Graduation Specialist

The Graduation Specialist in the Office of the Registrar is responsible for accurate and timely graduation audit and reporting, including verifying students' completion of degree requirements, transcripts, awards, and participation eligibility for graduation ceremonies. On behalf of the Office of the Registrar, this position also works closely with the Coordinator of Transfer Credit and Graduation in partnership with TWU Event Team to deliver a positive student experience at TWU’s graduation ceremonies. As a subject matter expert in graduation audit data, this role proactively identifies systemic issues, streamlines processes through automation, and ensures high data accuracy standards are met.

Key Areas of Accountability

Conduct Undergraduate Program Graduation Audits Accurately and Promptly

• Run undergraduate applicants report.
• Process Exception to Graduation Requirements forms for UG students.
• Complete initial and final program completion audits for all undergraduate students in an error-free manner and on time.
• Maintain graduation eligibility data for students.
• Communicate with students about missing graduation requirements and respond promptly to student queries and concerns.
• Verify program completion and credential conferral dates for all UG students.
• Refer appeals and disputes to the appropriate academic advisors or decision-makers.
• Maintain the accuracy of advising AIM trees, aligning audit rules with evolving checklists structures.
• Track and triage incomplete or problematic graduation applications, providing advanced case handling such as deferrals, reclassifications, or credential eligibility clarifications.
• Serve as a trusted liaison between the Office of the Registrar and internal partners including Advising, Financial Aid, Student Services, and Academic Departments.
• Respond to complex audit inquiries, policy interpretation, and personalized student record analysis.
• Lead and deliver the Graduation Workshop for fourth-year students each semester, using live data insights to improve student awareness and graduation readiness.
• Review and assess old program checklists applied to returning or re-enrolling students. Identify discrepancies between legacy requirements and current curriculum and implement updates in the student information system to ensure accurate graduation audits and program tracking.

Maintain Key Functions in the Student Information System

• Maintain program requirements in the Student Information System and ensure information is up to date.
• Work with the Associate Registrar or designated staff to ensure the Academic Calendar and Jenzabar (Advising Worksheet) are accurate and helpful to students, staff, and faculty.
• Review information in the Advising Worksheet and report inconsistencies, errors, or user experience difficulties based on each program’s advising tree requirements.
• Process UG student program change requests.
• Work with faculty and administrative staff to ensure complete and accurate transcript data.
• Ensure the correct degree rows are current, active, and printing on the student’s transcript when reviewing Student Information in JZ.
• Manage Undergraduate graduation application dates and advising requirement years.
• Extract and send the change-of-major request list to the Advising Office via JZ reports, ensuring accurate assignment of advisors aligned with students’ new academic departments.

Deliver Effective Communication

• Manage scheduled email communications regarding graduation application deadlines, grad audit results, and ceremony participation eligibility.
• Communicate graduation policies to students, staff, and faculty as needed.
• Collaborate with faculty and staff advisors to improve graduation rates.
• Coordinate with front desk teams to align on communication plans, ensuring consistent and accurate information dissemination across campus touchpoints.
• Proactively gather and analyze feedback from students and advisors to continuously improve communication effectiveness and address emerging concerns.
• Archive historical graduation communication templates and track recipient student lists for each outreach to ensure consistency and data traceability.
• Manage scheduled email communications related to the Governor General’s Academic Medal, including outreach to nominators and notification of selected winners.
• Answer policy-based inquiries from students and staff, particularly around GPA thresholds, award eligibility, and graduation criteria.

Graduation Ceremony Planning and Execution

• Serve as the Office of the Registrar’s primary contact for Grad ceremony planning.
• Work with the University Events Team and Marketing and Communications to prepare for and execute graduation ceremonies.
• Manage and maintain accurate student eligibility records for ceremony participation, including checks on academic requirements, financial holds prior to conferral dates entry.
• Coordinate and oversee students’ preparation for participating in the ceremony on the day of the ceremony.
• Provide required data to the University Events team for all graduation ceremonies.
• Work with other service providers on matters related to graduation ceremonies.
• Design and implement procedures for collecting, cleaning, and updating diploma mailing and pickup preferences, ensuring timely and accurate delivery of credentials post-ceremony.
• Generate and distribute custom eligibility reports to academic departments to support ceremony planning and student recognition.
• Oversee the printing, sorting, and packaging of diplomas, including the assembly of diploma covers, ceremony name cards, envelopes, and distinction cords in preparation for the ceremony and mailing.
• Collaborate with external service providers involved in the ceremony logistics, including distinction cords, printing papers, diploma covers.

Awards & Certificates

• Identify and prepare the list and awards for: Dean’s list, Distinction, Great Distinction, Valedictorian, Governor-General Gold and Silver Medals and the certificates.
• Prepare and distribute parchments as needed.
• Prepare and distribute transcripts as needed.
• Provide transfer credit evaluation and Graduate program completion audits as needed.
• Serve as the point of contact for GPA-related criteria, thresholds, and policy clarifications, providing timely and accurate responses to students, staff, and faculty inquiries.
• Calculate GPA for Distinction-level recognitions twice per student: one for ceremony eligibility and the other at final graduation to ensure accurate.
• Submit Governor General award winners to the GG official website and distribute certificates and medals.

The Person

Skills & Abilities

• Skills in managing large data sets.
• Very strong computer/software skills, including various Microsoft software (Excel, Word, Access and others) and ability to learn new software applications.
• Strong planning, organization, and time management skills.
• Superb attention to detail with a focus on systematic improvement.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Customer service oriented, adaptable to change, and eager life‑long learner with a growth mindset.
• Skilled in problem solving.
• Ability to handle pressure and meet strict deadlines.
• Team player and ability to build strong relationships with clients from diverse backgrounds.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of the different types of Canadian and international post‑secondary credentials.
• Knowledge of Canadian and international post‑secondary accreditation categories and accrediting bodies.
• Understanding of the current higher‑education landscape and strategic enrollment concepts is an asset.

Driven and inspired by the idea of positively impacting the various marketplaces of life through the development of godly Christian leaders by serving the Trinity Western University community.

A dedicated and mature evangelical Christian with an earnest desire to serve in family, church, work, and community. Affirms and supports TWU’s mission, values, Statement of Faith, and Community Covenant. Strength of character and reputation, integrity, focused. A winsome personality with a positive and friendly attitude.

Servant‑Leader Way of Life

Act in a manner that exemplifies Jesus Christ in all on and off campus contacts thereby living out the servant leadership mission of the university and contributing effectively towards achieving the institutional and Kingdom goals of the organization.

Key Internal Interactions

All undergraduate faculty advisors, and deans; the Advising Office, Admissions, Admissions Data Services, Provost’s Office, Marcomm, University Event Team, GLOBAL, IT, Calling and Career Development Centre, Laurentian Leadership Centre.

Reports To: Associate Registrar

Key External Stakeholders

Governor General’s Office

Standards & Requirements

Education

Experience

• Experience in managing complex and large volume data.
• Experience in higher education and working with students from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
• 3-5 years required in office settings which includes administrative responsibilities.

Duties and responsibilities that do not constitute a major change may be added, deleted or changed at the discretion of the supervisor to meet institutional requirements either orally or in writing.

Benefits Of Working at TWU

• A comprehensive benefits package which includes extended health, dental, and insurance and an RRSP matching program.
• Annual statutory holidays (14) with generous vacation accruement.
• Tuition Benefit for TWU undergraduate and graduate level courses to enhance knowledge and professional competency.
• Torch tuition scholarship for dependents of eligible employees attending TWU.
• Free access to TWU’s fitness/gym facilities and the Norma Marion Alloway Library.
• Discounts and perks for the on‑site Trinity Western Outfitters Campus Store cafeterias and bookstore, as well as shops and restaurants in Fort Langley.
• Wellness benefits (i.e., counselling, sick days, personal days, and health/wellness spending account).
• Free recreational equipment rentals (e.g., paddle boards, snowshoes, kayaks, etc.).
• Free employee parking on campus.
• Special community events throughout the year.
• Employee and Family Assistance Plan (EFAP).
• A positive Christian fellowship environment.

Trinity Western University encourages applications from all eligible candidates who are able to commit to the University’s mission, values, and Christian identity as articulated in its Statement of Faith and Community Covenant. We are committed to an ethic of inclusion and to the equal treatment of all persons without discrimination in accordance with human rights law.

We particularly invite applications from indigenous people, women, persons with disabilities, and visible minorities. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations during the application process should contact Human Resources.

Trinity Western University is located on the traditional ancestral territory of the Sto:lo people.