Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

University of Arkansas System•Pine Bluff, AR

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs serves as the chief academic officer of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), reporting directly to the Chancellor and acting as the university's second-ranking officer. This role provides strategic leadership for the academic enterprise, focusing on advancing excellence in teaching, learning, research, and academic support. The Provost is instrumental in shaping institutional direction, aligning priorities and resources, and fostering innovation across the university. The portfolio includes oversight of undergraduate and graduate education, faculty affairs and development, institutional effectiveness, academic advising, curriculum development, academic compliance, and strategic initiatives aimed at increasing enrollment, enhancing student success, and promoting research growth. As a member of the Chancellor’s Executive Cabinet, the Provost collaborates across divisions to ensure the academic enterprise aligns with institutional goals related to student persistence, workforce readiness, sponsored research, and post-graduate outcomes. The position oversees academic deans and various departments, including the Librarian, Registrar, and Directors of the Teaching and Learning Center and Assessment. The Provost is responsible for managing the Division of Academic Affairs budget, exceeding $60,000,000, and requires a strong understanding of the financial landscape of public higher education.

Requirements

Earned doctorate or terminal degree from a regionally accredited four-year institution of higher education.
A distinguished record of teaching, research, and service meriting appointment as a tenured full professor.
Minimum of five years of progressive academic administrative leadership experience at the level of dean of an academic unit at a four-year institution of higher education or above.
Demonstrated success in academic planning, curriculum innovation, and institutional accreditation.
Evidence of a strong commitment to student success, including measurable improvements in retention, persistence, and 4-year degree completion.
Experience with academic budgeting, enrollment planning, and performance-based funding models.
Exceptional communication, collaboration, and interpersonal leadership skills.
Proof of legal authority to work in the United States on the first day of employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience at a land-grant or research-intensive institution.
Record of effective leadership in recruiting, mentoring, and retaining high-performing faculty.
Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional teams and interdisciplinary academic initiatives.
Experience aligning academic programs with workforce demands and economic development priorities.
Understanding of student affairs partnerships that strengthen holistic student development and success.
Experience securing or supporting external funding for academic and research programs.
Familiarity with NCAA Division I academic compliance and student-athlete support systems.
Proven ability to lead change, manage complexity, and build consensus in dynamic environments.

Responsibilities

Advance UAPB’s academic mission by overseeing all academic programs and services, ensuring alignment with the university’s strategic plan.
Lead the alignment of academic planning, enrollment strategy, and workforce demand analysis to ensure that academic programs support student success, institutional sustainability, and regional economic priorities.
Lead academic planning, including development of new programs, expansion of graduate offerings, and continuous curricular improvement.
Foster a student-centered learning environment committed to instructional quality, intellectual inquiry, and academic excellence.
Champion interdisciplinary learning, global engagement, and experiential education across the academic enterprise.
Champion a university-wide culture of research growth by promoting interdisciplinary scholarship, expanding graduate studies, and aligning academic infrastructure to support UAPB’s pursuit of Carnegie Research 2 (R2) classification.
Hold academic units accountable for measurable improvements in student learning outcomes, retention, degree completion, academic program productivity, and post-graduate success.
Support the recruitment, development, evaluation, and retention of outstanding faculty and academic leaders.
Promote a culture of scholarly excellence, shared governance, and collegial collaboration.
Oversee reappointment, tenure, promotion, post-tenure review, and faculty development policies and processes.
Strengthen faculty capacity to secure extramural research funding by promoting grant development training, cultivating interdisciplinary collaborations, and supporting mentorship structures that guide faculty through competitive funding pipelines.
Support efforts to enhance faculty success in teaching, research, grant acquisition, and community engagement.
Collaborate closely with Enrollment Management leadership to develop and implement a data-informed Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) framework designed to increase enrollment, improve student persistence, and strengthen financial aid optimization strategies.
Ensure alignment between academic degree planning and student success technologies.
Initiate, assess, and evaluate the impact of learning communities, first-year experiences, and early alert systems on student academic momentum.
Expand academic support services tailored to meet the needs of first-generation, Pell-eligible, and transfer students.
Partner with the Chief Financial Officer to ensure sound planning and management of academic budgets.
Strategically allocate academic resources, including faculty lines and support staff, to advance institutional priorities and student demand.
Promote data-informed decision-making, resource optimization, and institutional effectiveness in all academic units.
Lead the academic budgeting process, balancing strategic growth with fiscal sustainability and accountability.
Utilize institutional data, predictive analytics, and performance metrics to guide academic planning, resource allocation, and continuous improvement efforts.
Serve as a key advisor to the Chancellor and collaborate with other executive leaders to achieve UAPB’s strategic goals.
Partner with Research and Innovation leadership to strengthen UAPB’s research infrastructure, expand faculty participation in sponsored research, increase student participation in research, and increase extramural funding and scholarly productivity.
Collaborate with academic deans, department chairs, and faculty to align academic programs with regional workforce and industry needs.
Engage regularly with the Arkansas Division of Higher Education and the University of Arkansas System on academic policy, compliance, and reporting.
Represent the university’s academic interests to external stakeholders, including government agencies, accreditors, and philanthropic partners.
Advocate for UAPB’s academic excellence and student impact in statewide and national forums.
Collaborate with the Division of Advancement to support fundraising for academic priorities and student scholarships.
Ensure that UAPB remains competitive in recruiting top faculty, students, and academic leaders.