Vice-President, Finance & Administration

Join a university where art and design shape culture, industry, and the future.

OCAD University is Canada’s largest and oldest art and design university and a globally recognized hub for art, design, digital media, research and creative innovation. The University brings together artists, designers and scholars who are advancing creativity as a powerful force for a more joyful, equitable and sustainable world.

As OCAD U approaches its 150th anniversary in fall 2026, the University is advancing an ambitious Academic and Strategic Plan that positions art and design as powerful tools for addressing complex societal challenges. The plan is centred around the student journey, and grounded in commitments to decolonization, Indigenization and equity, environmental sustainability, innovation in learning and research, and responsible stewardship of the University’s resources.

The Vice-President, Finance & Administration will play a central role in strengthening the financial and operational foundations that will ensure OCAD U continues to thrive and remain relevant for the next 150 years.

Reporting to the President & Vice-Chancellor, the Vice-President, Finance & Administration serves as the University’s chief administrative officer and a key member of the President’s Executive and Senior Leadership teams. The VPFA provides strategic leadership for the University’s administrative functions and plays a central role in aligning resources, infrastructure and systems with institutional priorities during a period of significant transformation.

The Vice-President oversees the University’s core administrative portfolios, including finance, information technology, capital and campus planning, facilities and studio services, campus operations and security. The VPFA leads institutional financial and business planning processes, ensures strong financial stewardship and transparency, and oversees multi-year financial and capital planning, infrastructure development, information technology and cyber security, emergency preparedness and campus services. The Vice-President stewards the modernization of departmental infrastructure and systems by championing digital literacy and integration of innovative technologies across all portfolio levels. They oversee the development of a sustainable revenue diversification strategy and build internal capacity for revenue generation, ensuring robust financial modeling, risk assessment, and resource allocation are in place to scale new business initiatives. The Vice-President works closely with the Board of Governors and its committees and represents the University with government and sector partners.

The successful candidate will bring a Master’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent experience; an MBA and/or accounting designation is considered an asset. They will have senior leadership experience in finance and administration within complex organizations, preferably in a post-secondary or public sector environment, along with a strong record of strategic financial leadership, organizational transformation and capital planning. The ideal candidate is a collaborative and inclusive leader with excellent judgement, strong communication skills and expertise in financial management, budgeting, information technology, risk management and regulatory compliance.

If you are interested in this important role with OCAD University, please email any questions to Cameron Morrison and Nick Chambers (cmorrison@boyden.com). To apply, please visit boyden.thriveapp.ly/job/3198.