"Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs"

Job Summary / Basic Function

For the full position prospectus, click here

The provost and vice president for academic affairs serves as the chief academic officer for the university, providing oversight of and strategic direction to all academic functions within a collective bargaining and shared governance environment. This individual will reside in and travel extensively throughout western Pennsylvania and should embody the qualities of a seasoned executive and servant-leader, and be a strong advocate for higher education. Interested candidates should bring an optimistic attitude, positive energy, and a collaborative spirit to advance the university's mission and strategic goals.

Reporting directly to the president, the provost and vice president for academic affairs acts as a central node in the university's "neural network," playing a crucial role in developing and implementing a comprehensive academic vision that supports student success, faculty excellence, and institutional distinction.

The provost and vice president for academic affairs provides leadership and administrative oversight for the following areas:

• Office of the Provost
• Academic Colleges and Departments
• College of Education, Arts and Humanities
• College of Health Sciences and Human Services
• College of Science, Technology and Business
• 14 Academic Departments
• Graduate Council
• Academic Support Units
• Office of the Registrar
• University Libraries
• Career Center
• Student Success Center
• Office of Nontraditional Student Support
• Office of Military and Veteran Success
• Office of Global Education
• Faculty Director of First Year Academic Success
• Center for Faculty Excellence (includes distribution of faculty professional development funding)
• Institutional Review Board
• Honors Program
• ROTC
• Academic Centers and Institutes
• Frederick Douglass Institute
• Center for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies
• Grant-Funded Programming
• TRIO and Act 101
• PA Thrive
• Beehive Center for Branding and Strategic Communication
• Clarion Small Business Development Center
• GACO APEX Accelerator
• Academically Related Community/Donor Partnerships
• The Rutledge Institute
• Western PA School for the Deaf Preschool

For a summary of the benefits, please click here Benefits

Required Skills, Knowledge & Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to model and cultivate a culture where every interaction reflects the values of The PennWest Way: ensuring that every person leaves every conversation feeling heard, respected, engaged, and eager to connect again. This approach is essential to building trust, fostering collaboration, and advancing PennWest's progress through a culture of inclusion, acknowledgment, and shared purpose.
• Ability to think clearly and execute sound decision-making under tight deadlines or highstress situations.
• Expertise in political acumen; knowledge of and ability to understand governance structures, particularly as they relate to enrollment management decision-making processes and stakeholder engagement.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral; ability to foster collaboration and engagement between internal/external constituencies.

Minimum of Education / Training Required Education Summary

• Terminal degree.
• The breadth and depth of academic and process experience, as well as leadership acumen, to navigate the complexities of a collaborative academic environment.
• Service as a tenured professor.
• Experience guiding changes to an academic array, including academic programs and offerings.
• Experience working with faculty, staff, managers, and external partners to support student success.
• Experience collaborating with institutions of higher education in an ecosystem of shared learning.
• Experience working with chief academic officers/provosts across a higher education system.
• The ability to represent the president in any setting.

Work Location

Any PennWest Campus

Is travel to other PennWest campuses required for this position? If so, how often? Yes