Postdoctoral Affairs Officer

Description

About us:

The School of Graduate Studies (SGS) promotes University-wide inclusive excellence in graduate education, research and professional training to ensure high standards across the various academic divisions, as well as supporting postdoctoral Scholars. SGS defines and administers University-wide regulations for graduate education. We share responsibility for graduate education with graduate units and divisions and operates through a system of collegial governance, consultation, and decanal leadership.

SGS also provides expertise and advice; reviews the design and delivery of programs; develops performance standards; supports access, equitable inclusion, fairness, and ethical conduct in graduate education; organizes services and financial assistance to graduate students; encourages a close and positive relationship between research and graduate instruction and represents the cause of graduate education at the University of Toronto and in the broader academic and general community.

More information about the School of Graduate Studies is at: http://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/Pages/default.aspx

Your opportunity:

This is a unique opportunity for an administratively skilled professional with a background in human resources and/or business administration, including experience with hiring, onboarding, payroll, and labour relations, who is looking to grow their expertise while providing central support to divisions and their postdoctoral scholars at the University of Toronto. As a key member of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) team, the Postdoctoral Affairs Officer plays a meaningful role in shaping the experience of postdoctoral scholars across the University, contributing to SGS's broader mission of fostering excellence in graduate education and research.

Working under the general direction of the Associate Director, Graduate Awards, Operations and Postdoctoral Affairs, the Postdoctoral Affairs Officer serves as the primary resource for postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and administrators on postdoctoral policy, procedures, and awards. The incumbent is responsible for performing a wide range of day-to-day activities to support the smooth and efficient operation of the fast-paced Postdoctoral Office. The role requires strong skills in issue assessment, case management, stakeholder consultation, conflict resolution, and collective agreement administration. It calls for research and problem-solving skills and the ability to apply institutional policy to nuanced, case-by-case situations. In return, it offers the opportunity to build deep expertise in postdoctoral affairs administration, develop relationships across divisions and central administrative units, and contribute to initiatives supporting researchers at a critical career stage.

The incumbent facilitates timely communication and coordination, referring complex issues to the appropriate office for guidance and resolution, and demonstrates initiative and good judgement in handling enquiries independently where appropriate. The incumbent also proactively identifies opportunities to streamline processes and tracking mechanisms, making recommendations to the Associate Director.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Overseeing day-to-day operational needs of the unit; Determining actionable items based on the review of applicable information
• Acting as the first point of contact for payroll related enquiries
• Proactively works with the departments and central human resources services to ensure that any required system changes are implemented to facilitate all record keeping.
• Advising academic and administrative staff on financial matters and reporting requirements
• Liaising with internal contacts to resolve accounting, payroll and/or HRIS processing issues
• Collecting and passing on information that supports the onboarding of new hires
• Verifying that personnel transactions are processed according to applicable policies, procedures, collective agreements and applicable legislated requirements
• Responding to escalated complaints using informal negotiation skills
• Assessing and revising processes that support administrative activities and objectives
• Keeping well-informed on policies, rules, regulations and guidelines
• Disseminating information; Probing for information to establish needs
• Acting as the primary contact for enquiries pertaining to funding opportunities as well as advising on pre and post research award administration providing options and solutions
• Exchanging information at formal department and/or program committee meetings; Maintaining records of committee decisions
• Acting as the first point of contact for payroll related enquiries; Troubleshooting and resolving payroll discrepancies
• Updating and maintaining database records
• Implementing plans and process improvements for administrative workflow
• Reconciling accounts; Generating standard financial reports; Identifying and resolving individual financial discrepancies

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Commerce or Management, Human Resources or a related discipline, or an acceptable equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum five (5) years of recent and related experience in a fast-paced, high-volume, frontline customer service environment, with a focus on business administration and awards, preferably in a post-secondary or research-intensive institution, including account monitoring, reconciliation, reporting, and interpreting collective agreements and policy.
• Superior customer service and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with postdoctoral fellows, faculty members, and other key stakeholders
• Experience onboarding, payroll and personnel administration, including experience maintaining personnel records in accordance with applicable institutional policies
• Knowledge of University policies, procedures, and collective agreements relevant to postdoctoral fellow employment
• Demonstrated experience with financial administration, including account monitoring, reconciliation, and reporting
• Demonstrated ability to work with high volume and tight deadlines while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Ability to interpret and apply guidelines and policies to a variety of situations in order to ensure adherence and provide direction
• Highly developed problem-solving and analytical skills
• High degree of computer and internet literacy, including excellent working knowledge of MS Office Suite
• Superior oral and written communication skills; ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Good judgement, tact and discretion in dealing with sensitive information
• Ability to work both independently and in a team environment
• Demonstrated ability to adapt to new practices and procedures quickly and accurately

Assets:

• Processing entries in an HRIS and FIS
• Direct experience supporting postdoctoral fellows
• Direct experience administering awards

Skills:

• Highly proficient computer skills (M365 – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint), databases and HRIS.

Note: This is a one (1) year term position, with possibility to renew and secondments are welcome.

Closing Date: 10/13/2026, 11:59PM ET
Employee Group: USW
Appointment Type: Budget - Term
Schedule: Full-Time Note: This is a one (1) year term position.
Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone:
USW Pay Band 12 -- $84,564 with an annual step progression to a maximum of $108,145. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation/Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.
Job Category: Student Services

Lived Experience Statement
Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.

Job descriptions are available upon request for internal applicants.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP.

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact uoft.careers@utoronto.ca.

Job Segment: Payroll, Information Systems, HR, HRIS, Developer, Finance, Human Resources, Technology

Organization

Established in 1827, the University of Toronto is Canada's largest university, recognized as a global leader in research and teaching. U of T's distinguished faculty, institutional record of groundbreaking scholarship and wealth of innovative academic opportunities continually attract outstanding students and academics from around the world.

U of T is committed to providing a learning experience that benefits from both a scale almost unparalleled in North America and from the close-knit learning communities made possible through its college system and academic divisions. Located in and around Toronto, one of the world's most diverse regions, U of T's vibrant academic life is defined by a unique degree of cultural diversity in its learning community. The University is sustained environmentally by three green campuses, where renowned heritage buildings stand beside award-winning innovations in architectural design.

U of T is one of Canada's Top 100 Employers.
U of T is one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers.

Are you looking for a challenging, meaningful career in a supportive and diverse environment?

We offer challenging work within an open environment that celebrates diversity in all its forms. Our focus is on creating a positive work environment that attracts and retains excellent employees through a combination of competitive compensation, favourable working conditions, opportunities for career growth and development and a unique organizational culture.

Employees have access to:

• Excellent health and dental benefits;
• On-site support for training and career development;
• Flexible work arrangements;
• Childcare subsidy;
• Tuition waivers;
• Scholarships and/or tuition waivers for dependants;
• Generous paid time off;
• Support on equity and diversity issues;
• On-site child care;
• University Pension Plan;
• Subsidized athletic facility membership;
• World-renowned libraries;
• Confidential counselling services;
• Parking and TTC Metropasses;
• Employee and Family Assistance Plan;
• Continued health benefits for pensioners.