Dean, Faculty of Education

Brock University is searching for a new Dean to provide strategic vision and leadership to its highly successful Faculty of Education.

The Organization

Brock University was established in 1964 and is located on the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples on territory covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Agreement. Brock serves its community as a cultural, academic and recreational centre, bringing excellent facilities to the region and serving the needs of local communities. The University is committed to building a community that serves both Brock students and their neighbours in the region. With a student population of over 18,000, approximately 1,500 permanent employees, and a network of over 100,000 accomplished alumni, Brock has earned a reputation as a modern and innovative comprehensive institution.

In January, Brock was named the third best employer in Canada by Forbes through an independent survey of more than 40,000 Canadian employees working for companies with more than 500 employees.

The Faculty of Education is home over 1,800 students across 5 programs. They offer a diversity of undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare graduates to teach students across the lifespan, including early childhood education, K-12 education, global education, Indigenous educational studies, and adult and higher education.

The Role

Reporting to the Provost and Vice-President-Academic, the Dean of Education, works with the Brock community to enrich student experiences and build upon programming that supports a culture of excellence in teaching, research, service, and innovative curriculum delivery. The Dean is accountable for the academic leadership, the quality of education programming, all operations, and the fiscal performance of the Faculty of Education.

Under the one department model, in which all faculty are appointed to the Department of Educational Studies, the Faculty offers a range of programs. The Dean provides effective and balanced support to all programs while promoting collaboration and embracing the unique opportunities and needs related to this structure.

The Dean provides operational and administrative supervision and support to the professional development of faculty and staff. They are accountable for assuring a safe workplace and learning environment. They uphold and model the values of Brock and the Ontario College of Teachers’ Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession and Ethical Standards. They actively foster opportunities for faculty, students, and staff to make an impact across the University, as well as regionally, nationally, and globally. It is vital that the Dean is a champion of EDI and decolonization, capable of advocating and taking concrete actions that are aligned with Brock’s strategic plan and that leverage the Faculty’s unique opportunities to teach educators.

The Dean is accountable for building effective and collegial relationships within the Faculty and among cognate disciplines in the University, with service and academic partners, and with educational partners in the community. They act as a member of the senior academic leadership team at Brock, partnering with fellow Deans on strategic projects and initiatives.

Brock has historically operated a satellite facility in Hamilton which housed a number of programs with the Faculty of Education including professional/BEd Teacher Education programs. These have recently relocated to a temporary location and will be moving to the permanent Burlington site by 2025. A major responsibility of the new Dean will be to ensure the relocation progresses smoothly, and that strong communication between both campuses is established and positive culture and cohesive community are built during this transitional period.

Key areas of oversight and responsibility are:

Strategic Leadership and Vision – Provides leadership in alignment with the University’s strategic plan, support with policies and procedures, setting department-wide strategic directions and securing the resources to support the student learning experiences, faculty recruitment, and academic program delivery.

Administrative and Fiscal Management – Provides operational leadership including fiscal accountability for the Faculty of Education, including securing and allocating support for high quality teaching, research, and creative & professional activities.

Scholarship and Innovation – Fosters and contributes to innovation in scholarship and research with a deep commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and decolonization. Supports the issues of equity and excellence in education and student-centred learning. Contributes as a senior academic leader and education advocate to the broader university community.

Networking and Representation – Establishes and maintains productive internal and external relationships and communications and represents Brock and the Faculty to relevant committees, consortia, associations, and partnerships, and work collaboratively with provincial, national, and international committees.

The Ideal Candidate

As the ideal candidate for this role, you are an accomplished scholar and educator who is committed to student success, with a proven record of impactful teaching, research excellence, service, faculty mentorship and engagement, and administration. You are a compassionate, caring leader with integrity who has a track record of improving and innovating in academic settings. As an experienced and strategic leader, you are an evidence-based decision maker who has a record of building strong and effective relationships across administration, faculty, and community.

Expertise in academic administration, pedagogy, data analysis, managing staff within a complex and unionized environment, and appreciation for teaching and learning technologies are all required. You will have shown a demonstrated commitment to fostering a culture of equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization, and have an authentic appreciation for collegiality and collaboration. You will have the ability to lead impactful change, both operationally and strategically, with a strong strategic and creative approach to leverage opportunities and meet challenges.

Qualifications and Experience

While the Search Committee recognizes that no one candidate is likely to meet all qualifications in equal measure, those listed below are desirable and will be used to compare candidates.

• PhD in Education or a related field.
• At least 5 years experience as an educator in a university setting, with academic credentials supporting appointment, or eligibility for appointment, as faculty at the rank of Full Professor.
• Significant experience in a senior leadership position in academics and/or research with significant managerial accountability for human and financial resources.
• A strong understanding of education (including K-12 schooling), provincial accreditation processes, and higher education policies and procedures.
• Team building, consultative leadership, and conflict management experience.
• A strong understanding of decolonization in education, and equity, diversity, and inclusion and how to apply these lenses to leadership decisions.
• In keeping with the priorities of Brock’s Strategic Plan, and with the intent to increase the representation of underrepresented groups in leadership positions at Brock, the Search Committee strongly encourages applications of candidates who self-identify in one or more of the following groups: Indigenous persons, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of a minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity. All qualified candidates are welcome to apply.

Attributes

• Creativity, empathy, and curiosity.
• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills and a transparent and consultative management style.
• Exceptional communication skills, consensus-building, and advocacy, with the ability to be persuasive while speaking to different audiences.
• The ability to face challenges and to exercise integrity, flexibility, and wisdom.
• The ability to work collegially and effectively within a unionized environment, building trusting relationships both internally and externally.
• Facilitative style combined with decisiveness and the ability to provide justification of decisions.

We will begin reviewing applications on February 19, 2024.

We will provide support and accommodations to applicants with disabilities, upon request. If you need accommodation in order to participate as a candidate in the recruitment process, please contact accommodate@kbrs.ca or communicate your needs to the recruitment professional named in the job description.

If you are interested in this opportunity, contact Dr. Jennie Massey at jmassey@kbrs.ca, Kyle Steele at ksteele@kbrs.ca, or Debra Clinton at dclinton@kbrs.ca or submit your full application package online by clicking on the "Apply Now" button below.