Staff - Non Union

Job Category

Job Profile

Job Title

Department

Compensation Range

The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.

Posting End Date

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary

Student Communications Services (SCS) provides communications leadership and support to UBC's Office of the Vice-President, Students (VPSO) and Enrolment Services (ES). This role is part of a cross-functional team that works collaboratively to build and maintain a student-centred digital and communications ecosystem for UBC Vancouver students across web, social, email, blog, and other platforms.

Student Communications Services is undergoing a large-scale project to migrate, rebuild, and decommission websites and applications in support of an updated, flexible, web infrastructure for students.

The Senior Web Developer leads large-scale and high impact web development projects for the Web and Digital Products team within SCS.

This position actively champions, fosters and ensures the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged in the work they perform.

The Senior Web Developer will specialize in the development and implementation of custom websites, with a focus on WordPress. This role will collaborate closely with other SCS team members within Student Communication Services to provide technical leadership and expertise on web technologies related to custom website development, and will work on a cross-functional team to develop and implement website and applications built for students.

Organizational Status

The Senior Web Developer reports to the Senior Manager, Web and Digital Products, while working closely with content strategists, web developers, designers, content creators to execute on web projects. This role may also work closely with other units across the university in relation to these projects.

Work Performed

Technical leadership and expertise

Work on a cross-functional team to develop and code a scalable design system built for student-facing websites

• Lead the technical development and maintenance of custom websites, with a focus on WordPress, Drupal, and other platforms (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP)

Consult with stakeholders to analyze project requirements, provide work estimates and recommendations, and informs project plans, timelines, budgets, and scope

Collaborate with technical staff throughout the university on the strategic planning and technical infrastructure related to custom website development

Provide expertise and guidance on best practices in custom website development, including performance optimization and scalability (HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP)

Operational support and leadership

Establishes, leads and oversees quality assurance and testing procedures

Responsible for the development of standards, manuals, reports, and documentation to support internal processes and projects

Identifies areas of improvement or optimization of existing processes within the Web and Digital Products team

Provide recommendations, plans, and guidance on sustainment and maintenance of technical and design systems

Research and evaluation

Research, evaluate, test, and advise on new technology solutions

Examine best practices and trends at comparable institutions and across industry sectors

Evaluate and implement technology solutions for project and/or operational needs (e.g. project management, collaboration and communication tools)

Work with stakeholder groups to conduct user research/usability research to inform/validate technical direction and decisions

Consequence of Error/Judgement

This position provides leadership in developing tools and systems deployed across Vice-President Students and Enrolment Services portfolio and directly develops and maintains some of the highest-profile digital channels of the university. Poor decision-making would have a negative impact on digital properties across the entire university with a significant impact on the brand equity and reputation of the university, and the potential risk of significantly increasing the financial cost to build and maintain digital properties at UBC.

Supervision Received

Works independently under the general guidance of the Senior Manager, Web and Digital Products.

Works in partnership and collaboration with other developers, designers, content strategist on the team, under the overall direction of the Senior Manager, Web and Digital Products. Works with considerable latitude and minimal supervision.

May work in partnership with other internal university units on larger university initiatives that impact students.

Work is reviewed periodically to assess performance and ensure achievement of project goals.

Supervision Given

May lead recruitment, hiring, training, professional development, and supervision of some SCS team members and student staff.

Provides leadership and mentorship to staff involved in specific communications projects as needed. May give direction to external service providers.

Minimum Qualifications

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of three years of related experience, or the 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

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Undergraduate degree in related post-secondary training or an equivalent combination of experience or education in a related discipline. Minimum of three years' experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Technical skills:

Experience in web programming and development, ideally in a complex organizational environment

Expert HTML, CSS, and JavaScript skills

Expert knowledge of web programming and application development

Experience working in a LAMP stack (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP)

Experience implementing front-end framework implementation (React, Angular, Vue)

Experience with additional programming languages and relational database management systems a definite asset

Demonstrated experience serving as or working closely with a system administrator to install, configure, and maintain web server infrastructure

Experience with APIs

Experience with version control software (e.g. Git)

Experience building or modifying templates and building websites for content management systems (WordPress, Drupal, or other open source content management platforms), HTML email and mass mailing tools, and cloud-based web applications

Knowledge of web analytics monitoring packages and other site management tools

Knowledge of web accessibility (WCAG), web standards (W3C)

Knowledge of performance optimization techniques

Communication and interpersonal skills:

Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written

Ability to impart technical information clearly to various non-technical audiences and collaborators

Ability to work effectively within a cross-functional team member

Ability to work collaboratively and to give and receive feedback productively

Ability to use tact and discretion when working with confidential or sensitive information

Expressed commitment to supporting equity-deserving student populations and an inclusive workplace

Organizational and planning skills:

Demonstrated ability to accurately estimate and scope development work

Demonstrated organizational skills in project and time management, with an ability to work under pressure to meet multiple deadlines

Meticulous work habits and a keen attention to detail

Knowledge of the university and its policies, goals, mission, and issues would be a definite asset

Solid understanding of the principles and practices of digital communications

Ability to work effectively both independently and in a collaborative team with a diverse range of partners and colleagues across campus

Problem-solving and flexibility:

Excellent problem solving or troubleshooting skills

High level of initiative, curiosity, and willingness to experiment and innovate

Attention to detail and judgment in all work

Flexibility and ability to seek creative ideas to solving problems and identifying new opportunities

Ability to work in a flexible, changing environment

Demonstrated willingness to learn and continually upgrade skills

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.