Dean, Faculty of Social Science

Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lunaapéewak and Chonnonton peoples, connected through the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum. We acknowledge these lands as home to diverse Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) and recognize their ongoing stewardship and contributions to our society.

Ranked among the top 1% of higher education institutions worldwide, Western is a leading research-intensive university and a founding member of the U15. As the University approaches its 150th anniversary in 2028, Western is committed to bold scholarship, innovative teaching, an enriched student experience, and meaningful engagement with communities and policymakers locally, nationally, and globally.

The Faculty of Social Science is a diverse, interdisciplinary community spanning anthropology, management & organizational studies, economics, gender, sexuality & women’s studies, geography & environment, history, political science, psychology, and sociology. Faculty and students share a commitment to research excellence, methodological innovation, and evidence-based inquiry that informs public debate and social action. Eight research centres support interdisciplinary work on topics that support this goal.

Reporting to the Provost & Vice-President (Academic), the Dean of Social Science provides strategic, academic, and administrative leadership for the Faculty. The Dean will be both an effective manager, ensuring transparent and equitable allocation of resources and smooth operation of the Faculty, and a leader with the demonstrated ability to develop a collaborative vision for the Faculty.

The successful candidate will demonstrate high emotional intelligence, sound judgment, and a leadership style grounded in respect, kindness, nimbleness, responsiveness, and clear communication. They will foster collaborative problem solving through regular, meaningful engagement with departments, programs, centres, faculty, staff, and students. They will be able to help the Faculty evolve and innovate while ensuring that all feel respected and valued in the process.

A strong advocate for research excellence, the Dean will encourage ambition, innovation, and thoughtful risk taking, including a willingness to challenge established approaches where needed. They will be financially astute with strong fiscal judgement, comfortable working directly with institutional data (e.g., enrolment, budget, and planning data), and able to translate analysis into clear evidence-based decisions. The Dean will also lead outward – engaging alumni, donors, governments, and community partners – and champion the public value of social science scholarship.

The ideal candidate will be an established scholar, appointable at the rank of full professor, with significant leadership and administrative experience in a complex academic environment, demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigenization, and the capacity to lead with integrity and transparency through change. The Dean is expected to reside full‑time in London, Ontario, and be fully engaged in the life of the University and city.