure to accurately assess client needs or exercise appropriate judgement and foresight may affect the ability of the University to recruit and retain key faculty and staff. Failure to anticipate and quickly refer technical questions to the Immigration specialists can result in delayed start dates, medical coverage, eligibility to enrol children in schools or daycare and spousal employment and financial impacts.  Failure to refer UBC Housing program questions to the Housing specialists could result in loss of candidates or result in serious financial and personal consequences for new hires who intend to buy homes.

Supervision Received:

Reports to the Housing & Relocation Manager. Works with a high degree of independence within established objectives. Consults with and refers to the Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) in HIRS as needed to respond to immigration inquiries and refers complex housing inquiries for various UBC Housing programs to the Housing team in HIRS.

Supervision Given:

Works within broad objectives. May supervise clerical staff in HIRS.

Working Conditions:

Flexibility to work alternate hours for events or priority cases when required.

Minimum Qualifications:

University degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two to three years of related experience., or the combination of education and experience.

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.

• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Preferred Qualifications:

Demonstrated outstanding client service, oral and written communication skills are essential. Ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail and deal with confidential and personal issues in a confident and professional manner. Proven ability to research, develop and implement innovative and creative relocation solutions and use effective strategies to meet the needs of clients and use strong follow through skills resolve problems. Proven ability to work in a team and collaborate with others. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain supportive working relationships with all levels of management, staff, internal and external stakeholders and human resources practitioners. Ability to exercise tact, discretion and good judgment. Proven ability to be flexible, confident and self-motivated and possesses personal integrity. Excellent interpersonal skills, cross-cultural sensitivity and intercultural communication skills required. Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Ability to deal with a diversity of people in a calm, courteous and effective manner and exercise mature judgment, initiative and diplomacy. Ability to analyze moderately complex problems, identify key information and issues and resolve effectively. Knowledge of UBC policies and procedures and experience in human resources practice is an asset. Some knowledge of or experience with economic immigration programs in Canada is required and a qualification as an RCIC is an asset. Knowledge of Financial Management Systems, Microsoft Office applications and Workday or other HR management systems is an asset. Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own.  Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion.