Provost and Vice-President Academic

University of Guelph•Guelph, ON

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Guelph invites applications and nominations for the position of Provost and Vice-President, Academic at an important moment in its evolution, marked by significant growth and transformation across the academic enterprise. The next Provost will help shape how the institution grows while preserving the collegial culture, strong relationships, and student-centred values that define the University of Guelph. This is a role for a leader who can guide the University through necessary change, including the difficult decisions required to secure its long-term sustainability and impact, while bringing the vision, adaptability, and judgment to lead with confidence. Reporting to the President and serving as the University's chief academic officer and a member of the executive leadership team, the Provost helps guide academic priorities, informs institutional decision-making, and supports the University's long-term success. The portfolio offers a unique opportunity to influence the full breadth of the University's mission, with key areas of focus including enhancing the student experience, advancing academic excellence, supporting the conditions that enable research and innovation to thrive, fostering an engaged and inclusive university community, and ensuring the alignment, capacity, and stewardship required to achieve the University's ambitions. This is an opportunity to help shape the next chapter of a university with a strong foundation, a clear sense of purpose, and a growing national and global profile. The next Provost will join a community committed to excellence and will play a defining role in positioning the University of Guelph for continued success and impact in the years ahead.

Requirements

Accomplished scholar with a distinguished record in academic leadership, teaching, and research.
Experience leading high-performing teams within a complex university environment.
Strategic leader with strong self and situational awareness.
Judgment, adaptability, credibility, and integrity to navigate complexity, set priorities, and build alignment across diverse constituencies.
Grounded in the values of higher education and collegial governance.
Compelling, forward-looking perspective on the future of higher education, including how artificial intelligence, changing learner expectations, and new approaches to teaching, learning, and academic integrity are reshaping universities and the student experience.
Academic and enterprise mindset, pairing a deep commitment to academic values with a clear understanding of how universities are funded and resourced.
Demonstrated experience making and implementing difficult academic prioritization decisions, including the allocation and reallocation of resources across programs and units in alignment with institutional priorities.
Bold and innovative leader who can design new financial and incentive models that secure its long-term sustainability while preserving its comprehensive, multidisciplinary character.
Comfortable navigating competing priorities.
Strong commitment to Indigenization, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
Effective communicator and relationship builder.
Inclusive and empowering leader who values diverse perspectives.
Genuine consultation paired with decisiveness.

Responsibilities

Guide academic priorities.
Inform institutional decision-making.
Support the University's long-term success.
Enhance the student experience.
Advance academic excellence.
Support the conditions that enable research and innovation to thrive.
Foster an engaged and inclusive university community.
Ensure the alignment, capacity, and stewardship required to achieve the University's ambitions.
Shape how the institution grows while preserving the collegial culture, strong relationships, and student-centred values.
Guide the University through necessary change, including difficult decisions required to secure its long-term sustainability and impact.
Navigate complexity, set priorities, and build alignment across diverse constituencies.
Make and implement difficult academic prioritization decisions, including the allocation and reallocation of resources across programs and units in alignment with institutional priorities.
Design new financial and incentive models that secure its long-term sustainability while preserving its comprehensive, multidisciplinary character.
Communicate the trade-offs involved in balancing academic excellence, the student experience, and financial sustainability with clarity and candour.
Contribute to a culture in which all members of the University community feel respected, supported, and empowered to succeed.
Work successfully with the President and fellow vice-presidents, faculty, staff, students, academic leaders, Senate, the Board of Governors, alumni, governments, Indigenous communities, and external partners.
Bring people together around shared goals.
Build trust through openness, transparency, and authentic engagement.
Ensure that complex decisions are both well made and effectively implemented.
Hold the community's confidence even when decisions are difficult or not universally supported.