Vice-President and Academic Dean (VPAD)
The Organization
King’s is a Catholic university college affiliated with Western University. Situated in London, Ontario, King’s offers an inclusive and supportive learning environment that promotes rigorous scholarship, critical reflection, and social justice. With more than 3,500 full- and part-time students, King’s is one of Canada’s leading undergraduate institutions. Faculty and students enjoy the advantages of a small campus while benefiting from full access to the wider resources and programs of Western University.
Founded in 1954 by the Diocese of London, King’s is guided by the values of dignity, inclusion, and service. The College emphasizes the formation of the whole person, intellectually, morally, and spiritually, and is committed to fostering a diverse, welcoming, and respectful academic community.
The Role
Reporting to the President, the Vice-President and Academic Dean (VPAD) is the senior academic administrator of the College and provides leadership and coordination across all academic and student-centred portfolios. Working in close partnership with the President and executive team, the VPAD advances King’s academic mission, strategic priorities, and affiliation agreements, while ensuring excellence in teaching, research, and the student experience.
On behalf of and under the direction of the President, the VPAD provides leadership for the Academic Dean’s Office, all academic departments, the School of Social Work, the School of Management, Economics and Mathematics, the School of Policy, Law, and Social Change, the Research Office, and King’s Libraries. The VPAD plays a central role in academic planning, policy development, faculty affairs, research growth, and academic governance, while fostering strong relationships with Western University and affiliated partners.
At the discretion of the President, the VPAD may assume the role of Acting President, coordinating with senior leaders and the Board Chair as appropriate to ensure continuity of operations and institutional stability.
Key Areas of Responsibility
Academic Leadership, Planning, and Governance:
Provide strategic leadership for King’s academic mission, including academic planning, policy development, and quality assurance. Oversee the development, review, and renewal of academic programs and academic standards related to admission, progression, and graduation, ensuring alignment with King’s Academic and Strategic Plans, affiliation agreements, and Senate regulations of Western University. Provide leadership in collegial governance, serve as an ex officio member of Academic Council and its standing committees, and uphold academic freedom and scholarly excellence.
Faculty Affairs and Scholarly Community:
Oversee faculty appointments, promotion, tenure, probationary processes, and academic leadership appointments in accordance with collective agreements and institutional policies. Foster a collegial academic culture that supports teaching excellence, research, mentorship, and professional development, and provide guidance on faculty workload, evaluation, and career progression.
Research, Libraries, and Academic Resources:
Strengthen King’s research profile by working with the Research Office to support faculty research, enhance external grant funding, and promote scholarly activity appropriate to a primarily undergraduate institution. Provide vision and oversight for the Cardinal Carter Library and its archives, ensuring their integral contribution to teaching, research, and community engagement.
Student Experience and Academic Support Services:
In partnership with the Associate Vice-President Student Experience and Campus Life, provide leadership for student services, residence life, and campus services that support student success, well-being, and engagement. Ensure strong alignment between academic priorities and the broader student experience.
Institutional Partnerships, Stewardship, and Mission:
Maintain strong working relationships with academic leaders at Western University and affiliated university colleges and represent King’s within the broader academic and local community. Direct and coordinate the preparation of the academic budget in collaboration with the President and academic units, ensuring responsible stewardship of resources. As a senior academic leader within a Catholic university college, contribute to the integration of the Catholic intellectual tradition into academic life and support the President in fostering relationships with Catholic communities and organizations.
The Ideal Candidate
You are a respected academic leader with a record of principled, collaborative leadership in higher education. You bring sound judgment, strong interpersonal skills, and a commitment to transparency, collegiality, and academic excellence. You are comfortable navigating complex governance environments and balancing institutional mission, faculty priorities, student needs, and external partnerships.
You are motivated by the transformative power of undergraduate education and are committed to fostering inclusive academic communities grounded in dignity, respect, and service.
Qualifications and Experience
While no one candidate is likely to meet all criteria equally, the following qualifications are desired.
- An earned doctorate or terminal degree with a record of academic accomplishment suitable for senior academic leadership
- Progressive academic administrative experience, such as Dean, Associate Dean, or comparable senior academic roles
- Demonstrated experience in academic planning, program development, faculty affairs, and academic governance
- Knowledge of collective agreements and faculty relations in a unionized academic environment
- Experience supporting research growth and external funding within a teaching‑focused institution
- Familiarity with federated or affiliated university models
- Understanding of, and respect for, the mission and values of Catholic higher education
- Strong fiscal management and budgeting skills, with experience optimizing resource allocation and operations in a complex organization
- Understanding of global engagement and international priorities in higher education
- A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and student success
Skills and Attributes
- High emotional intelligence paired with exceptional communication skills and the ability to build trusting relationships
- Integrity, humility, and strength of character
- A collaborative and transparent leadership style
- Courage to make values-based decisions in complex environments
- Respectful and empathetic engagement with faculty, staff, and students
- Commitment to truth-seeking, critical inquiry, and service to others
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