Co-op Advisor

This is a temporary, full-time Co-op Advisor position at the University of Waterloo. The role involves supporting students throughout their co-op journey, from job searching and securing work terms to resolving issues during their employment. Key responsibilities include building student advising relationships, guiding them through the co-op process, and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to ensure student success. A minimum of 3 years of student consulting or guidance experience and strong communication and problem-solving skills are required.

• Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is coordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.
• The Co-op Advisor is an integral co-op support, working collaboratively with Account Managers, Account Coordinators, their own team, and in connection with Faculty-aligned colleagues within CEE to ensure success of all Co-operative Education stakeholders.
• Develop strong, supportive advising relationships with students that will aid them in their job search experience.
• Cultivate trust with students through Faculty and program expertise and one-to-one engagement, centering attention on the values and needs of the student seeking service and creating an environment that encourages the development of self-efficacy, resilience and career confidence.
• Provide support to students, leveraging Account Manager and employer relationships where needed.
• Connect with on-campus partners and Faculty-aligned colleagues within CEE to further support students (e.g. Academic Advisors, Career Advisors, Co-op Student Experience Managers, Centre for WIL staff, Faculty Relations Managers, On-Campus Counselling)
• Support the student/supervisor relationship as needed i.e. issue resolution, performance concerns, etc.
• Facilitate the transition of students from work term to academic term while supporting reflection on students’ career trajectory, competencies and skills developed during the work term, and the connection between studies and the world of work.
• Collaborate with other staff including Account Managers and Business Developers to assist with work term situations, maintain or enhance the employer relationship and pursue potential employment opportunities.
• Support other Co-op Advisors in developing and sharing best practices and training guides.
• Deepen Faculty and program expertise, as well as knowledge of skills students develop through intentional engagement and training.
• Collaborate with Co-op Student Experience Managers to help to resolve student concerns and issues in a fair and consistent approach.
• Work with our WIL partners to understand the importance of Professional Development (PD)
• Promote Student Advising Best Practices and Continuous Improvement, participate in professional development opportunities
• Support implementation of University-wide or Co-op student development initiatives.
• Develop training and tools for fellow Co-op Advisors
• Development and/or Counselling would be a strong asset
• Commitment to deepening advising skills through individual reflective practice and professional development, as applicable
• Ability to maintain working knowledge of relevant technology, including MS Office Suite, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools

• Undergraduate University degree required
• Minimum of 3 years of student consulting, guidance and support is required
• Experience developing and maintaining relationships with students, internal and external stakeholders is required
• Active listening, strong verbal and written communication skills and critical problem-solving is essential
• The ability to develop strong and supportive relationships with students from all identities and experiences and have demonstrated experience working with diverse groups
• Ability to learn material and complex processes and work within these structures is required
• An understanding of confidentiality of personal information, and an ability to respect this and work to properly moderate communications accordingly is required
• Ability to manage own schedule and balance competing priorities in a fast-paced work environment is required