VP External Relations reorganization

To achieve the goals of the University of Alberta for Tomorrow initiative, our new model centralizes many services and administrative activities, processes, and functions that are common to faculties and units across the university.

The External Relations portfolio will ensure alignment and coordination and support a single U of A approach in and across the following service areas:

The charts below will help you understand how services will be delivered and how teams will be organized to deliver the function across the institution.

Key features you'll notice

  • Service Partners enable the new communications, marketing, and digital operating model and are the gateway to the Centres of Expertise.
  • A newly created institutional marketing function will allow us to cohesively promote the University of Alberta to Canada and the world.
  • In Development, dual reporting and dual funding remains as our consultations made it clear that established faculty relationships are integral to several roles.
  • Within Alumni Relations we are developing an Events unit which will focus initially on ER and Institutional events but over time look to evolve to serve other parts of the university.
  • An additional resource in GCR to support colleges and faculties with government and stakeholder relations.

External Relations will operate as a single portfolio in line with our budget. Once the new structure is fully implemented, the majority of external engagement activities will only exist within the new structure. Our service delivery to faculties and central units will be predicated on a service culture that ensures strategic, responsive, and timely service based on a deep understanding of needs.

What you need to know about the following organizational charts

We have provided as much detail as we can, however there is more work to do over the next few months to finalize the structure. As a portfolio we need to ensure that we have effective services in GCR, Development, Marketing, Communications, and Alumni Relations and more work will be required as we move through the levels of the structure. Where there are FTE ranges and roles to be determined, we are still working through the services that are transitioning and the financial impacts, so these are estimates at this time.

Legend:

  • Blue indicates a new position has been created
  • Green indicates existing, filled positions
  • "# FTE" (full-time equivalent) indicates the number of positions
  • "Reports: # FTE" indicates the number of positions reporting to the role
  • FTE ranges are included where decisions are still being made

 

Whole portfolio

Structure for the External Relations portfolio

  • VP ER (existing position)
    • Admin support staff — 1 FTE (existing position)
    • AVP Strat Comms (new position)
      • Director, Partnerships (new position)
      • Director, Internal Communications (new position)
      • Director, Editorial Strategy (new position)
      • Director, Media Strategy (new position)
      • Director, Issues Management (existing position)
    • AVP Marketing (new position)
      • Director, Digital and Creative (existing position)
      • Director, Marketing (new position)
      • Director, Brand (new position)
      • Director, Recruitment Marketing (new position)
      • Director, Marketing Research & Insights (new position)
    • AVP Development (existing position)
      • Director, Principal Gifts & Strategy Initiatives (existing position)
      • Director, University Development (new position)
      • Director, Faculty Development - Health Sciences (new position)
      • Director, Faculty Development - NAS & SSH (new position)
      • Director, Agreements and Pipeline Management (existing position)
    • ED Alumni Relations (existing position)
      • Manager, Alumni Programs (existing position)
      • Manager, Alumni Partnerships (existing position)
      • Manager, Annual Giving (existing position)
      • Manager, Events (new position)
    • AVP GCR (existing position)
      • Director, Government Relations (existing position)
      • Director, GCR Strategic Initiatives (new position)
      • Director, Engagement & Partnerships (existing position)
      • Director, Community Relations (existing position)
    • Chief of Staff (existing position)
      • TBD
    • ER Strategic Initiatives (existing position)

Notes:

  • Service partner allocation based on combination of UniForum data, external engagement stream discovery data, stakeholder input, and professional judgement

 

Strategic Communications

Structure for the AVP Communications unit

  • AVP Strat Comms (new position, in process of being filled)
    • Admin support staff — 0.5 FTE (existing position)
    • Director, Partnerships* (new position)
      • Sr. Partner Natural & Applied Science (new position)
      • Sr. Partner Health Science (new position)
      • Sr. Partner Social Sciences, CSJ + Augustana (new position)
      • Sr. Partner VP USF + VP F&O (new position)
      • Sr. Partner VP Academic & VP RI (new position)
      • Partner, Native Studies + II + EDI (new position)
    • Sr. Partner, Executive Comms (existing position)
      • Communications Associate — 1-2 FTE (new position)
    • Director, Internal Comms (new position)
      • Student Comms — 3-4 FTE (new position)
      • Faculty/Staff Comms — 3-4 FTE (new position)
    • Director, Editorial Strategy (new position)
      • News Team — 5 FTE (existing position)
      • Dev/Alumni Comms — 3 FTE (existing position)
      • Publications Comms — 3 FTE (existing position)
    • Director, Media Strategy (new position)
      • Social Media — 1-2 FTE (existing position)
      • Media Relations — 1-2 FTE (new position)
      • Communications Associates — 1-2 FTE (new position)
    • Director, Issues Management (existing position)
      • Senior Advisor — 1 FTE (existing position)
      • Advisor — 1 FTE (existing position)
      • Media Monitoring — 1 FTE (2x0.5 PT) (existing position)

Notes:

  • AVP Strategic Communications is recently filled (but the position is new to the model)
  • * Service partner allocation based on combination of UniForum data, external engagement stream discovery data, stakeholder input, and professional judgement

 

Marketing

Structure for the AVP Marketing unit

  • AVP Marketing (new position, filled)
    • Admin support staff — 0.5 FTE (existing position)
    • Director, Marketing Research & Insights (new position)
      • Market Research Specialist — 2-3 FTE (new position)
    • Director, Digital & Creative (existing position)
      • Creative Director — Reports: 7-9 (new position)
      • Manager, Content — Reports: 9 (new position)
      • Manager, Development — Reports: 5 (new position)
      • Manager, Digital Strategy — Reports: 5-7 (new position)
      • Project Management — 1-3 FTE (new position)
    • Director, Development & Demand Generation (new position)
      • Senior Marketing Strategist — 1 FTE (new position)
      • Demand Specialist — 1 FTE (new position)
      • Marketing Specialist — 2 FTE (new position)
    • Director, Brand (new position)
      • Senior Marketing Strategist — 1 FTE (new position)
      • Marketing Specialist — 2 FTE (new position)
      • Market Planner — 1 FTE (new position)
      • Trademark & Licensing Specialist — 0.5 FTE (existing position)
      • Priority Marketing Team — 3 FTE (new position)
    • Director, Recruitment Marketing (new position)
      • Senior Marketing Strategist — 2 FTE (new position)
      • Marketing Specialist — 2 FTE (new position)

Notes:

  • AVP Marketing has been recently filled, but it is new to the structure
  • Director Marketing Research & Insights to be appointed Q3/Q4 2021, Centre of Expertise to be expanded up in 2022/2023.

 

Digital & Creative

Structure for the Director, Digital & Creative unit

  • Director, Digital & Creative (existing position)
    • Manager, Content (new position)
      • Digital Content Coordinator — 2 FTE (new position)
      • Jr. Content Specialist — 7 FTE (new position)
    • Manager, Digital Strategy (new position)
      • Senior Digital Strategist — 2 FTE (new position)
      • Email Digital Strategy Specialist — 2 FTE (new position)
      • SEO Digital Strategist (new position)
      • CMS Support — 2 FTE (new position, shared services position)
    • Manager, Web Development (new position)
      • QA/Integration Specialist (new position)
      • Jr. Developer — 2 FTE (new position)
      • Data Integration Specialist (new position)
    • Creative Director (new position)
      • Art Director — 2 FTE (new position)
      • Graphic Designer — 2 FTE (new position)
      • Copywriter — 2 FTE (new position)
      • Multimedia Specialist — 2 FTE (new position)
      • Production Artist — 3 FTE (new position, shared services position)
    • Project Team — 1-3 FTE (new position)

Notes:

  • Broken lines indicate the position will be within Shared Services

 

Partners structure (communications and marketing)

Structure for the External Relations partnership structure

  • Director Partnerships (new position)
    • Senior Partner Nat’l/Applied (new position)
      • Partner, Science (new position)
      • Partner, Engineering (new position)
      • Partner, ALES (new position)
      • College Comms Associate — 3 FTE (new position)
    • Senior Partner Health Sci (new position)
      • Partner, Rehab Med / KSR / Pharm (new position)
      • Partner, Nursing / Public Health (new position)
      • Partner, Medicine/Dentistry (new position)
      • College Comms Associate 6 FTE (new position)
    • Senior Partner Social Sciences & Humanities, CSJ + Augustana (new position)
      • Partner, Law (new position)
      • Partner, Education (new position)
      • Partner, Arts (new position)
      • Partner, Business (new position)
      • Comms Associate, CSJ (new position)
      • Comms Associate, Augustana (new position)
      • College Comms Associate — 1 FTE (new position)
    • Senior Partner VP Academic / VPRI (new position)
      • Central Unit Comms Associate — 3 FTE (new position)
    • Senior Partner F&O/USF (new position)
      • Central Unit Comms Associate — 3 FTE (new position)
    • Partner, Native Studies + EDI + Indigenous prog/research (new position)

Notes:

  • Partners are relationship managers and single point of contact to all central services in communications, marketing & digital. They also deliver local communications activities. 
  • Communication associates report to Senior Partner and support communication activities at college & faculties as needed

 

Development

Structure for the AVP Development unit

  • AVP Dev (existing position)
    • Admin support staff — 1 FTE (existing position)
    • Director, Faculty Dev — Health Sciences (new position)
      • Manager FOMD — Reports: 8 FTE (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, Nursing (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, Rehab (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, Pharm (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, KSR — 0.5 FTE (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, PSH (existing dual funding reporting position)
    • Director, Faculty Dev - NAS & SSH (new position)
      • Sr. Officer, Engineering — Reports: 3.5 FTE (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, ALES — Reports: 2 FTE (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, Science — Reports: 3 FTE (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, Business — Reports: 1 FTE (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, Arts — Reports: 1 FTE (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, Education — Reports: 1 FTE (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, Law (existing dual funding reporting position)
    • Director, University Development (new position)
      • Manager, Major Gifts & Planned Giving* — Reports: 7 (existing position)
      • Manager, Leadership Annual Giving — Reports: 6** (existing position)
      • Manager, Donor Relations & Stewardship — Reports: 8.5 (existing position)
      • Manager Corporate & Fdn Relations — Reports: 4 (existing position)
      • Sr. Officer, Augustana — Reports: 1 FTE (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, Dean of Students, FGSR + Native Studies (existing dual funding reporting position)
      • Sr. Officer, Library and Museums (existing dual funding reporting position)
    • Director, Principal Gifts Strategy & Initiatives (existing position)
      • Gifts & Strategy Initiatives — 6 FTE (existing position)
    • Director Agreements and Pipeline Management (existing position)
      • Manager Records — Reports: 7 FTE (existing position)
      • Manager Agreements — Reports: 6 FTE (existing position)
      • Manager Prospect Management and Research — Reports: 7 FTE (existing position)
      • Advisor — 1 FTE (existing position)
      • Manager Information Services — Reports: 8 FTE (position TBC)
      • Analytics and Reporting — 3 FTE (position TBC)

Notes:

  • * Includes Facilities & Operations / Recreation Facilities 0.5 FTE dual reports
  • **Includes Athletics (2 FTE) dual reports
  • Pink indicates existing dual funding reporting
  • Orange indicates positions that are to be confirmed. Manager Information Services to be confirmed with IST and Analytics and Reporting to be confirmed with the positions of Insights function.

 

Alumni Relations

Structure for the ED Alumni Relations unit

  • ED, Alumni Relations (existing position)
    • Manager, Alumni Programs (existing position)
      • Regional — 5 FTE (existing position)
      • Recognition — 2 FTE (existing position)
      • Careers/Students/Volunteer Programs — 4.5-6 FTE (existing position)
    • Manager, Alumni Partnerships (existing position)
      • College HS, NAS, SSH — 6 FTE (new position)
      • Alumni Association Lead (existing position)
      • Business Lead (existing position)
    • Manager, Annual Giving (existing position)
      • Calling Supervisor — Reports: 12 (Student callers - PT = 6 FTE) (existing position)
      • Assistant Lead — 1 FTE (existing position)
      • Coordinator — 2 FTE (existing position)
      • Assistant — 0.5 FTE (existing position)
    • U of A ThresholdImpact Venture Mentoring Service — 2.5 FTE (existing position)
    • Manager, Events (new position)
      • Events Planners — 5 FTE (existing position)
    • Senior Consultant (existing position)

Notes:

  • Service partner allocation based on combination of UniForum data, external engagement stream discovery data, stakeholder input, and professional judgement

 

Government and Community Relations

Structure for the AVP Government & Community Relations unit

  • AVP GCR (existing position)
    • Executive Assistant (existing position)
    • Director, Government Relations (existing position)
      • GR Consultants — 2 FTE (new position)
      • GR Associate (existing position)
    • Director, GCR Strategic Initiatives (new position)
    • Director, Engagement & Partnerships (existing position)
    • Director, Community Relations (existing position)
    • CR Associate (existing position)

 

University acronyms used:

  • GR: government relations
  • CR: community relations
  • VP USF: VP University Services & Finance
  • VP RI: VP Research & Innovation
  • VP ER: VP External Relations
  • HS: College of Health Sciences
  • NAS: College of Natural & Applied Sciences
  • SSH: College of Social Sciences & Humanities

 

What's next?

Through the remainder of 2021, we will be focused on hiring for the new roles and completing staff transitions into the new structure. We are working on a transition plan to limit disruptions to current activities as well as develop the new processes and policies to support and knit together the organizational architecture.