Michelle Wagler

Leads a team of 8 full-time administrative staff and approximately 80 full-time & part-time faculty members.

• Serves as a senior advisor on all operational matters, overseeing Human Resources, Finance, Operations, Policy & Planning, and Strategic Planning initiatives.
• Collaborates with strategic planning, implementation, and annual budget planning process.
• Maintains theDepartment’s operating budget of $10M, endowment funds of $8.6M, and research grants of $1M.
• Ensures strong oversight of budgets and expenditures to maintain financial control.
• Oversees and authorizes all departmental purchases and financial transactions.
• Manages all aspects of staff & faculty appointments, onboarding, performance evaluations, peer reviews, alternative workload agreements, teaching arrangements, leave management, and promotion & tenure processes.
• Oversees weekly & monthly payroll for all full-time and part-time faculty, staff, graduate students, and proctors.
• Oversees employee wellbeing initiatives, as well as staff professional development and training programs.
• Ensures compliance with all Health & Safety regulations within the department.
• Oversees all department space, renovation, and other special projects for the department.
• Oversees the Chair Selection process.
• Convocation Champion for the Faculty of Social Science.

• Oversaw the daily supervision of all administrative and technical staff in the department.
• Oversaw and authorized all departmental purchases, while reconciled all financial accounts for the department.
• Managed the departmental budget of ($10M), accounting functions and coordinated large-scale projects.
• Demonstrated leadership in strategic planning, execution & operational implementation.
• Led the recruitment processes for all Faculty, Staff, Postdoctoral Associates and Visiting Professors.
• Administered weekly and monthly payroll processing.
• Oversaw the UWOFA Promotion & Tenure, Performance Evaluation, Chair Selection and Workload processes.
• Coordinated and organized the Department's Annual Retreat, Department Council, CEAB & IQAP visits and other special events.
• Led the orientation and onboarding process for new Faculty & Staff.
• Provided support to departmental committees including Department Council, Promotion & Tenure, Appointments, Workload, Nominating and Chair Selection.
• Oversaw all Undergraduate & graduate student mental health cases within the department.
• Managed the departmental space allocation.
• Provided mentorship and coaching to a team of administrative and technical staff.
• Worked closely with the Department Chair on strategic planning and departmental goals.
• Prepared, compiled, and presented statistical data to the Dean's Office, Undergraduate Services, Career Development Office, Research Services & Financial Services as required.
• Led the Unit's accreditation (CEAB & IQAP) review process in collaboration with the Associate Deans, and Department Chair.
• Supported senior leadership in the executive decision-making process by preparing daily reports that recommended corrective actions and improvements.
• Carried out staff performance evaluations to assess progress and individual skill development.
• Recruited, trained, and empowered the administrative team to support organizational growth and achieve objectives.
• Founder and Co-Chair of the WE Wellness Committee.
• Convocation Champion for the Faculty of Engineering.

• Provided coaching and motivation to participants during exercises and routines.
• Prepared for classes in advance by selecting and queuing music, ensuring classes began and ended classes on time to maximize benefits for attendees.
• Educated gym members on proper form and technique during workouts, reducing the risk of injury while maximizing results.

• Designated as Acting Manager of Administration in the Faculty of Engineering by the Dean to cover a leave of absence.
• Oversaw all labour relations issues concerning faculty and staff.
• Worked closely with the Director of Finance to oversee the entire Faculty of Engineering budget of $39M.
• Led the Faculty of Engineering Human Resources team by overseeing activities and tracking performance.
• Led the Western Engineering Outreach team, in the Outreach Manager’s absence and managed a $2M budget.
• Led the University Machine Services team, in the Manager’s absence and oversaw a budget of $3M.
• Oversaw and negotiated new contract offers for staff and faculty.
• Member of Faculty Council, Faculty Nominating Committee, and the Faculty Strategic Planning Committee.
• Led the recruitment process for staff leadership roles.
• Developed and updated financial reports to fulfill sponsorship requirements for the Western Engineering Outreach team.

• Appointed as the Acting Manager (UMS) by the Dean.
• Enforced customer service standards and effectively resolved issues to maintain high-quality service.
• Supervised, coached, mentored, and trained all staff within University Machine Services on a daily basis.
• Implemented and ensured all Health & Safety protocols and conducted shop inspections.
• Managed the annual budget of $3M and authorized expenditures.
• Demonstrated leadership in strategic planning, execution, and implementation of initiatives.
• Led staff recruitment, onboarding, mentorship, and training processes.
• Oversaw the annual performance cycle for UWOSA & PMA staff.
• Managed the confidentiality of sensitive information, including intellectual property.
• Achieved financial objectives through forecasting, planning expenditures, and creating annual budgets.
• Led team meetings and one-on-one coaching sessions to enhance performance and productivity.
• Delivered regular, constructive feedback and conducted timely performance evaluations.

• Led recruitment processes for Staff, Postdoctoral Associates, and Visiting Professors
• Managed Promotion & Tenure, Performance Evaluation, and Workload processes.
• Coordinated and organized the department's Annual Retreat, Department Council, Department Distinguished Lectures, and other special events.
• Directed the orientation process for new faculty & staff.
• Oversaw and organized the interview process for new staff and faculty positions.
• Coordinated all departmental committees, including Department Council, Promotion & Tenure, Appointments, Workload, and Nominating committees.
• Reconciled the department budget and authorized expenditures.
• Collaborated with the Department Chair to develop strategic proposals and renovation requests.
• Managed the allocation of departmental space and office assignments.
• Compiled and provided statistical data for the Dean's Office, Undergraduate Services, Career Development Office, Research Services & Financial Services as needed.

• Return Material Authorization (RMA) Support Representative.
• Acted as a liaison between Customer Service Operations and the repair facilities

• Retail Sales Associate.
• Key-holder responsible for opening and closing the store.
• Utilized Point of Sale (POS) software for transactions.
• Handled cash, debit, credit & gift card transactions.

• Led the recruitment process for all faculty, visitors, and session appointments within the department.
• Created and managed the SharePoint site for the Tenure & Promotion Committee.
• Advocated for the Tenure & Promotion Committee and Awards Committee.
• Updated and maintained the website using Dreamweaver and Drupal.

• Coordinated interview schedules, arranged travel arrangements,
• Organized seminars for prospective new faculty members.
• Oversaw the DACA account, including approving travel claims, invoices, request for payments, and advertising expenses for candidates.
• Developed and implemented a new orientation program for faculty and staff within the department.
• Managed petty cash and telephone accounts.
• Oversaw approximately 100 research accounts for a group of faculty members.

• Reviewed contract proposals and grant applications, including project budgets.
• Collaborated with faculty and sponsors on contracts, purchase orders, reports, and funding matters.
• Created visual boards and brochures for the department.