Training Programs Specialist, Municipal Climate Adaptation Certificate

The University of Waterloo is hiring a Training Programs Specialist for a 13-month term to develop a Municipal Climate Adaptation Certificate Program. The role involves curriculum development, partnership engagement, program promotion, and management. The specialist will collaborate with faculty, staff, and an external advisory committee to enhance lifelong learning in climate adaptation for municipalities. This position is based in Waterloo, IA and is not remote.
Overview

Term: 13 months

The University of Waterloo is home to one of Canada’s largest concentrations of interdisciplinary climate change experts and a broad range of climate-focused degree programs and courses at undergraduate and graduate levels, including the first-in-Canada Masters of Climate Change program. Responding to growing demand for lifelong learning and professional skills development across the Canadian workforce, the Waterloo Climate Institute and cross-campus partners are collaborating on the development of a new training program on climate adaptation for the municipal sector.

This initiative builds on existing disciplinary strengths and focuses on the context of the climate risks and impacts facing small, medium, and large municipalities, and the adaptation planning and strategies needed to increase resilience.

The Training Programs Specialist (Municipal Climate Adaptation Certificate) reports to the Managing Director of the Climate Institute and works closely with other Training Programs Specialists working on related projects. The position will also collaborate with Institute project coordination and communications staff, faculty members from across the university, and the university’s Centre for Extended Learning, along with an external advisory committee of experts and municipal representatives.

The incumbent is responsible for program and curriculum development, partnership engagement, program promotions, program management and administration, and program tracking, evaluation, and reporting for the Climate Institute municipal certificate program. This unique position will contribute directly to shaping the evolution of Waterloo’s climate change lifelong learning programming.
Responsibilities

Development and Management of the Municipal Climate Adaptation Certificate Program:
• Apply best practices and innovative approaches to design new and unique lifelong learning courses for municipal sector professionals that draw on Climate Institute and UWaterloo experts and leverage existing curriculum.
• Apply expertise in pedagogy and lifelong learning to design effective learning outcomes, teaching strategies, learning activities and tasks, and assessment strategies.
• Maintain effective input into program development from relevant faculty members, departments, schools, and other support units through the establishment and coordination of project working groups.
• Establish and manage engagement of an external advisory group of experts and municipal representatives to support the development of the certificate program and associated course offerings.
• Undertake structured market research to identify new opportunities for lifelong learning program offerings related to climate change.
• Develop and manage a partnership strategy to actively engage external groups, organizations, and companies to promote the certificate program.
• Work closely with the Climate Institute’s Communications Officer to design marketing materials, program websites, and other communications products to support the promotion of the certificate program.
• Work closely with the Managing Director of the Climate Institute to ensure financial accountability and sustainability of the certificate program.
• Track program metrics to assess and report on performance, outcomes, and the impact of the program over time to the program’s funding partner.
• Undertake regular program reviews, including soliciting feedback from participants, instructors, and other cross-faculty and external stakeholders.
• Provide recommendations for updates and changes to the programs based on feedback, trends, and learning outcomes assessment tools and techniques, and develop a feedback loop to facilitate the ongoing refinement of course offerings.
• Prepare quarterly and annual reports for the program funder that summarize program activities, achievements, changes, and results for various internal and external audiences.
• Manage program development schedules and processes, including setting objectives, timelines, and milestones, and applying strong project management practices.
Qualifications
• Graduate degree (Masters) in a relevant field (environment, climate change,…