Dean, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences & Associate Vice-President, Macdonald Campus
McGill University is actively seeking to appoint an experienced and accomplished academic leader for the position of Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences & Associate Vice-President, Macdonald Campus.
McGill University
Founded in 1821, McGill University is home to exceptional students, faculty, and staff from across Canada and around the world. It is consistently ranked as one of the top universities, both nationally and internationally. It is a world-renowned institution of higher learning with research activities spanning three campuses, 11 faculties, 14 professional schools, 300 programs of study and over 39,000 students, including more than 10,400 graduate students. For more information about McGill, please see: www.mcgill.ca.
The Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
The Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (FAES) is committed to excellence in teaching, research and service to ensure that humanity's present and future food, health and natural resource needs are met while protecting the environment.
The FAES, one of McGill University’s 11 faculties, is at the forefront of research, teaching, and community engagement in applied bioscience, food, nutritional and environmental sciences. Located on McGill’s Macdonald Campus at the western tip of the island of Montreal, the Faculty is centred within one of the highest concentrations of high-tech activity in Canada. The FAES offers unique multidisciplinary research programs that bring together health, environment, food and nutrition, bioproducts, biotechnology and the agriculture sectors.
The FAES’s strategic research activities range from basic molecular sciences to applied agricultural, food, nutrition, and environmental sciences, with medical and industrial applications. In the last three years, the Faculty has leveraged $45 million in research funding, led collaborations with several industrial and institutional partners, and developed numerous international projects. The Faculty’s expansive facilities for teaching, training and research in applied biosciences and biotechnologies, including bioprocessing laboratories and environmental sciences, meet growing demand in these disciplines.
The Position
Reporting to the Provost and Executive Vice-President (Academic), the Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences & AVP, Macdonald Campus is the chief academic and administrative officer of the Faculty, responsible for the planning, development, coordination and implementation of its educational and research agenda. Working with the Faculty’s community, the Dean and AVP will set academic priorities and provide leadership in the establishment of plans that achieve those priorities. The Dean and AVP will build consensus through a community building, collegial and collaborative approach among faculty, staff and administration. The Dean and AVP will encourage, support, and enable continuous academic program innovation and renewal to ensure the quality and relevance of the Faculty’s and University’s academic programs, with particular emphasis on interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary collaboration, and inter-campus collaboration.
Correlative with these academic responsibilities, the Dean and AVP is responsible for setting the Faculty’s annual budget, overseeing its campus development and operations, and determining appropriate faculty and staff complements. The Dean and AVP will lead implementation of the mission and vision for campus development in partnership with other stakeholders responsible for renovations, major reconstruction projects as well as capital construction initiatives. The Dean and AVP will be an ambassador with the neighbouring communities and other external partners, such as industry, government, and international partners.
The Ideal Candidate
While the advisory search committee recognizes that no one candidate is likely to meet all the following qualifications in equal measure, they are desirable and will be used in the assessment of candidates for the position.
As the ideal candidate, you hold a PhD in a discipline within the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and are eligible for an appointment to the rank of full professor at McGill, or have the equivalent relevant experience and knowledge outside of academia. You are an accomplished scholar and administrator who has demonstrated excellence in their field of study and transformative accomplishments in research. With proven academic or industry leadership experience and a record of building inclusive teams, you possess a collegial, empathetic and inspirational leadership style. You have the ability to empower faculty, staff, and students across all departments of the Faculty, and bring a broad interdisciplinary and collaborative perspective to the Dean and AVP role. You possess the ability to develop, in a consultative style, a clear vision for the future of the Faculty and campus within the context of the University’s strategic objectives and plans. You have experience and demonstrated success in advancing equity, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and decolonization practices. You have an ability to work collaboratively with other provincial, national, and international universities and colleges, with a strong track record of prospecting, developing and nurturing partnerships with industry, government, and other external partners. You are passionate about promoting the successes of the Faculty, and have the ability to meet with donors, alumni, and stakeholders, to develop and maintain long-term relationships, and to attract funding and other support for the Faculty.
As the ideal candidate, you will be bilingual or at a minimum have strong working proficiency in French, given the importance of engaging with the Francophone community. You ideally have experience in or knowledge of the unique French speaking and multicultural context of Quebec and Montreal.
The Appointment
The appointment of the Dean and AVP is for a five-year renewable term. Consideration of applications will commence immediately and continue until the position is filled.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please apply online at https://www.kbrs.ca/Career/17295382129330000008AMX. For more information or to request a copy of the Executive Brief, contact Katherine Frank ([email protected]) or Lauren Wright ([email protected]).
McGill University is committed to equity and diversity within its community and values academic rigour and excellence. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities.
At McGill, research that reflects diverse intellectual traditions, methodologies, and modes of dissemination and translation is valued and encouraged. Candidates are invited to demonstrate their research impact both within and across academic disciplines and in other sectors, such as government, communities, or industry.
McGill further recognizes and fairly considers the impact of leaves (e.g., family care or health-related) that may contribute to career interruptions or slowdowns. Candidates are encouraged to signal any leave that affected productivity, or that may have had an effect on their career path. This information will be considered to ensure the equitable assessment of the candidate’s record.
McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated equity groups to self-identify. It further seeks to ensure the equitable treatment and full inclusion of persons with disabilities by striving for the implementation of universal design principles transversally, across all facets of the University community, and through accommodation policies and procedures.
Should you require an accommodation to participate fully in the recruitment process, please inform KBRS at [email protected].
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.
