Position Description
The School of Environmental Sciences (SES) at the University of Guelph invites applications for the position of Director. This search is open to internal and external candidates. The successful candidate will hold a tenured faculty appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor. The Director appointment is for a five-year term and will be made in accordance with Article 20 of the University of Guelph Faculty Association (UGFA) Collective Agreement.
Reporting to the Dean, the Director is responsible for the orderly, effective, and collegial operation of SES and for advancing the School’s academic, research, and administrative priorities. SES is a large, multidisciplinary School with 33 faculty members across the Guelph and Ridgetown campuses, a significant staff complement, an operating budget of approximately $8 million, and about $15M in externally funded research activity annually. Its education programs include 300 undergraduate students in various majors and about 175 graduate students in course-based master’s, M.Sc. and Ph.D. programs. Further information about SES, its programs, and faculty can be found on the School’s website.
SES has strengths across environmental sciences and related fields, including soil science, geology, hydrology, urban hydrology, environmental microbiology, environmental toxicology, forest and ecosystem science, meteorology, entomology, plant pathology, controlled environment agriculture, Indigenous environmental research and programming, and field-based research conducted both on campus and at remote sites. The School is home to numerous philanthropically and Tricouncil supported research chairs (including Canada Research Chairs and the University’s first Canada Excellence Research Chair)
The Director will provide engaged and visible leadership during a period of renewal and opportunity. This includes supporting academic program quality, undergraduate and graduate teaching coordination, course-based master’s programs, research excellence, faculty and staff development, and effective planning and operations. The Director will also steward the School’s financial, human, and physical resources; balance competing demands for budget and space; support faculty renewal and mentorship; and strengthen relationships with government, industry, Indigenous communities, alumni, and other partners.
The successful candidate will be expected to bring people together across a large and diverse School, identify shared priorities, and advance SES’s reputation and impact within OAC, the University, and the broader environmental sciences community
Qualifications
The successful candidate will be an accomplished scholar and educator in environmental sciences, or a related field, with a strong record of scholarly publications, external research funding, graduate training, and academic service. Candidates must hold a tenured appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor and demonstrate a strong understanding of the academy and the academic mission of a research-intensive university.
The ideal candidate will have demonstrated leadership experience in academic or research settings, such as leading large research groups or teams, chairing undergraduate or graduate programs, contributing to senior academic governance, or managing complex academic initiatives. Experience with budget responsibility, resource allocation, planning and operations, faculty mentorship, and staff engagement will be important.
The successful candidate will bring strong judgement, clear communication, and a collegial but decisive leadership style. They will be able to navigate difficult issues, motivate people, foster collaboration across disciplines and locations. A demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigenous engagement, and building a respectful academic community is essential.
Application Process
Assessment of applications will begin in late September 2026 and will continue until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit the following materials (preferably as a single PDF file): (1) a cover letter; (2) a curriculum vitae; (3) a vision statement for SES; and (4) the names and addresses of three referees to the attention of:
Dr. John Cranfield
Dean, Ontario Agricultural College
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
c/o Erin Levesque – elevesqu@uoguelph.ca
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
The University recognizes that applicants may have had obligations outside of work that have negatively impacted their record of achievements (e.g., parental, elder care, and/or medical). You are not required to disclose these obligations in the hiring process. If you choose to do so, the University will ensure that these obligations do not negatively impact the assessment of your qualifications for the position.
The University of Guelph resides on the ancestral lands of the Attawandaron people and the treaty lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit and we offer our respect to our Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and Métis neighbours as we strive to strengthen our relationships with them.
At the University of Guelph, fostering a culture of inclusion (https://uoguel.ph/ox2p9) is an institutional imperative. The University invites and encourages applications from all qualified individuals, including from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in employment, who may contribute to further diversification of our Institution.
If you require a medical accommodation during the recruitment or selection process, please contact Occupational Health and Wellness at 519-824-4120 x52674.