Vice-President, Student Affairs

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Wilfrid Laurier University is seeking a dynamic, future-focused, enthusiastic, student-centric, leader with a deep commitment to building a culture of inclusion and fostering a community spirit of wellbeing, belonging, pride and achievement as its Vice-President, Student Affairs.

Wilfrid Laurier University and its Kitchener-Waterloo and Brantford campuses are located on the Haldimand Tract, traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. This land is part of the Dish with One Spoon Treaty between the Haudenosaunee and Anishnaabe peoples and symbolizes the agreement to share, protect our resources and not to engage in conflict. Laurier’s Milton campus is located on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, and part of the Nanfan Treaty of 1701 between the British Crown and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. We work with our Indigenous partners and colleagues to ensure that we are appropriately acknowledging those lands and their stewardship.

Reporting to the President and Vice-Chancellor and serving as a key member of the University’s executive leadership team, the Vice-President, Student Affairs (VPSA) plays an integral role in advancing Laurier’s strategic mission to excel at creating a thriving community where all members of the university can reach their potential, and from this foundation, develop future-ready people who will transform where they live, work, and continue to learn. The VPSA will continue and expand upon Laurier’s nationally recognized, sector-leading excellence in student affairs, with an eye to the future and continued developments in the field.

As a member of the President and Vice-Chancellor’s Executive Leadership Team, the VPSA will be engaged with a broad range of university strategic priorities, issues management, policies and procedures, administrative systems, and community engagement opportunities beyond the immediate portfolio. This position is integral to the achievement of the University’s Strategic Action Plan.

With a holistic approach to Laurier’s exceptional student experience, the VPSA is responsible for providing direct oversight and strategic leadership to multi-campus supports, services and programs, both in-person and online, including, the Office of the Dean of Students (e.g., student wellness, student conduct, accessible learning support, student community and engagement, and international student support), Strategic Operations and Initiatives (e.g., student communications, budget management, and collaboration on development of major capital projects), Student Success and Retention (e.g., orientation and transition, and skills support and development), and Athletics and Recreation (e.g., recreation services for students, and varsity athletics). Additionally, the VPSA formally co-leads (e.g., experiential learning and career development with the Associate Vice-President Academic, development and donor relations for funding opportunities related to the student affairs portfolio with the Assistant Vice-President Development, and ancillary services including residence and food services with the Vice-President: Finance and Administration) or collaboratively engages with other leaders overseeing student supports (e.g., student equity, diversity, and inclusion with the AVP Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, and Indigenous student support with the AVP Indigenous Initiatives). The VPSA champions and promotes the institutional values of equity, diversity, inclusion and enhancing Indigeneity, and fosters and supports a culture of belonging that welcomes, values and embraces diverse backgrounds. The VPSA has responsibility for many policies and procedures affecting students and student organizations across the University’s multiple campuses.

As the ideal candidate, you have an undergraduate and graduate level degree or equivalent combination of an undergraduate degree and relevant experience as a progressive senior student affairs leader in an academic institution and possess a deep understanding of the current and emerging issues for students in the post-secondary environment. You are knowledgeable about current and potential future policies, practices, trends, and information affecting student services, student life, student health and wellbeing, and human rights. Experience in mentoring and coaching students and your team, in overseeing complex budgets (financial and capital) with multiple funding partners, and in crisis and issues management, make you well suited for this opportunity. You have a commitment to, and demonstrated expertise in, institutional equity, diversity and inclusion and in enhancing Indigeneity. Experience with members of equity-deserving and Indigenous communities will be important.

You are an energetic, highly collaborative, innovative, and future-focused leader, with a demonstrated ability to create meaningful relationships with students, staff, and faculty and to foster and maintain relationships with diverse communities and external partners on behalf of your institution. Additionally, you have strong critical thinking and analytical abilities and are able to positively lead change initiatives in a complex, multi-stakeholder, multi-campus environment.

Wilfrid Laurier University endeavors to fill positions with qualified candidates who have a combination of education, experience, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position while demonstrating Laurier’s Employee Success Factors (https://wlu.ca/about/working-at-laurier/employer-philosophy.html).

Equity, diversity and creating a culture of inclusion are part of Laurier’s core values and central to the Laurier Strategy. Laurier is committed to increasing the diversity of faculty and staff and welcomes applications from candidates who identify as Indigenous, racialized, having disabilities, and from persons of any minority sexual and gender identities. Indigenous candidates who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact the Office of Indigenous Initiatives (indigenous@wlu.ca). Candidates from other equity deserving groups who would like to learn more about equity and inclusive programing at Laurier are welcomed to contact Equity & Accessibility equity@wlu.ca. We have strived to make our application process accessible, however if you require any assistance applying for a position or would like this job posting in an alternative format, please contact Human Resources. Contact information can be found at careers.wlu.ca/content/How-to-Apply-/

To apply please click here: https://boyden.thriveapp.ly/job/2715 For further information and the full executive briefing document, please contact Collin Ritch and Nick Chambers at critch@boyden.com.

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