Water Institute Administrative and Events Assistant, Civil Engineering

Description

The Civil Engineering Team in the Schulich School of Engineering invites applications for a Water Institute Administrative and Events Assistant. This Full-time Fixed Term position is for approximately 6 months (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

The Water Institute supports interdisciplinary activities related to water research, education, engagement, and knowledge exchange at the University of Calgary and externally. It also oversees the activities of the United Nations University Hub at UCalgary on Empowering Communities to Adapt to Environmental Change.

Reporting to the Manager, Water Institute, the Events and Administration Coordinator provides event coordination and administrative support for the Institute. The position works closely with Institute leadership, faculty members, researchers, students, University service units, external partners, speakers, vendors, and event participants.

The role operates in an environment with multiple concurrent priorities and time-sensitive deadlines. Work volume may increase before and during Institute events, reporting deadlines, meetings, and other major initiatives. Standard office hours are expected, though occasional early morning, evening, or weekend work may be required to support events. The position may require occasional travel between University or external event locations. The position exercises judgment in organizing work, maintaining accurate information, responding to routine inquiries, and identifying matters that require escalation to the Manager.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

Event planning and coordination

• Coordinates the planning and delivery of Water Institute events, including seminars, workshops, meetings, lectures, engagement sessions, conferences, receptions, and virtual or hybrid activities.
• Develops event work plans, schedules, checklists, registration processes, and logistical timelines in consultation with the Manager.
• Coordinates event logistics, including room bookings, catering, audiovisual services, virtual platforms, accessibility requirements, parking, signage, materials, equipment, and onsite arrangements.
• Communicates with speakers, participants, vendors, University service units, and external partners to confirm requirements, timelines, and deliverables.
• Supports speaker and guest arrangements, including invitations, biographies, presentation materials, itineraries, travel information, and accommodation details where applicable.
• Maintains registration lists, responds to routine participant inquiries, and distributes event information and materials.
• Provides onsite or virtual event support and assists with setup, participant check-in, troubleshooting, and teardown.
• Monitors event plans and identifies emerging logistical issues for resolution or escalation.
• Supports post-event activities, including distributing surveys, compiling feedback, organizing event records, reconciling documentation, and recording lessons learned.
• Ensures events are organized in accordance with applicable University policies, procedures, accessibility expectations, and health and safety requirements.

Administrative and operational support

• Provides day-to-day administrative support to the Manager and the Water Institute and UNU hub.
• Coordinates meetings by scheduling participants, reserving rooms, preparing agendas and materials, and recording and distributing minutes or action items.
• Maintains calendars, contact lists, distribution lists, shared files, templates, procedural documents, and other Institute records.
• Organizes electronic records using consistent naming, filing, version-control, and retention practices.
• Drafts and formats routine correspondence, briefing materials, agendas, presentations, spreadsheets, reports, and administrative documents.
• Monitors general Institute email and responds to routine requests or directs inquiries to the appropriate individual.
• Tracks action items, commitments, deadlines, and follow-up requirements and provides reminders to responsible parties.
• Performs other related duties or projects as assigned.

Reporting, documentation, and information management

• Collects, organizes, verifies, and maintains information required for Institute operational, activity, and stakeholder reporting.
• Tracks event attendance, activities, outputs, partnerships, engagement measures, and other information identified by the Manager.
• Maintains spreadsheets, databases, and supporting documentation to ensure information is current, complete, and readily retrievable.
• Compiles routine summaries, tables, statistics, and background information for reports, presentations, funding requirements, planning exercises, and management review.
• Supports the preparation and formatting of annual, interim, project, funding, and activity reports.
• Follows up with Institute participants and contributors to obtain outstanding information and documentation.
• Maintains source records and supporting evidence for reported information.
• Reviews documents for completeness, consistency, formatting, and basic accuracy and identifies discrepancies for clarification.
• Maintains confidential information and records in accordance with University privacy, information-security, and records-management requirements.
• Supports documentation of Institute procedures, decisions, activities, partnerships, and institutional knowledge.

Communications and stakeholder support

• Collaborates with University communications personnel to prepare routine event-related communications, including invitations, registration notices, reminders, agendas, speaker information, participant instructions, thank-you messages, and post-event correspondence.
• Coordinates with University communications personnel to provide accurate event information, timelines, images, biographies, and other source materials.
• Makes approved updates to event listings, calendars, webpages, newsletters, or other communication channels where appropriate.
• Supports preparation of basic promotional materials using approved University templates and branding standards.
• Maintains stakeholder and mailing lists and assists with distributing approved communications.
• Responds to routine inquiries from internal and external stakeholders and refers complex, sensitive, or strategic matters to appropriate individuals.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Post-secondary certificate, diploma, or degree in event management, business administration, communications, public relations, environmental studies, or a related field.
• A combination of relevant education, training, and experience will be considered.
• Experience providing event coordination and administrative support.
• Experience coordinating in-person, virtual, or hybrid meetings and events.
• Experience preparing documents, maintaining records, tracking information, and supporting organizational reporting.
• Experience working in a post-secondary, public-sector, research, or similarly complex organization is an asset.
• Experience or academic background related to water, environmental science, sustainability, natural resources, or a related area is an asset.

Application Deadline: September 4, 2026

We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.

This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Operational/Administrative Job Family, Phase 2.

For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.

About the University of Calgary

UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.

The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.

As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People \& Culture ([email protected]).

Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.

We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.