Instructional Assistant

Job Summary

This position provides assistance to faculty, sessional lecturers, teaching assistants, and guest lecturers with the development, coordination, and delivery of materials related to the academic requirements of the Midwifery bachelor’s degree and the Internationally Educated Midwives Bridging Program.

Organizational Status

The Midwifery Program houses the only educational programs for registered midwives in BC. It has a four-year baccalaureate program (Bachelor Degree in Midwifery-BMw) operating as an independent unit within the Department of Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine and prepares graduates for direct entry to practice. As a degree-granting program for a distinct health profession, the program is responsible for its own admissions and selections process, and must be consistent with preparatory, regulatory and certification guidelines described by the College of Midwives of British Columbia (CMBC) and the Midwives Association of British Columbia (MABC). The BMw has cohorts located in Vancouver, Vancouver Island and new cohort forming in Surrey.

The Midwifery Program also houses the Internationally Educated Midwives Bridging Program (IEMBP). One of only two bridging programs in Canada, content is delivered online and in person over a 10 month period. The Midwifery Program, representing a relatively new health profession in the province, is the only resource for the development of future midwifery educators and researchers in British Columbia. The program is also responsible for providing primary clinical faculty development, quality assurance for practicing midwives, and community, inter-professional, and governmental awareness of midwifery practice and research.

Work Performed

-Responsible to assist in the co-ordination, publishing and updating of the academic calendar, including:

• course schedules & timetables
• teaching schedules
• exam schedules
• course checklists/timelines
• guest lecturers and exam invigilators
• classroom bookings
• AV requirements

-Assists faculty and instructors with the selection, preparation, coordination and delivery of course materials, including:

• course syllabi
• course, instructor, and guest lecturer evaluations
• assignment and examination materials
• teaching resource materials
• learning plans
• day-to-day classroom requirements including AV requirements (troubleshooting as required)

-Coordinates the distribution of course materials on behalf of faculty and instructors to students, guest lecturers, and other inter-professional maternity health care providers.

-Assists faculty with resources and material distribution using on-line learning tools (Canvas, Faculty Service Centre, Classroom Booking, and others).

-Assists with the ongoing maintenance and administration of technology enhanced learning systems, including:

• Canvas
• Qualtrics
• Scientia
• Workday (previously FMS)
• Faculty Service Centre

-Contributes to updating the standard operating procedures manual per role.

-Maintains a detailed, up-to-date knowledge of the Midwifery Program in order to respond to general and specific e-mail, telephone and in-person enquiries from Faculty of Medicine departments, other UBC departments, education groups, health sciences schools, faculty, students, and the general public.



-Drafts correspondence in response to inquiries concerning curriculum, timetables, enrollment, UBC and Program policies and procedures, as required.

-Provides administrative support to various academic committee chairs, specifically the Midwifery Undergraduate Program and Curriculum Committees and the IEMBP Program Committee, and their sub-committees as needed.

-Supports faculty members with curriculum-related committee obligations and projects, including communicating with external agencies, preparing documentation and presentation materials.



- Assists with admissions, including applicant interviews.

-Assists with all communications pertaining to confirmed clinical placements, including but not limited to:

• Preceptor confirmation letters
• Student placement agreements for clinical practices
• Distribution of all required documentation for clinical placements including student bios, hospital letters
• Arranges hospital access to student materials ie: hospital id’s, privileges etc. for clinical placements
• Supports clinical evaluations for preceptors and manages all student evaluations of Program
• Manages all clinical payments for preceptors
• Assists the Clinical Education Coordinator with communications, correspondence and coordination of components to ensure clinical placements are scheduled and confirmed -Maintains integrated electronic record keeping and tracking system for clinical placements, student and faculty evaluations, payments, and student practice documentation.
• Acts as a liaison between clinical sites/clinical faculty and the Midwifery Program, as needed.

-Assists with tracking and managing all payments for clinical faculty teaching support and preceptor payments for clinical placements. The role requires an up-to-date knowledge of UBC payment services and platforms. The Instructional Assistant will work with the Midwifery Program Business Manager and the Faculty of Medicine’s Senior Manager for year-end reconciliation of clinical payments and support student payments for educational tools and materials outside of traditional tuition payments.

-The Instructional Assistant works closely with all faculty throughout the academic year to support and manage the scheduling and organization of all academic classroom requirements including but not limited to:

• Works with the UBC Curriculum Management Database (Scientia) to schedule all academic courses for student registration
• Organizes and meets with the Course Leads for each academic year to build the academic calendar for their courses
• Liaises with all faculty members to ensure smooth delivery of all sessions by identifying any scheduling conflicts, room requirements, faculty teaching needs etc.
• Finalizes all course schedules and calendars for the academic year and maintains information as changes are identified and ensures appropriate distribution of information

- Works closely with MedIT Resource Coordination at UBC and BCW’s SIM Clinical Education group to identify and organize all required rooms needed for the academic year. Requirements include but are not limited to:

• Submission of curriculum/teaching booking requests including advanced requests
• Reviews the academic calendar once confirmations are received and identifies any changes needed/requests refused
• Works with faculty to adjust the teaching schedule to accommodate changes needed to establish appropriate teaching space/times
• Ensures all video conference (VC) capabilities are assigned as requested by faculty
• Troubleshoots any challenges/revisions as needed and supports faculty, staff and students in all ad hoc space requests throughout the academic year

- Assists with the planning and implementation of workshops, public events, seminars and student functions including venue, catering, materials, sales, and marketing.

General Administration:

- Responsible for the organization and coordination of materials and participants for the Midwifery Undergraduate Program and Curriculum Committees and the IEMBP Program Committee, including agenda, minute taking and distribution.

- Provides administrative support to the Midwifery Program Director, the Midwifery Administrative Business Manager, the Midwifery Undergraduate Program Lead, and the IEMBP Program Lead with regards to the daily and specialized operations of the Midwifery educational programs.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

Must exercise considerable judgement initiating and carrying through with various activities critical to the functioning of the Midwifery Program in the absence of established policies, procedures and guidelines. Exercising poor judgement, ineffective communications, or lack of confidentiality could result in strained relations that compromise the Divisional activities and the Midwifery Program. The Director, Administrator, Student Services Manager and/or Program Head may need to intercede in order to resume a productive working relationship.

Supervision Received

Reports to the Student Services Manager. Works closely with other Instructional Assistants, the Undergraduate Program Lead and IEMBP Lead to facilitate the daily and special operations of the Midwifery Undergraduate Program and the IEMBP. Supports faculty, instructors, preceptors, and guest lecturers as noted above. The incumbent is expected to take initiative, problem solve, determine appropriate course of action and follow through.

Supervision Given

The position does not have direct supervisory responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications
High School graduation, plus two year post-secondary diploma, plus four years of related experience, or an equivalent 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

• Knowledge of UBC database programs such as the Faculty Services Centre FSC, and Classroom Booking programs desirable.
• Knowledge of UBC Financial Management System Workday an asset.
• 4 years related experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Computer experience required Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and virtual meeting platforms.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
• Ability to deal with a diversity of people in a calm, courteous, and effective manner.
• Ability to perform word processing at 60words per minute.
• Ability to effectively use word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, internet publishing applications at an intermediate level.
• Ability to prioritize and work effectively under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• Ability to take and transcribe accurate meeting minutes.
• Ability to analyze problems, identify key information and issues, and effectively resolve.
• Ability to exercise tact and discretion.
• Ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail.
• Ability to work effectively independently and in a team environment.
• Ability to exercise initiative, organizational skills, and diplomacy.