Dean,Faculty of Social Science

Western University invites applications, nominations, and expressions of interest for the position of Dean, Faculty of Social Science, with the appointment to be effective July 2020. This is an exciting opportunity to lead the Faculty as it continues to achieve its goal of being the best possible place for excellent faculty and staff to work and for students to learn.

With an enviable national reputation and an expanding international profile that ranks among the top 1% of universities world-wide, Western pushes the boundaries of pedagogical and scholarly excellence while creating a student experience that engages, challenges, and informs. Western is a founding member of Canada’s U15, serves as a hub for more than 500 international research collaborations, and is recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers. There are approximately 40,000 students, including more than 5,800 international undergraduate and graduate students from 128 countries, within Western’s 12 Faculties and Schools and three affiliated university colleges. Approximately 4,000 faculty and staff work in partnership to deliver 400+ specializations, majors, minors, and innovative modular programs at the undergraduate level, and 160 programs at the master’s and doctoral levels.  Further information may be found at www.uwo.ca.

Social Science is Western’s largest Faculty and is widely recognized for unique academic programs and strong research output and quality. Innovative, collaborative, and creative, its eight core departments are committed to providing excellent undergraduate and graduate teaching to more than 7,000 students. More than one quarter of all tenured and tenure-track faculty have been appointed in the past five years, and the percentage of courses taught by full-time faculty has greatly increased. The Faculty has also launched a variety of innovative programs, and placed an emphasis on building excellence in empirical social science. The Faculty is ranked among the top 100 Social Science Faculties in the world by a number of organizations. In particular, its QS world ranking has increased from 148 in 2015 to 84 in 2019 and the Faculty continues to create an internationally competitive research and teaching environment for its students and faculty. Additional information is available at www.ssc.uwo.ca.

Reporting to the Provost and Vice-President (Academic) as a member of Western’s senior administration, the Dean, Faculty of Social Science provides visionary strategic direction, academic planning leadership, and administrative oversight. The new Dean will lead the Faculty to further excellence in teaching, research impact, faculty and department renewal, and the expansion of outreach and advancement. The successful candidate will be an accomplished scholar and administrator who has demonstrated success in undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate education and transformative accomplishments in research. With proven academic leadership experience and a record of building strong teams and promoting interdisciplinary activities, the new Dean will possess an open and collegial style, a creative approach to problem solving, and outstanding management, communication, and interpersonal skills. The new Dean will be able to promote excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion amongst all faculty, staff, and students, while relating successfully to a range of internal and external partners.

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.  The University provides support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that takes into account an applicant’s accessibility needs. In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and Permanent Residents will be given priority.

The search committee will begin consideration of candidates immediately and will continue until the role is successfully filled. Applications should include a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names of three references (who will not be contacted without the consent of the candidate), and should be submitted electronically, in confidence, to the University’s executive search consultants:

Laverne Smith & Associates Inc.

WesternSocialScience@lavernesmith.com

Western is situated on the traditional territories of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Lunaapeewak and Attawandaron peoples.