Business Insights & Operations Lead

Athabasca, AB
Provost and VP Academic
9/4/2026
Virtual - Alberta (Remote)
121,272.32 Annual
84,432.32  Annual
Permanent Full Time
Division Provost and VP Academic FTE 1.0
Location Name Virtual - Alberta (Remote) Position Type Permanent Full Time
Location Athabasca, AB Job ID 3144
Posted 9/4/2026 12:00:00 AM Wage Min 84432.3200
Closing Date 9/25/2026 12:00:00 AM Wage Max 121272.3200
 

Guided by Like No Other, Athabasca University’s (AU) strategic plan, AU’s approach to accessible yet transformative education and research is truly distinctive. Our academic mission is to remove barriers to post-secondary education for learners, regardless of their age, location, career, or educational background. 

Based in the beautiful region of Athabasca, Alberta, AU is one of four Comprehensive Academic and Research Universities (CARUs) in the province. We are a public, board-governed, open, and online university serving more than 37,000 students across Alberta, Canada, and around the world. 

AU seeks to be an agile and inclusive workplace in which all team members can grow, make their highest contribution, and each make a difference to our academic vision and mission.

Led by President Dr. Alex Clark, AU is embarking on an exciting new chapter. Drawing from five decades of growth in distance and online education, we aim to grow our position as Canada’s foremost innovator in flexible, online and accessible learning. With an inclusive Senior Leadership Team dedicated to empowering every team member to contribute, learn and thrive, AU stands poised for an exciting and ambitious next stage of development. 

 

Athabasca University's PowerED is recruiting for a permanent full-time Business Insights & Operations Lead. 

The Position:

The Business Insights and Operations Lead will play a crucial leadership role in ensuring the success of PowerED's financial performance which drives our product strategy and product life-cycle decisions. The Business Insights and Operations Lead is passionate about delivering exceptional client experiences, is detail-oriented, possesses strong analytical skills, has a deep understanding of contract management and procurement and process improvement through optimal financial performance.

Qualifications:

  • Education: A bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as business administration, commerce, or a related discipline is required. Higher education qualifications, such as an MBA, postgraduate degree or certifications aligned to the specific competency areas defined by the role are advantageous. 
  • Experience: Minimum 5-7 years of experience in similar role or related role is typically expected. This involves managing internal strategic relationships, developing, and implementing process improvements, and analyzing data to derive insights. 
  • Financial Analysis and Forecasting: Strong skills in financial modelling and forecasting are important. The ability to understand and address business unit needs, build and maintain strong relationships, and provide excellent customer service is crucial. 
  • Contract Procurement and Management: Proficiency in contract management practices is essential. This includes experience in developing, drafting and conveying contact terms; ensuring contracts remain compliant, experience in procurement strategy and a strong sense of risk assessment and mitigation.
  • Data Analysis and Insights: An understanding of data analysis and the ability to derive actionable insights from data is valuable. Familiarity with analytics tools, data visualization, and reporting techniques is important. 
  • Communication and Leadership: Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, are necessary to effectively interact with clients, stakeholders, and team members. Leadership abilities, including the capacity to motivate and collaborate with others, are important for this managerial role. 
  • Problem-Solving and Strategic Thinking: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are crucial to identify challenges, propose innovative solutions, and make informed decisions. Strategic thinking is also important to align client success and product strategies with the university's goals. 
  • Knowledge of Higher Education: Familiarity with the higher education sector, including the challenges and trends in online education, can be advantageous for understanding the unique requirements of Athabasca University's clientele.

A detailed job description can be viewed at: Business Insights and Operations Lead. 

Contact Information:
For more information regarding this role, please contact Ian Stephenson, Director, PowerED, at istephenson@athabascau.ca.

Work at AU

A university like no other for people like no other

Athabasca University (AU) has widened access and increased opportunity to higher education for over 50 years for everyone by providing access to high-quality university education and professional development for students by removing physical, digital and systemic barriers to learning and success.   

An open and online university, AU is a unique hybrid workplace with more than 1300 staff working across five faculties and six portfolios. From AU’s home on the Indigenous lands of Treaty 6, Treaty 8 and Metis Northern Alberta, we are Alberta’s only rurally-situated university with:  

  • Over 37,000 students across five faculties—with 33,000 undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students  
  • 900 courses over 70 programs—with choices from micro-credential and baccalaureate to masters and doctoral levels  
  • Some of the country’s most well established and largest accredited academic and professional programs in business, registered nurse and nurse practitioner programs, science, and humanities & social sciences  
  • 560,000 alumni across 101 countries  

As Alberta and Canada’s premier and largest online university, AU’s commitment to widening access and participation has been consolidated under its current Like No Other Strategic Plan, which focuses on fostering a better and more equitable world via teaching, research, and impact in place and digital space. 

Under the Like No Other plan, AU seeks to be a trust- and team-oriented workplace focused on quality and innovation in which everyone is respected authentically and is and feels welcome.   

Putting our learners at the centre, AU seeks to reduce barriers to access, build opportunities for growth, and foster community and connection while integrating equity, diversity and inclusion, Indigenous conciliation, and transformative systems across our activities and impacts.   

AU’s centre for Indigenous peoples and communities, Nukskahtowin (or “Meeting Place”), is a welcoming place for all people and ideas to come together. Since 2001, the main goal has been to recognize and develop traditional Indigenous knowledge and to support, protect, and keep Indigenous knowledge, education, and oral traditions strong. After the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we renewed our commitment to all forms of Indigeneity at AU.  

Acting from values, AU is committed in our systems and practices to working together to create a respectful, safe, and healthy environment in which to work and learn. The university, staff and students share the responsibility of creating and fostering a safe, healthy, and respectful working and learning environment.   

AU seeks to be and build a welcoming community and connection in place and digital space. Throughout the year, AU has a range of in-person, hybrid, and online activities that span working, team meetings, retreats, and staff celebrations. AU’s campus in Athabasca has been modernized over the past years to create an attractive and inclusive workplace for all people and teams with capacity for small to large gatherings and hybrid events, as well as portfolio, faculty, and organization-wide professional development, retreats, and celebrations. With onsite library, laboratory and makerspace facilities for staff and students, AU seeks to build culture and community throughout the year through a program of staff professional development and recreational activities.  

Considerations in applying  

A hybrid workplace, AU encourages applications from all eligible candidates—women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, persons of any gender identity and expression, and members of equity-deserving groups are encouraged to apply.  

AU is committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible workplace and learning environment that supports students and staff with disabilities, aiming to remove social, physical, and technological barriers. We welcome and encourage applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.  We are committed to creating an accessible and inclusive environment for all candidates. If you require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact hrca@athabascau.ca.  

AU recognizes that life circumstances such as illness, disability, family and community responsibilities (e.g., maternity leave, parental leave, leaves due to illness) are expected to have an impact on any candidate’s record of achievement. These impacts should be taken into consideration during the hiring process.  

Athabasca First

Wherever possible, AU seeks to attract and hire qualified team members to reside in the Athabasca region of Alberta, Canada. We will offer relocation assistance for the right candidate should you decide to relocate to Athabasca. As a resident of the town or county of Athabasca, you can choose to work on and from our beautiful campus in Athabasca.  

To discover the Town and Region of Athabasca, go to: Visit Athabasca.

What AU Offers

Benefits and Pension eligibility differs based on employee group and may include:

  • Defined Benefits Pension Plan
  • Alberta Health Care
  • Extended Health Care
  • Life Insurance, Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
  • Disability Coverage
  • Vacation
  • Office Closure between Christmas and New Year's Day
  • Discretionary Benefit Fund
  • AU Course Allowance
  • A Variety of Leaves (e.g., Maternity/Parental/Adoption, Compassionate Care, etc.)
  • Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP)

An offer of employment is conditional upon verification of educational credentials. All educational credentials must be recognized in Canada.  

E-Transcripts shared directly from your Post-Secondary Institution via email are acceptable. 

WES https://www.wes.org/ca/ may be used to verify international educational credentials. Processing time for verification of international qualifications may take up to one month; please plan accordingly. 

While all eligible applicants are encouraged to apply, Canadian Citizens and Permanent Residents will be given priority. Where applicants have equal skills, abilities, and experience, candidates residing within or willing to relocate to the County of Athabasca will be given preference. Successful applicants must reside in Alberta, Canada. Working outside of Canada is not supported by AU. You are legally not permitted to work for AU if you are living outside of Canada.