Job Architecture

Overview

Job Architecture is a framework that organizes jobs across the University. 

It groups similar jobs together based on the work being performed, regardless of department or faculty. Jobs are organized into Job Family Groups, Job Families, Career Tracks, and Levels, creating a clear and consistent structure across the institution. 

Each role is linked to a Job Profile that defines the purpose, core accountabilities, qualifications, and level of the role. 

Job Architecture helps employees and leaders: 

  • Understand where a role fits within the University 
  • Explore career growth and development opportunities 
  • Have more effective conversations about career progression 
  • Better understand how roles relate to one another across the institution 

Job Family Groups and Job Families

Job Family Groups and Job Families organize roles based on the nature of the work being performed. Job Family Groups represent broad categories of related work, while Job Families identify more specific areas of expertise, responsibility, or specialization within those categories. Together they provide a consistent framework for organizing roles across the University, regardless of department or reporting structure, and help employees and leaders understand how different roles relate to one another within the broader Strategic Talent & Performance Framework. 

The table below outlines Waterloo's Job Family Groups and the Job Families within each group. 

Job Family Group 

Job Family

Academic Delivery  

Responsible for the management and delivery of all academic programs for the University

Academic Delivery Support

Academic Leadership

Academic Program Administration 

Laboratory Support 

Academic Services 

Manages various academic services for university faculty and student including advising and library and research services  

Academic Administration 

Academic Advising 

Academic Technical Support 

Admissions 

Library & Archives  

Campus Experience 

Manages and implements programs related to campus life 

Athletics & Recreation 

Career & Employment 

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion  

Financial Aid 

Medical Health & Wellness  

Student & Campus Support  

Communications & Marketing 

Responsible for creating and managing communications and relations with internal and external groups 

Communications 

Digital Marketing 

Event Management 

Marketing  

Facilities  

Responsible for facility planning, development, repair, clean-up work, security operations and overall EH&S programs, processes and procedures at various facilities  

Environmental Health & Safety  

Facilities Planning & Logistics 

Food & Culinary Services 

Maintenance & Custodial 

Security, Protection, and Transportation  

Financial Services 

Responsible for financial management related to a variety of operational and functional areas of the university  

Accounting 

Financial Planning & Reporting 

Procurement 

Treasury  

Governance & Legal 

Focuses on the full spectrum of the university’s risks and managing the combined impact  

Governance 

Legal  

Quality Assurance 

Risk Management  

Relationship & Revenue Development  

Engages in business development activities driving the creation of long-term value and growth 

Advancement & Alumni Engagement  

Business Development 

Student Recruitment  

Talent & Culture 

Responsible for all areas of people management in the university throughout an employee’s lifecycle 

Faculty Relations 

Human Resources Advisory 

Human Resources Operations 

Learning & Organizational Development  

Talent Acquisition 

Talent Management 

Total Rewards  

Technology & Analytics 

Responsible for designing, developing, managing, modifying, testing, and implementing information technology solutions 

Analytics & Reporting  

Application Development 

Business Systems Analysis 

Data & Network Management 

IT Infrastructure & Systems 

IT Projects 

IT Security  

IT Support  

University Leadership 

Manages one or more functions in the university with a focus on strategic planning and development  

Administrative Management 

University Support 

Supports the business to achieve strategic goals and operational activities  

Administrative Support 

Customer Service 

Operations 

Project & Program Management 

Research & Innovation 

Research & Program Support 

Strategy & Planning  

Career Tracks

Career Tracks group roles based on the type of contribution they make and the nature of career progression associated with those roles. While roles within a given Job Family deliver a function to the University, they belong to different Career Tracks depending on whether they focus on support, technical expertise, professional practice, people leadership, or executive leadership.