Provost and Vice-President, Academic

Provost and Vice-President, Academic
Brandon University
Brandon, Manitoba

Brandon University (BU) is seeking an inspirational and dynamic leader with strategic vision and strong engagement skills to serve as its next Provost and Vice-President, Academic. 


The Organization

Brandon University has campuses on Treaty 1 and Treaty 2 lands, and we are a gathering place for people from many backgrounds and around the world. In this way, we carry on the Indigenous customs of our home in Brandon. We acknowledge Brandon is on shared territory between the Dakota Oyate, the Anishinaabeg, and the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. Today, many other Indigenous people call Brandon their home today, including the Ininew, Anisininewuk, Denesuline, and Inuit. As a leading university in rural Manitoba, BU offers a personalized and supportive environment for its diverse community of students and faculty.

With a campus of approximately 3,200–3,500 students and an emphasis on smaller class sizes, Brandon University is known for creating meaningful, student-centered learning experiences and strong connections between faculty, students, and community. Its academic programs span Arts, Science, Education, Health Studies, and the School of Music, reflecting a broad liberal arts and sciences foundation complemented by professional programs.
Brandon University is rooted in the communities it serves and relationships it has built over time. The University’s identity is closely tied to place, and its students, partners, and priorities reflect the distinct social, cultural, and geographic context of western Manitoba. This connection informs the University’s approach to teaching, learning, and community engagement, and continues to guide the implementation of its academic plan and programming evolution.


The Role

This is a pivotal time for the higher education sector, and the University. Leaders at Brandon need to navigate financial pressures while advancing focused, sustainable priorities while remaining deeply rooted in its commitment to student success, Indigenous engagement, and rural community partnerships. The next Provost must be a disciplined and collaborative leader capable of translating an approved academic plan into clear, actionable outcomes within a resource-constrained environment.

Reporting to the President and Vice-Chancellor, the Provost serves as the senior academic leader of the University and provides guidance and governance for all academic programs and initiatives at the institution. They are responsible for overseeing the university's academic budget, academic policies and procedures, and strategic academic planning. The incumbent works collaboratively with faculty, staff, and administrators to ensure the delivery of high-quality education, promote academic distinction, and foster a positive and inclusive learning environment. They play a key role in the development and implementation of the University’s next strategic plan and are responsible for advancing and operationalizing the University’s recently approved academic plan. They will support the deans, academic departments, and administrative units in translating institutional priorities into measurable action. As a member of the University’s Senior Executive Team, they collaborate with peers to fulfill the academic mission of the institution, while ensuring long-term financial sustainability through disciplined prioritization. They support transparent communication of resource constraints, community engagement, and institutional reputation. This role requires a strong, consistent on-campus presence and visible engagement across the university and broader regional community including the City of Brandon, smaller communities, and First Nations.


Key areas of oversight and responsibility are:

• Strategic Leadership and Governance – Provides visionary and innovative leadership while ensuring alignment with Brandon University's mission, goals, and strategic priorities and fostering a diverse and inclusive academic community. 
• Academic Stewardship – Leads the implementation of the academic plan, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities. Models healthy and positive academic culture in teaching and learning, and research, and oversees the development, evaluation, and enhancement of academic programs, ensuring their relevance and alignment with provincial standards and accreditation requirements.
• Networking and Partnerships – Establishes and maintains productive internal and external relationships and communications and represents the University to relevant committees, consortia, associations, and partnerships, and works collaboratively with provincial and federal government.
• Labour Relations and Operational Administration – Leads in a unionized environment, supporting collective bargaining, faculty relations, and academic personnel processes. Makes resource allocation decisions, ensuring alignment with the academic priorities. This includes balancing budgets, recruitment and retention of exceptional faculty and staff, policy development and review, and issues management.
• Quality Assurance and Compliance – Develops and maintains academic policies, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, regulations, and accreditation standards, and promoting academic integrity, ethical conduct, and responsible research practices.

The Ideal Candidate

As the ideal candidate, you are an experienced and collaborative academic leader with a demonstrated ability to implement strategy and lead in complex institutional environments. Your expertise in program development, quality assurance, and resource and financial management, coupled with your commitment to academic integrity and responsible research practices, position you as an inspiring leader who can effectively shape the university's academic direction and enhance its reputation. You have a strong background in teaching and learning, and research, and a proven track record of successfully managing academic programs and their budgets, promoting success, and fostering an inclusive and vibrant learning environment. You have led through constraint, complexity, and change while maintaining trust and stability. You build effective policies and procedures and making transparent and sound decisions that align with institutional culture and values. You use your excellent communication and interpersonal skills to build trusting relationships, resolve conflicts, and engage with all constituents. 


Qualifications and Education 
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. While the committee will consider alternative combinations of education and leadership experience, a deep understanding of academia is essential.

Please provide examples that demonstrate your alignment with any of the below criteria:

• A doctoral or terminal degree in a relevant field or equivalent.
• Extensive experience in academic leadership roles, preferably at the dean level and/or provost, vice-president, or associate vice-president level.
• Commitment to Indigenization, Decolonization, and Reconciliation.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in all aspects of academic life, demonstrated in actions and decisions you have taken.
• Success developing and executing on a vision and strategic plan.
• Experience in academic planning, program development, and quality assurance.
• Strong knowledge of higher education governance and how to lead in a bicameral environment.
• Experience developing and reviewing institutional policies, procedures, practices, and processes. 
• Strong knowledge of the higher education sector and familiarity with accreditation standards and the academic cyclical review process.
• Experience working effectively in a unionized academic environment, including faculty relations and collective bargaining processes.
• Success fostering positive relationships and partnerships among faculty, staff, and students.
• Transparency in financial decision-making, including prioritization and alignment of academic programming with resource constraints.
• A track record of engaging with diverse students and communities including rural and Indigenous communities.
• Experience creating a culture where innovation in teaching, service, research, and scholarly activities is valued, rewarded, and celebrated.

Skills and Attributes

• Highly visible and engaged leader who builds trust through consistent presence, active listening, and meaningful engagement with faculty, staff, students, and community partners.
• Exceptional communication skills and a collaborative and collegial mindset and a good sense of humour.
• A courageous and grounded leader with integrity, who demonstrates humility, sound judgment, and the ability to make difficult decisions with transparency and respect.
• Solutions-focused problem solver with the ability to maintain resilience under pressure.
• Commitment to academic and creative excellence and academic freedom. 
• Collaborative decision-maker who prioritizes institutional cohesion over ego and individual agendas.
• A good steward who leaves their organization stronger, more relevant, and more sustainable than when they started.
• Ability to adapt to changing local, provincial, national, and international landscapes.

Why Join Brandon University?

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of an institution that is deeply connected to its community and poised for growth. At Brandon University, you will lead a collaborative and supportive team in building a stronger future for education and research, while making a meaningful impact on the lives of students and the broader community.


Apply Now

Brandon University is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free experience to applicants with accessibility needs. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage during the recruitment process by contacting accommodations@kbrs.ca.

If you are interested in this opportunity, contact Abbey MacLeod at amacleod@kbrs.ca, Kyle Steele at ksteele@kbrs.ca, or Dr. Jennie Massey at jmassey@kbrs.ca or submit your full application package online by clicking Apply Now.