Director, Community Planning Program

Established in 2025 with provincial approval and aligned with major investments in planning capacity across Northern Ontario, the Community Planning Program represents a transformative opportunity to educate the next generation of planning leaders. Created to address the evolving needs of northern, near-northern, rural, Indigenous, and small to mid-sized communities, the program will equip graduates with the expertise needed to help shape resilient, sustainable, and prosperous communities for generations to come.

Grounded in Nipissing's longstanding commitment to educational excellence and community engagement, the Community Planning Program combines academic rigour with experiential learning. Through innovative curriculum design, cooperative education placements, and community-based capstone experiences, students will develop the practical skills and professional competencies required to address complex planning challenges across environmental, social, economic, and cultural dimensions. The program is designed to establish a pathway toward accreditation through the Canadian Institute of Planners and professional designation as a Registered Professional Planner (RPP).

As the inaugural Director, the successful candidate will have a unique opportunity to shape the vision, culture, and trajectory of a new and strategically important academic program. Reporting to the Dean of Arts and Science, the Director will provide academic and administrative leadership during a critical period of growth and development. Working collaboratively with faculty, students, professional planners, Indigenous communities, government partners, and regional stakeholders, the Director will lead curriculum development, support accreditation efforts, champion excellence in teaching and research, and advance the program's reputation provincially and nationally.

The ideal candidate will be an accomplished academic leader with a demonstrated record of teaching, scholarship, and service in planning or a closely related field. Applicants must hold a PhD in Planning or a related discipline, be a Registered Professional Planner (or eligible for registration). Associate or Full Professor rank is preferred but promising candidates at the Assistant level will be considered. Nipissing is particularly interested in candidates whose work reflects a commitment to reconciliation, decolonizing approaches to planning, and meaningful engagement with Indigenous and diverse communities.

Located in North Bay, Ontario, Nipissing University offers an exceptional learning and working environment distinguished by personalized education, strong community connections, and unparalleled access to the natural beauty of Northern Ontario.

This is a tenure-track or tenured appointment. As the planning field continues to respond to evolving social, environmental, economic, and regional challenges, we are particularly interested in candidates whose work and approach demonstrates a decolonizing focus, challenging dominant Western-centric frameworks and integrating Indigenous and marginalized perspectives into planning processes.

Our campus is located at 100 College Dr, North Bay, ON P1B 8L7. This is a permanent, full-time position of 35 hours/week. Based on the Collective Agreement, the annual salary for this role will range from $113,340 to $166,560 for Associate rank, and $137,482 to $202,462 for Full Professor rank, depending on level of experience, plus employee benefits and pension plan as per the collective agreement. The annual salary will correspond with qualifications and experience and will follow the Nipissing University Faculty Association (NUFA) Collective Agreement. The individual in this role will be required to work full-time from the main campus location listed above. The language of work for this position is English.

Application Details

Nipissing University invites applications for the position of Director, Community Planning Program (Associate or Full Professor) in the Faculty of Arts and Science, to fill an existing vacancy. Perrett Laver will support the Search Committee in identifying a diverse field of qualified candidates and in the assessment of candidates against the selection criteria. To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter, detailing how you fulfil the selection criteria noted here in to Perrett Laver's Vacancies page quoting reference 8592. The deadline for applications is September 23rd, 2026, Noon Eastern Time.

Nipissing University is committed to employment equity and strongly encourages applications, which may include self-identification in a cover letter from Indigenous peoples, women, persons with disabilities, persons who identify as 2SLGBTQI+ and racialized minorities.

Nipissing University must gather information from applicants to determine eligibility to work in Canada. Please include a statement in your application to identify whether you are a Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident or are otherwise legally eligible to work in Canada.

Nipissing University will provide accommodation to ensure barrier-free employment in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. You can request accommodation at any stage of the hiring process. If you require an accommodation, please contact Human Resources at access@nipissingu.ca.

Nipissing University does not use artificial intelligence or automated tools in the recruitment and selection process.

The search committee would like to thank all applicants for their interest in Nipissing University. Please note that only those candidates invited for an interview will be contacted.