"Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost"

Job Overview

Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost

In a world changing at an ever-accelerating pace, the role of an urban university has never been more important or exciting. Intense global competition and monumental challenges present enormous opportunities to elevate the human experience. The University of Cincinnati (UC) is actively implementing its strategic direction, Next Lives Here, to lead urban public universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Next Lives Here builds on our past and envisions our role in defining the future. It is meant to disrupt academia's conventional ways of thinking and doing. Our vision embraces:

• Academic Excellence: Accelerating and expanding student success.
• Urban Impact: Positively transforming our community and society in measurable ways.
• Innovation Agenda: Challenging existing paradigms, discovering the unknown and creating our future.

Essential Functions

To meet our mission as a public university, we have adopted an aggressive growth mindset in education, discovery and creativity. We have embraced innovation at all levels of our operations. Together, this has placed UC on an unprecedented trajectory to positively impact society’s Next leaders.

UC’s Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, reporting to the University President, will be a scholar who champions academic priorities, fosters innovation and academic excellence, supports student success alongside scholarly achievement, promotes access, and advances UC as a leading public urban research institution. Next Lives Here has unleashed exciting opportunities for the Provost to shape UC and impact our region. The Provost will be a leader who aligns ambition with accountability to translate Next Lives Here into measurable milestones in the academic space, leading to sustained and sustainable success for UC.

Essential Functions

The Provost will work collaboratively with the President, Deans, Faculty, and Staff to reimagine our academic programs and will be responsible for liberating UC’s creativity and passion through targeted resource investments. The Provost will be a key partner in research and innovation by supporting faculty scholarship and positioning UC to engage more intentionally with our business and surrounding communities through the emerging Cincinnati Innovation District. As forward-leaning digital leader, the ideal candidate will be one who embraces modernization and transformation, forging a path that will ensure that UC will be an innovation leader now and in the future. In addition to working with Deans and Faculty, the Provost will also work closely with our Academic Health Center and the Executive Vice President for Health Affairs to enhance the impact of our clinical programs and improve health outcomes in the city and this region.

Essential Functions

The next Provost will have the opportunity to build out the next phase of the strategic direction, while also supporting ongoing investments in Next Lives Here, including:

• Strategic Sizing: Balancing the recruitment and retention of an increasing student population while enhancing the quality of academic programs.
• Elevating the Future: Growing programs of excellence in all disciplines with the ability to expand our knowledge, which in turn increases our competitiveness and our ability to retain and attract the top creative and scholarly talent to UC.
• Bearcat Promise: Equipping every student with tools and experiences to complete their degree and prepare them for a career and professional life after graduation.
• CPS Strong: Strategically engaging and graduating Cincinnati Public Schools students.
• Co-op 2.0: Expanding experiential learning opportunities to all of our students, whether graduate or undergraduate, in person or online

Essential Functions

• Humanities & Social Sciences Growing programs of excellence with the ability to expand our knowledge over that which makes us human, thereby taking the arts, humanities, and social science disciplines to the next level.
• Next Graduate Scholars: Intentionally growing and enhancing PhD programs and the R1 research enterprise.
• Digital Transformation: Modernizing core academic practice and business processes with personalized and advanced digital systems.
• Digital Futures: Integrating research partnerships around a digital core to expand knowledge and create applied solutions to real-world problems.
• Biosciences & Bioeconomy: Bolstering research and innovation in the life and natural sciences and biotechnology through advances in engineering, computing and information sciences.

Additional Qualifications Considered

The ideal candidate will display the following important qualifications and attributes:

• Substantial, relevant senior leadership experience at an academic institution or academically oriented research institution.
• Service as Dean, Senior Vice Provost, Vice President, Provost, President or position with an analogous scope of responsibilities and line authority.
• Eligible for tenure as a Full Professor in one of our colleges and has a terminal degree from an accredited institution on the basis of their academic record of scholarship, teaching, and service.
• Commitment to access and success, along with a track record of creating an environment that is inclusive.

The full position profile can be accessed at https://www.greenwoodsearch.com/current-opportunities

Additional information about the University of Cincinnati may be found at: https://www.uc.edu/

Application and Nomination Process

APPLICATION AND NOMINATION PROCESS

Greenwood Asher & Associates® is assisting the University of Cincinnati in this search. Applications and nominations are now being accepted. Inquiries, nominations, and application materials should be directed to Greenwood Asher & Associates. Please do not apply to this posting, to be considered, materials must be submitted to Greenwood Asher. Application materials should include:

• a letter of interest that addresses specifically how the candidate’s experiences and qualifications intersect with UC’s qualifications, attributes and listed strategic priorities as presented in the EVP and Provost Profile
• A current résumé/curriculum vitae

The search will be conducted with a commitment of confidentiality for all candidates except those who are invited to participate in campus forums. Initial screening of applications will begin immediately and will continue until an appointment is made. For best consideration, applications and nominations should be provided by February 6, 2026.

Please direct inquiries, nominations, and application materials to:
Julie Schrodt, Senior Executive Search Consultant
E-mail: julieschrodt@greenwoodsearch.com
Andriel Dees, J.D., Vice President for Executive Search
E-mail: andrieldees@greenwoodsearch.com

Compensation and Benefits

UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. (UC Benefits Link) Highlights include:

Comprehensive Tuition Remission
UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.

Robust Retirement Plans
As a UC employee, you won’t contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you’ll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14–18% of your salary based on position.

Real Work-Life Balance
UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including:
Vacation and sick time
11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)
6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents

Additional Benefits Include:

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
• Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
• Professional development & mentorship opportunities