Provost & Vice-President (Academic)

Provost & Vice-President (Academic)
McMaster University

Advancing human and societal health and well-being

McMaster University is a leading research-focused, student-centred university, committed to developing a distinctive, personalized, engaging and sustainable student experience, maintaining and further strengthening its capability for outstanding research and scholarship, and enhancing the connections between the University and the communities we serve, locally, provincially, nationally and around the globe. McMaster’s Provost and Vice-President (Academic) has the opportunity to provide academic leadership and vision for Canada’s most research-intensive university and one of the world’s top 100 universities. 

Together with local, national and global partners and collaborators, McMaster University’s faculty, staff and students are translating research into real-world impact and results. Times Higher Education University Impact rankings in 2019 ranked us second in the world for impact. In 2018, McMaster was the winner of the Global Teaching Excellence Award which recognized the strength of our vision and plan for teaching quality. We measure our success, not only by enrolment numbers or rankings, but by the degree to which we improve people’s lives, contribute to our global knowledge base and advance the societies in which we live and interact.

Committed to delivering on its promise of Truth and Reconciliation, McMaster University recognizes and acknowledges that it is located on the traditional territories of the Mississauga and Haudenosaunee nations, and within the lands protected by the Dish With One Spoon wampum agreement.  In keeping with its Statement on Building an Inclusive Community with a Shared Purpose, McMaster strives to embody the values of respect, integrity and collaboration, and therefore has a strong commitment to diversity, employment equity, and inclusive excellence.

McMaster has earned its international reputation as a research powerhouse on the strength of our faculty and their ability to work collaboratively across the disciplines. Our multi-disciplinary approach to research has become synonymous with our name and is a hallmark of our research brand. In 2018 we launched Research for a Brighter World, our strategic plan for identifying areas of research strength and depth at the University with a focus on research that addresses urgent societal needs and current global challenges. In 2020 we will formally launch the Brighter World Research Initiative, a bold campaign involving the entire senior team, to attract and develop partnerships and funding opportunities in support of our transdisciplinary research agenda.  

The Provost and Vice-President (Academic) is the senior Vice-President and Chief Academic Officer of the University. The Provost reports to the President and Vice-Chancellor and is accountable to the President and the Senate for the academic administration, planning and development of the University. The Provost provides vision and leadership for all of McMaster’s academic activities including faculty recruitment, retention and promotion; attracting and retaining excellent students; enrolment management; graduate and undergraduate program development and assessment; student life; library resources; and strategic planning, including oversight of the academic budget and space allocation. The Provost is responsible for fostering an environment that promotes equity and inclusion and where creativity, scholarship, research and teaching excellence can flourish and where students and faculty members can excel.

The successful candidate will be an accomplished researcher and educator and an exemplary leader with a strong commitment to meeting the needs of students and faculty, and a record of being actively engaged with both internal and external communities. Professional requirements include a proven record of senior academic leadership success with experience in planning and budgeting, building collaborative teams, and promoting excellence, equity, diversity and inclusion. Candidates will possess the experience, organizational ability and vision to effectively and strategically lead a large, complex, multi-campus academic portfolio. This person will possess an open and collegial style, outstanding management, communication and interpersonal skills, a creative approach to problem solving, the capacity to build and sustain positive working relationships with academic and administrative units, and the ability to inspire a dedicated faculty and staff. 

The diversity of the McMaster community and its workforce is at the core of its innovation and creativity and strengthens McMaster’s research, teaching and service excellence, as well as its broader learning environment. To fulfill McMaster’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusivity, the University invites applications from all qualified candidates who share in this commitment. We welcome applications from self-identified Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) peoples, members of racialized communities (“visible minorities”), persons with disabilities, women and members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. Candidates requiring accommodation to participate in the hiring process should contact Boyden at jchupik@boyden.ca to communicate accommodation needs.  

All applicants are asked to complete a confidential Diversity Survey as part of the application submission process. The Survey questions are voluntary, and the entire Survey will take approximately two minutes to complete. All information collected is confidential and will be used to support efforts to broaden the diversity of the applicant pool and to promote a fair, equitable and inclusive talent acquisition process. The survey link will be provided to you at the time of your application.  

Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Applications will be accepted immediately and will continue until mid-April, 2020. Please contact Nick Chambers and Jessa Chupik for a full executive briefing document at jchupik@boyden.com.