Trades Client Services Specialist

Your Opportunity

• Under the direction of the Manager, Trades Programs, the Trades Client Services Specialist is responsible for leading the Trades Client Service Team in effective admission and registration processes, maximizing team functional efficiencies, and providing and promoting excellent client service.
• This position will analyze current procedures, streamline processes, and propose and implement practices related to Trades student information systems, registration, and records within the broader context of College policies.
• The Trades Client Services Specialist is expected to be innovative in the use of technology, process improvements and communications, and act as the first point of contact for guidance for the Trades Client Service Team. The position will also support of the Trades Management Team with overall information management.

Functions and Duties

• Coordinates the efforts of the Trades Client Service Team, fostering a team approach, ensuring efficient and consistent employment of application and registration processes, and overall excellence in customer service


• Provides oversight to the Trades Client Service Team by:
• Acting as the first point of contact and providing guidance and resolution;
• Prioritizes and assigns work on a daily basis;
• Schedules additional staff as required;
• Addresses and resolves day-to-day work problems;
• Provides feedback with performance management;
• Recruits, hires, and trains regular and non-regular employees;
• Orientates and identifies support staff training needs and implements training to meet job requirements;


• Develops, maintains and documents Trades Client Service Team procedures, program scheduling, and student information tools; analyzes current systems and processes, proposes and tests efficiency improvements, implements solutions in consultation with the Trades Management Team
• Reviews current student information systems and provides recommendations for improvements; works with Manager, Trades Programs, Trades Management Team, IT Services, Registrar’s Office and Scheduling, Business (Culinary Arts) to coordinate efforts in this area
• Administers the integration of information between systems, including TIMS and Banner, or other systems, as required
• Leads the coordination and implementation of effective and efficient strategies to deliver information to students, prospective students, applicants and other appropriate stakeholders; creates and maintains outgoing student communication templates, including admissions (letters, emails, web-based notifications, CRM notifications)
• Participates in the hiring process as a part of the Selection Committee for the Trades Client Services Team; assists the Manager, Trades Programs with developing staff training materials; provides training and orientation to Client Services Assistants; provides recommendations for team training
• Supports Trades Coordinator and Trades Management Team with human resources-related tasks, tools and systems, including processing of staffing actions and coordinating information to support staffing-related procedures or training
• Responds promptly and accurately to inquiries, concerns and requests about programs, applications, registration and services, including making appropriate referrals to internal college community, external partners and resources, as required
• Provides detailed policy, admissions and registration information for Trades & Apprenticeship, advises applicants and students on trades-specific provincial apprenticeship requirements
• Works collaboratively with government agencies and Okanagan College departments to assist students in identifying available Trades student supports and incentives
• Assesses and processes applications and determines program admissibility, reviews supporting documentation and ensures paperwork is complete before forwarding to the Registrar’s Office
• Maintains application lists for high demand, limited enrolment, ranked and multiple intake programs, creates and maintains program waitlists and activates applicants from waitlists
• Assists students through the process of admission and registration for course sections while ensuring adherence to all College admission policies
• Assists other campuses and centers with Trades & Apprenticeship registration and admission issues
• Enters, verifies and updates the details of student academic records in the student information systems, and the Industry Training Authority online system for Apprenticeship and Foundation programs
• Prepares, analyzes and distributes official Okanagan College documents and reports such as class lists, student course schedules, final grade sheets, unofficial transcripts and verification of enrolments in the Trades Information Management System (TIMS) database
• Accepts and records payments related to application and course fees and other similar payments; reconciles a daily statement of financial transactions
• Liaises with internal and external stakeholders such as Financial Services, Financial Aid and Awards, Registrar’s Office, and third party sponsors to coordinate enrolment, admissions, payment, transfers, and information system coordination
• Organizes Program Advisory Committee meetings and takes meeting minutes
• Administers ITA exam scheduling, coordinates with ITA Client Relations Coordinator Assessments and ITA Exam CSRs to resolve exam scheduling issues
• Creates and prepares internal reports from student information systems, including enrolment, information on equity-seeking groups and other data
• Compiles data from various sources to determine best practices in Trades student information and supports
• Supports Trades Coordinator and Manager, Trades Programs with organizing Department Chairs or other meetings and agendas and keeping minutes, as required

Education and Experience

• Graduation from a two-year post-secondary diploma in Office Administration or equivalent.
• A minimum of four years’ experience in office administration, with a minimum of two years’ experience using the Trades Information Management System (TIMS), Banner, Argos and other database systems for student records and registration.
• Experience working with the Industry Training Authority (ITA), ITA Direct Access, and exam booking, along with demonstrated success with progressively more complex tasks and responsibility within the Trades Client Services Team is also an asset.

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to multi-task, organize, prioritize and maintain accurate records
• Ability to communicate effectively with staff, students, and the public
• Ability to maintain interpersonal relationships and exercise courtesy, tact and discretion
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and deal effectively with the needs of faculty and students
• Proven ability to manage workload effectively and support overall team effectiveness
• Proficiency in developing and evaluating procedures
• Critical thinking and problem solving skills
• Technical aptitude to work with complex information systems
• Aptitude for contributing to the design of and working with new systems and software
• Sufficient confidence and competence with systems to provide recommendations for improvement
• Research skills with the ability to analyze and synthesize data, deliver findings and recommendations
• Demonstrated leadership in effective work practices, both independently and as part of a team
• Advanced level and proficiency in Microsoft Office

Our Values

• Students first: Creating meaningful life-long educational opportunities of the highest quality for alumni, current, and future students is at the heart of everything we do.
• Community: We are one College. We enthusiastically embrace the opportunity to work with, learn from, and support everyone we encounter collaboratively and collegially.
• Respect: We welcome, embrace, and celebrate that which make us unique in creating an environment in which every individual is valued, affirming our commitment to human dignity for all.
• Courage: We are courageous in our actions in areas that contribute to positive change in our communities and beyond. We have the courage to be vulnerable. We are truthful, sincere, and act ethically with honesty and fairness.
• Relationships: We steward meaningful relationships built on a foundation of reciprocity. We are compassionate, empathic, and care for the holistic well-being of students, employees, community members, and the land.
• Distinction: We choose activities in which we can achieve excellence and positively impact society.