OUR TALENTED STAFF

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

In Human Resources, I oversee the operations of the payroll unit and payroll staff. In this role I provide guidance for the staff on new and modified procedures, run payroll processes, validate errors and run audit reports to validate payroll results. Additionally, I help support internal and external auditors during our rigorous auditing process, implement procedural changes as required and apply internal policies such as yearly salary increases according to collective agreement changes. Finally, I prepare year end reporting such as validating year end amounts for T4 and Relevé 1 and develop/implement payroll unit objectives and operating plans.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

Many manual processes supported by numerous paper forms and the sheer volume of transactions represent a great challenge for the Human Resources - Payroll operations. Learning 13 separate collective agreements also represented a challenge.

This has been my first encounter with Higher Education administration and it’s certainly been enriching experiences.

What is the most rewarding part of the job?

Pay is a very sensitive subject. Paying all employees accurately and on time is the ultimate success. Even when an error does occur, I always remind my team that + 99% of the pays are accurate. I always find it rewarding to find a solution to help reduce the stress of an employee in a difficult situation.

Additionally, having had the opportunity over the last 18 months to work on the UNITY project and increase Concordia’s competitive edge is very satisfying.

Has your job changed you in any way?

The teamwork I’ve experienced from across the university to make Concordia shine, is a great feeling.  It makes me want to participate in all the successes yet to come. Concordia is a great community and it’s very rewarding. I’m proud to be part of it. As a person, it is very gratifying to feel the help and support of all employees towards many humanitarian causes.

What is one of your favourite memories from Concordia?

The hustle and bustle of a university campus, like a busy beehive, is energizing. The cyclic event of a new term, with a new cohort of students, keeps us all on our toes. In the difficult times we are all experiencing at this moment, I feel the lack of human contact that is normally part of my day-to-day job even more.

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

I’ve recently taken on a new role at Facilities Management as Manager of Program Optimization, External Contracts and Sustainability. I work with a team of 15 to develop programs that ensure our 65 buildings are performing effectively through energy management strategies, sustainability initiatives and maintenance programs.

My goal is to improve our University through our zero waste sustainability initiatives, reducing our water and energy consumption, building robust maintenance programs and working in partnership with our external contractors.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

Before COVID-19 changed the way that we work in an unprecedented way, I took on the role of acting Senior Director of Property management over seeing the property management team: over 100 essential service staff responsible for maintaining the physical assets across both campuses. We needed to quickly come up with schedules for onsite staffing and remote monitoring to ensure the safety of our buildings and personnel. Managing the flow of information, the safety obligations and the schedules of such a large team was extremely challenging.

I am so proud of how these people showed true resilience and dedication in changing the way we work, with some of us working from home and others required to come on site to ensure our buildings and infrastructure remained safe. It was extremely rewarding to see the commitment from the team and the way everyone rallied together in a time of such uncertainty.

What is the most rewarding part of the job?

I have been privileged to have many opportunities at Concordia. Concordia has allowed me to accomplish my professional goals as part of a community that contributes to something greater. Throughout my 18 years in Facilities Management in four different roles, I have come to see that everything we do supports the incredible teaching and research that happens here. I have been able to support students and faculty in all sorts of projects, experiments and activities. The work that is done in our university is so diverse and has wide-reaching impact beyond our campus. Having a front row seat to this amazing work and knowing that my day-to-day work helps make it possible is the most rewarding part of my job.

Concordia has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and there is an immense sense of pride that I have in giving back to an organization and a community that has given me so much.

Has your job changed you in any way?

I started at Concordia as a new grad myself, taking on the role of systems administrator providing IT support to Facilities Management. Overtime that role evolved to developing and maintaining IT systems to support building operations that increasingly relied on computer technologies. As those systems got more complex, I took on process improvement as part of my role and from there have developed the programs that support continuous improvement across our unit. I have picked up many skills along the way and my job has changed my approach in taking complex situations and breaking them down into next actionable steps.

What is one of your favourite memories from Concordia?

One of my favourite memory comes from developing the Facilities Management’s internship program. Combining the mission of our department with that of the Institute for Cooperative Education, we have creating hands-on learning experiences for over a dozen students in engineering and business. The co-op program has been running since 2012 and we have had great graduates go on to do amazing things.  

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

As the Senior Analyst for Budget and Business Development, my responsibilities move mainly in three domains: the operating budget and capital budget (consolidating budgets from different areas within VPSS); analysing strengths and risks to support senior management in decision-making; and financial modeling of specific projects.

Inherent to these are other responsibilities, such as the analysis of requests to spend and reporting, among others.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

My biggest challenge is anticipating the information required by senior management, trying to analyse situations from their perspective and thereby producing the most meaningful analysis possible, at the right time.

What is the most rewarding part of the job?

When a colleague says, “this is precisely what I was looking for”, about the work I’ve produced.

Has your job changed you in any way?

More than changed, it reconfirmed how important collaboration is to obtain good results.

What is one of your favorite memories from Concordia?

Concordia is a big organization, with many areas, many fields of expertise and extraordinarily competent individuals. I find it amazing how everyone’s talents and competences come together to produce such a strong and important institution. Each simple meeting reveals this reality and establishes a good memory.  

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

The Desktop Technologies team I manage is responsible for managing Concordia’s computers, meaning laptops, desktops, tablets and virtual machines. We define the standard computer models and configuration, create deployment images and maintain and upgrade the computers through their lifespan.

We are responsible for testing and deploying software and manage program licenses under enterprise agreements. Additionally, we develop and implement policies, processes and best practices to improve the management of our computer fleet. Finally, we manage contracts, vendors, and various external providers and handle the third level IT support for the community.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

The biggest challenge I’ve faced took place this spring, when Concordia shifted to virtual learning, teaching and working due to COVID-19. We had to adapt our processes, implement new methods and technology, while assuring service continuity and excellence to the Concordia community.

What is the most rewarding part of the job?

The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that what we are doing helps the university provide a service that has great and long-term impacts on the lives of our students.

Has your job changed you in any way?

Definitely. I’ve learned a lot and have evolved as a professional and a person. I’ve had the chance to be part of a great team and meet great people. It’s very enriching.

What is one of your favourite memories from Concordia?

A student once took the time to leave a handwritten note at the IITS reception desk to thank me for the help my team provided. We had given him access to a system he needed to write his exam. Attached to the note was an A+ grade and he provided me with an A+ memory.

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

As a supervisor in the Security department, I provide leadership to security agents and ensure that the level of service provided meets the expectation of the department and the university community.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

In security we face lots of unexpected and challenging situations and it is hard to pick one.  The one thing I can say is that regardless of how bad some of those situations were, we always pulled together as a department and community and came out the other end a little stronger.

What is the most rewarding part of the job?

The most rewarding part of my job is the opportunity to work and respond to challenging situations and achieve great results. As a team, that “mission accomplished” feeling is one I enjoy sharing with my colleagues on a regular basis.

Has your job changed you in any way?

I believe that because my job involves interacting with and helping people on a regular basis, it has influenced my overall sense of community. Working at Concordia has driven me to be involved in my community and several non-profit organizations that help others.

What is one of your favourite memories from Concordia?

After 30 years I have lots of great memories but right now, I would have to say that it is receiving this recognition.

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

I provide support to the director, managers and professional staff in Environmental Health and Safety. I also oversee the budget, purchasing and personnel files within the department and maintain efficient and effective administrative processes on both campuses.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

The biggest challenge over the years has been adapting to new directors and adjusting to the way each of them operated. It’s kept me on my toes.

What is the most rewarding part of the job?

The most rewarding part of my job is working in the service sector and meeting some wonderful people.

Has your job changed you in any way?

My job is always changing to adapt to the needs of the community and government regulations.

What is one of your favourite memories from Concordia?

One of my favourite memories is bringing my dog to the Concordia Shuffle. He is a tiny yorkshire terrier and I had to carry him most of the way. It was quite the workout!

What are some of your responsibilities at the university?

As Manager of Academic and International Conferences, I lead and work closely with different groups to help design, plan and deliver major conferences on campus. The aim is to gather researchers and host local, national and international conferences while showcasing Concordia. I also work with external partners such as Tourism Montreal to foster best practices and remain aware of what’s going on in and around our beautiful city.

What has been your biggest challenge during your time here?

Pre-COVID, my biggest challenge was taking on the role of Conference Services Manager as a maternity leave replacement. Managing a team of nine and maintaining our conference service operations while also coordinating 6 additional maternity leaves, knowledge transfers and training within a year was a big challenge!

Post-COVID, one of the biggest challenges has been adapting to our new virtual landscape. Where previously we’d help plan over 500 in-person events, meetings, fairs, conferences, and seminars annually, we’ve now had to redefine our services in a virtual space. Through extensive research and with the approval of Roger Coté, our new virtual services are not only providing a much-needed service to our community but also providing a new revenue stream.

What is the most rewarding part of the job?

The most rewarding part of my role is being able to meet, work and collaborate with so many different members of the Concordia community. I get to see their perspectives on what they are trying to accomplish in order to advance their research, which ultimately leads to a better future for us all. I love being able to play a small part in contributing towards its success. 

In our fast-paced and ever-changing environment, I truly enjoy being able to find creative solutions to everyday problems. Big or small, events are instrumental in creating value, changing behavior and providing support for organisations. I thrive to do just that, “When we meet, we change the world.”  

I’m also fortunate to work with such a close-knit team. A group of individuals who are not afraid to take on challenges and see them through. Particularly in recent times, I am truly inspired and amazed at how we work together to make things happen. Making things a little bit better for our community. Through thick and thin – particularly as we are all working from home – everyone stays positive and supports each other. For every leader you meet, there is a team of leaders behind them.

Has your job changed you in any way?

As much as I see myself as a change-maker, this role has also certainly changed and shaped me. My role allows me to learn something new everyday and I get to experience the world through the eyes of an engineering researcher, a staff member focused on a community engagement or a student running a hackathon. And just when I think I’ve seen it all, I come across a new situation or challenge I didn’t know could happen. 

This job reminds me to always be a little more open-minded, a little more knowledgeable and a little more curious about the world around us.

What is one of your favourite memories from Concordia?

One of my favorite memories at Concordia was working on an institution-wide event called ACFAS back in 2014, which welcomed 5000 participants. With an event of this size, all sectors must work together to make it happen. While there was a lot of hard work and long hours, I fondly remember all the small conversations and laughter ‘behind the scenes’ with my colleagues. It was exciting to work with so many people, with one common goal, and see the results of our collective hard work. 

I look forward to creating similar experiences with the upcoming major conferences to come!