About Shared Services
Vision
Our vision is a close-knit community of smart, approachable people who collaborate, exchange knowledge and identify solutions. Our team of experts problem-solve by collaborating with Centres of Expertise, faculty and staff in order to see the whole end-to-end process and find a solution that works for the entire community. We will provide advice, guidance and leadership in process, quality and accuracy. Shared Services is a highly-educated, integrated team that provides service excellence in delivering and innovating the diverse catalogue of services we are responsible for.
Ultimately, we create a human, positive experience when it comes to problem solving.
Principles
We build on our current processes and seek continuous improvement opportunities. We commit to ongoing learning and development. We build trust and credibility with those we serve by asking the right questions, connecting them to the right people and closing the loop. We position ourselves as helpful and curious. We will work towards the promise of not only getting the job done but getting it done right the first time.
The staff who are joining Shared Services can expect to feel empowered in the service they provide and look to grow their careers with critical thinking, relationship building and ongoing learning opportunities.
Leadership
Ria brings more than 25 years of experience in both private and public industries. She is an alumnus of the University of Alberta and holds several professional designations including: Chartered Professional in Human Resources (CPHR), Senior Certified Professional - Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM-SCP), Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC) and Change Management Practitioner (PROSCI).
Ria has led multidisciplinary teams responsible for supporting large, complex organizations through times of transformational change. In her most recent role as the Director of HR Shared Services, Ria successfully brought together a diverse group of portfolios (including but not limited to payroll, benefits/pension, data control, business process improvements, technology services, records management) to create Edmonton Public Schools’ first integrated shared services model to effectively support its more than 15,000 staff members.
Fatima has 15 years of diverse management and operational process excellence experience in formulating, establishing and instituting critical human resources functions. She is a strategic professional contributing best practices to effectively navigate our organization through complex transformational change, drive cross-functional efficiencies, and execute people management strategies.
Fatima’s passion lies in developing operational efficiencies through partnerships, enabling technologies and simplifying the seemingly complex. As a collaborative, client-focused and solution-oriented professional, Fatima holds a Master’s degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and is a Senior Certified Professional - Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM-SCP). She led the HR Business Services team in the Human Resources, Health, Safety and Environment unit for five years before transitioning to Shared Services.
After spending 13 years in the private sector, Tawheed has been part of the University of Alberta community for the last seven years. After holding a variety of roles in the Information Services and Technology unit, Tawheed transitioned to the Office of the Registrar, where as Manager of Enrolment Systems and Technology, he led a team that was instrumental in the transition to a new admissions and recruitment system. Part of his role in that position was the successful implementation of a sustainable, easy-to-use support model for admissions staff across the university.
Tawheed is most proud of the relationships he’s built throughout his time at the university. He enjoys working with people and helping them grow. He is keenly interested in process improvement, business transformation, and bringing value to the institution.
Craig is a financial management and cyber security professional who brings over 25 years of experience from private, public, and government sectors. He studied at Athabasca University and holds the Chartered Professional Accounting (CPA) and Certified Management Accounting (CMA) designations. Throughout his career, Craig has led adaptive and energetic teams to focus on collaborative solutions to overcome challenges. At NorQuest College, Craig and his team worked with the faculties to increase tuition and fee revenues by 61% over a period of seven years, creating surpluses that were reinvested back into the organization.
Enterprise Square
Shared Services will reside in the university’s downtown Edmonton building at Enterprise Square (ESQ) on the first floor. The space will be freshly renovated for our phased return to campus in fall/winter, and we will be well-positioned to work closely with the Service Excellence Transformation team. Learn more about how we’re optimizing this space for our team in the Enterprise Square spotlight article.
How Shared Services fits into the model
Shared services is a key component of the operating model that is focused on cost effective service delivery without compromising service excellence.
Setting up a new unit to serve the university is a massive undertaking and it will take time to optimize the new Shared Services unit to its full potential. Shared Services will grow from an embryonic (a phase of learning and growing), to an emerging phase (implementing new processes), to established (refining and improving), to integrated (collaborating with faculty and staff to deliver what they need) to optimized, our final efficiency, high-functioning state.
