Dean of Business and Information Technology

Ontario Tech University is searching for a Dean of Business and Information Technology to provide senior academic leadership to this innovative and unique Faculty.

The Organization

Ontario Tech University acknowledges the lands and people of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. We are thankful to be welcomed on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered under the Williams Treaties and the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to a number of Indigenous nations and people.

The University sits at the centre of Ontario’s industrial heartland and contributes greatly to the economy and communities of the Durham Region and Northumberland County. Whether building smart communities, designing sustainable energy systems or driving innovation in advanced manufacturing, the University is key to the area’s continuing prosperity and success.

Today, Ontario Tech University stands as one of Canada’s smart, young, and focused leaders in career ready education and collaborative research. Founded in 2002, Ontario Tech has quickly developed an outstanding reputation for generating exceptional student outcomes in a dynamic and research-rich learning environment. The Faculty of Business and Information Technology represents a unique pairing of the core disciplines of business with innovative opportunities associated with emerging information technologies. The work of the faculty supports students and researchers in exploring these disciplines within the institution’s focus on experiential learning and tech with a conscience.

The Role

Reporting to the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, the Dean of Business and Information Technology is accountable for academic, research, and administrative leadership, the quality of education delivered, and the Faculty’s fiscal performance and annual budgeting.  The Dean is responsible for providing both strategic and operational leadership, advice, and mentorship to staff and faculty, and for fostering a positive culture of creativity and innovation. They advise, coach, support, and provide clear direction to ensure compliance with University’s policies, procedures, and directives, in addition to ensuring collective agreements are respected. They are responsive to the needs of faculty, staff, and students, and uphold and model the values of Ontario Tech. 

Responsibilities

• Academic leadership, setting direction and ensuring quality of learning experiences and research excellence.
• Fostering a positive culture and acting as a steward of the Faculty and University’s values.
• Relationship building with internal and external colleagues and partners.
• Operational leadership including fiscal accountability, people management, and supporting the growth and development of faculty, staff, and students.
• Continued growth of a strong internal and external collaborative network including industry and community partners.
• Actively leading the Faculty in the university’s integrated academic planning exercises.
• Contribution to scholarship and research.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be an experienced and strategic academic administrator, with outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, and a transparent and consultative management style. They are a compassionate, caring leader with integrity. They will have a strong track record of improving and innovating in academic and research settings with a commitment to student needs. Expertise in academic planning, collaborative budgeting, data analysis, and managing staff within a complex and unionized environment are all required. They are a data-driven decision maker that has a record of building positive culture through strong and effective relationships across administrative and faculty departments.

Qualifications and Experience

• A PhD in a related discipline, with a record of research, scholarship, and teaching that meets the appointment qualifications at the rank of full professor.
• Significant experience in a senior academic leadership role with significant managerial accountability for human and financial resources, and knowledge of grants development.
• Relevant administrative experience including performance evaluation, project management, and budgeting and annual reporting.
• Demonstrated experience in managing difficult and complex situations in a calm, clear, and consistent manner.
• An understanding of the current provincial funding landscape and opportunities.
• Demonstrated skill in institutional strategic planning and implementation.
• Team building, consultative leadership, and conflict management experience.
• Demonstrated success in developing partnerships and strategic alliances.
• Examples of ongoing contributions to their community, and a vision for how the Faculty can contribute to its community, is an asset.

Attributes

• A strong and capable leader and administrator who can be successful in an academic environment.
• Exceptional communication skills.
• An innovator who sees opportunities where others may see problems.
• An individual capable of combining an entrepreneurial spirit with tech with a conscience.
• The ability to be persuasive while speaking to different audiences.
• The ability to face challenges, and to exercise integrity, flexibility, and wisdom.
• Creativity, empathy, and curiosity.
• The ability to work collegially and effectively within a unionized environment, building trusting relationships both internally and externally.
• Decisiveness, combined with a facilitative style and the ability to effectively explain decisions.

Ontario Tech University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates, while especially encouraging applications from women, members of visible minorities, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens, permanent residents and Indigenous Peoples in Canada will be given priority.

If you are interested in this opportunity, contact Debra Clinton at dclinton@kbrs.ca, Dr. Jennie Massey at jmassey@kbrs.ca, or Kyle Steele at ksteele@kbrs.ca, submit your full application package online at https://www.kbrs.ca/Career/16757. Deadline for applications is April 6, 2023.