Job Summary

The Sessional Instructor for OPMA 647 (Fundamentals of Project Management) at the Haskayne School of Business is a specialized teaching role within the Operations and Supply Chain Management area. As a “Practitioner-Scholar,” you will lead graduate or senior undergraduate students through the complexities of capital projects, from scope and cost to human resource management. This role requires the “wit” to integrate AI and emerging trends into traditional project frameworks and the “grit” to deliver a condensed, high-intensity Spring semester course in person.

Job Details

Employer: Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary.
Course: OPMA 647 LEC 01 – Fundamentals of Project Management.
Term: Spring 2026 (May 4 – June 15, 2026).
Schedule: Mondays/Wednesdays, 6:00 PM – 8:45 PM (In-person).
Application Deadline: April 2, 2026.
Attention to: Marco Bijvank, Area Chair.

Key Responsibilities: The Project Management Educator

You will bridge the gap between theoretical principles and the “real-world” execution of major capital projects.

Curriculum Delivery: Apply management principles to the project environment, focusing on the core pillars of Planning, Control, Scope, Time, and Cost.
Experiential Learning: Lead students through the review of a current major capital project, guiding them as they submit and defend a comprehensive project report.
Trend Integration: Explicitly introduce and discuss how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and new technologies are disrupting traditional industry practices.
Assessment & Examination: Manage Registrar-scheduled exams (June 17–20) and evaluate student performance based on experiential and case-based learning outcomes.
Professional Mentorship: Use your recent industry experience to provide “context-rich” education that aligns with PMBOK standards.

Candidate Profile & Qualifications

Academic Wit: A Graduate degree (MBA, MSc, DBA, or PhD) in a relevant field.
Certified Expertise: PMP Certification and deep familiarity with the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) are mandatory.
Proven Pedagogy: Recent successful delivery (within 2 years) of a post-secondary Project Management course featuring case-based or experiential learning.
Current Industry Grit: At least two years of recent industry experience in project management.
Local Presence: Must be located in or near Calgary for the duration of the in-person spring session.

Technical Insights: The PMBOK & AI Nexus

Teaching OPMA 647 requires staying ahead of the “Project Management Maturity Model.”

The PMBOK Guide: You will likely align your syllabus with the latest PMBOK 7th Edition, moving from “Process Groups” to “Performance Domains” (e.g., Stakeholders, Team, Development Approach, and Life Cycle).
AI in PM: You are expected to speak to how Generative AI and Predictive Analytics are being used for automated scheduling, risk assessment, and resource leveling in major capital projects.
Agile vs. Waterfall: Depending on the project review, you may need to contrast traditional “Waterfall” methods used in construction/capital projects with “Agile” frameworks used in tech-adjacent project environments.

Diversity and Representation Statistics

The University of Calgary provides transparent data to foster an equitable and inclusive faculty.

Urban Indigenous Population: Calgary is home to approximately 50,000 Indigenous people. The university’s ii’ taa’poh’to’p strategy ensures that Indigenous perspectives—such as community-centered project management—are supported across all units.
Workforce Representation (2024 Estimates):
- Visible Minorities: Approximately 25-30% of academic staff at UCalgary identify as members of a racialized group, aligning with Calgary’s broader demographic where 36% are visible minorities.
- Women in Business Faculty: Haskayne continues to work toward gender parity; currently, women represent roughly 35-40% of the faculty in Operations and Supply Chain Management.
The Confidence Gap: UCalgary cites research that women and racialized minorities are less likely to apply unless they meet 100% of qualifications. The university explicitly encourages you to apply if you meet the core requirements and believe you are right for the role.

Job Description

Do you believe that the success of a major capital project is decided long before the first shovel hits the ground? The Haskayne School of Business is seeking a Sessional Instructor for OPMA 647. We aren’t just looking for someone to recite a textbook; we want a practitioner who can show our students how to navigate the “Triple Constraint” in an AI-driven world. If you have the “grit” of a PMP-certified professional and the “wit” to lead a classroom through a complex project defense, you belong at UCalgary.

University of Calgary: Daring to Imagine “Ahead of Tomorrow”

The University of Calgary (UCalgary) is defined by a culture of entrepreneurial spirit, audacity, and “can-do” Western energy. As one of Canada’s top five research universities, its mission—codified in the “Ahead of Tomorrow” strategic plan—is to tackle “wicked” societal challenges through transdisciplinary innovation. The workplace culture is rooted in collegiality and respect, emphasizing that “curiosity-driven investigation” thrives best in an inclusive environment. UCalgary moves with the speed of a startup but the responsibility of a public institution, fostering a “Living Lab” ecosystem where students and faculty are encouraged to be “pioneers at heart.”

The UCalgary footprint is a massive, multi-campus network that mirrors the diversity of the Alberta landscape:

Main Campus (NW Calgary): Spanning over 200 hectares, this is the university’s vibrant heart. It features the Taylor Family Digital Library, one of North America’s most technology-rich hubs, and the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, a pioneer in pedagogical research.
The Olympic Oval: A legacy of the 1988 Winter Games, this iconic facility is known for having the “Fastest Ice on Earth” and serves as a premier high-performance training center for athletes globally.
Foothills Campus: Located south of the main site, this is the epicenter of health innovation, home to the Cumming School of Medicine and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, adjacent to the Foothills Medical Centre.
Downtown Campus: Situated in the heart of Calgary’s business district, this campus connects the university with industry leaders, offering professional programs and hosting the Haskayne School of Business executive education.
Spy Hill Campus: Located in northwest Calgary, this campus supports specialized research and clinical training for the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.

Working or studying here means being part of a top 100 global university for entrepreneurs. Whether you are engaging with Calgary’s business core or conducting genomics research, the experience is defined by the university’s commitment to “ii’ taa’poh’to’p”—its Indigenous Strategy—walking a parallel path toward truth and reconciliation while building a sustainable future.

To apply for this job please visit careers.ucalgary.ca.