The UWSA is seeking a Chief Returning Officer (CRO) to lead the implementation and oversight of the annual UWSA elections for directors and president. The CRO plays a vital role in ensuring the election process is fair, transparent, and aligned with UWSA bylaws and policies. The role is supported by UWSA staff and works closely with a small Elections Working Group.
Openings: 1
Deadline: June 5, 2026
Term: July 1, 2026 – March 31, 2028, covering two annual election cycles
What’s involved
The Chief Returning Officer is responsible for administering and overseeing the UWSA election process, including:
- Reviewing and following all election-related bylaws, policies, and protocols.
- Coordinating the election timeline with support from the UWSA Operations Team.
- Communicating with candidates throughout the election process.
- Working with UWSA staff to set up and manage the election in Simply Voting, including ballots and eligible voter lists.
- Recruiting and coordinating a small Elections Working Group to verify election results.
- Confirming and communicating election results to candidates, the Governance & Nominating Committee chair, and UWSA staff.
- Attending the UWSA Annual Meeting to answer questions about the election process, as needed.
Qualifications
This role is well suited to UWSA members who are:
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Detail-oriented, organized, and comfortable managing timelines and processes.
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Committed to equity, transparency, and fairness in governance and decision making.
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Able to handle sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality.
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Clear and timely communicators, comfortable corresponding with candidates and committee members.
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Confident working with digital tools (training and staff support provided).
All UWSA Voting Members are eligible to apply.
Time commitment
The workload is seasonal and concentrated around the election period in October. The CRO can expect to spend a couple of hours most weeks in September and October reviewing processes and corresponding with UWSA staff and candidates.
The CRO is expected to attend the annual meeting (typically the fourth Thursday in October) to give a brief report to members and answer any questions. Support is provided by UWSA staff, and a detailed timeline is supplied each summer.
Participation rights and recognition
Members have the right to participate in UWSA business under the Memorandum of Agreement between the UWSA and the University of Waterloo, as long as participation does not unreasonably interfere with a member’s duties to the University.
Upon request, the CRO will receive a letter from the UWSA president and relevant committee chair outlining contributions to the role and its value to the Association, for use in performance appraisal.
How to apply
Please submit the UWSA committee application form by June 5. Applications will be reviewed by June 19.
Questions can be directed to the UWSA Communications Officer.