Job Description

The Organization Northwestern PolytechnicTrue North
As the largest post-secondary institution in northern Alberta, Northwestern Polytechnic (NWP) is a natural point of convergence for knowledge, skills, creativity, and collaboration. Located in the heart of one of Canada's most enterprising regions, NWP is aligning to meet the needs of its industries and communities across Northwestern Alberta and has been growing program offerings across its campuses in Fairview and Grande Prairie. NWP has three strategic priorities: growing enrolment together, strengthening engagement, and realizing our polytechnic mandate.Striving to spark and empower success, NWP's mission is geared towards both individual and collective progress. NWP offers a wide variety of engaging and in-demand academic programs in certificates, diplomas, apprenticeships, and degrees. In the past year, NWP has added to its wide variety of academic programs by offering its first two degrees, expanded health programming, and introduction of many new programs. The highly qualified faculty, affordable tuition, and generous scholarship and awards programs attract students from across Alberta, Canada and the world. Northwestern Polytechnic also helps meet the cultural, recreational, athletic, and conferencing needs by partnering with community and regional stakeholders.We exist wholeheartedly for the domestic and international students who call our campuses home, the distinctive communities and industries we serve, and the staff and faculty who honour us with their expertise and insights every day.While our potential as one of Alberta's newest polytechnics is ever-growing, we recognize the importance of having authentic and highly effective contributors by our side. We are currently recruiting individuals who are inspired by opportunity, driven by results, and aligned to NWP's core values of being responsive, innovative, and connected.Finding your fit in one of our specialized schools or departments means a bright future with competitive compensation, attractive benefits packages, reliable networks, high quality of life, and unparalleled learning community experiences.Northwestern Polytechnic strongly encourages and supports applied research and innovative scholarly activities that complement and enhance teaching and learning in program areas and within industry sectors where its academic expertise enables such a contribution.Learn more about Northwestern Polytechnic here:The Location City of Grande PrairieGrande Prairie is located in Northwestern Alberta, in the heart of the Peace Region. It is the largest city North of Edmonton, Alberta's capital city. It is a thriving young city full of continuous growth and opportunity.The population of Grande Prairie is 69,088 according to the 2018 census, with the greatest population being between the ages of 30 and 34. This population includes representation from more than 80 different cultural and ethnic groups!Beyond its own population, Grande Prairie acts as a regional hub serving an additional 281,000+ people from across Northern Alberta, Northern British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. It sits as the largest commercial centre north of Edmonton. Grande Prairie is the spark for Alberta's entrepreneurial fire. It has repeatedly been named one of the top 10 cities for entrepreneurship in Canada by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).Grande Prairie's economy is based on four pillars: oil and gas, forestry, agriculture and retail. This diversity provides great opportunity for workers across a variety of industries.In the community, there is endless possibility for residents to get involved and connected! For sport and recreation fans, there is a wide variety of parks and trails to explore all across the City, as well as several state-of-the-art recreational facilities such as the Eastlink Centre. A huge arts and culture community is also present in Grande Prairie, with venues such as the Montrose Cultural Centre, the Centre for Creative Arts and the Grande Prairie Live Theatre. And on top of that, the city has a great number of cultural and neighbourhood associations for residents to join!We are an energetic city full of opportunity- find your place today!The Opportunity: Vice-President, AcademicReporting to the President, the Vice-President Academic provides leadership to the Academic Division of NWP. This leadership creates the best possible opportunities for learners and maintains the highest academic standards for the Polytechnic. As a key member of the executive leadership team, the Vice-President Academic plays a critical role in building an inclusive and collaborative culture that drives quality education with a student-centred approach.The Division includes all Academic Schools, Student Services, the Registrar's Office, and Applied Research and Innovation.The Vice-President Academic is responsible for the effective deployment of staff as well as financial, facility, and other resources in the service of learner needs to achieve the institution's strategic plan and identified priorities.The Vice-President Academic provides liaison with the Ministry of Advanced Education on matters of academic concern.Job RequirementsKey Roles & ResponsibilitiesAcademic Excellence and Service QualityEnsuring best practices are employed in the development, enhancement, updating, and delivery of programming by:

• Supporting formative evaluation efforts of Deans and Departments;
• Implementing and maintaining a robust Program Review process;
• Developing, implementing, and maintaining a robust organization evaluation
• Creating, seeking consultation, and implementing a Master Academic Plan;
• Providing leadership of academic policy development and final approval at Academic Council;
• Maintaining regular contact with Deans and Academic Directors, and support efforts to deliver quality instruction; and
• Engaging with senior leaders, Deans' and Chairs' Councils, Academic Council, and other academic committees as relevant.
• Creating, seeking consultations, and implementing a strategic enrolment management plan.

Provide leadership in sustaining and enhancing outstanding research through:

• Providing leadership to foster academic excellence and scholarship by leading and encouraging the Deans, Directors, and Registrar to support research programs, research activities, and entrepreneurship and commercialization activities;
• Championing and leading the ongoing development of comprehensive, interdisciplinary research and innovation programs to elevate NWP's profile at the provincial, national and international level;
• Supporting the Director, Research and Innovation in NWP's interaction with government, regulatory bodies and other funding agencies and promoting industry, community, and inter-institutional partnerships; and
• Upholding academic integrity and promoting the generation of innovative Intellectual Property.

Guide and Direct Resource Allocation Within the DivisionProvide leadership in guiding and directing the divisional resources to maximize the student and faculty experience by:

• Developing and implementing effective processes to plan for and expend the Annual Operating Budget, the Capital Budget; and Special Funds available to the Polytechnic;
• Contribute to the ASA Collective Bargaining Process;
• Developing policy and practice with regard to faculty workload management systems;
• Developing policy and practice to ensure monitoring of program activity and to provide substantive data for on-going resource allocation decisions as well as to inform the program review process.

Act as a change agent and champion by:

• Challenging and supporting Deans, Chairpersons, and academic staff;
• Challenging and supporting service department leaders and their staff;
• Challenging and supporting change efforts through Polytechnic Executive; and
• On an individual basis, nurture the efforts of key change leaders within the academic division in particular and the Polytechnic at large.

RelationshipsProvide leadership externally to ensure NWP meets its mandate by:

• Developing and sustaining strong relationships with the Ministry of Advanced Education representatives;
• Representing NWP on Senior Academic Officers' groups;
• Guiding all credential program proposal development and negotiate funding under available government programs;
• Guiding efforts to develop proposals and negotiate for collaborative program enhancement and degree delivery;
• Leading academic division support of NWP degree-granting initiatives. (e.g., CAQC, ACAT); and
• Building strong relationships with external players such as Alberta Learning, Alberta North, Northern Alberta Development Council, the public-school systems, and other post-secondary institutions.

Provide leadership in relationship building in pursuit of the strategic plan by:

• Providing effective leadership and enable the effective leadership of the Academic Division Team;
• Providing effective academic leadership at Academic Council;
• Providing strong liaison activities with key players in service departments including the Vice-President Administration, the Vice-President External Relations, Executive Director of Human Resources, and the Directors of the Administrative and External Relations' teams;
• Identify the need for, and develop relevant academic policy; and
• Collaborate with Vice-President, Administration to develop administrative policy that impacts the academic division

Strategic Planning and Goal SettingLead and participate in the development of Strategic Planning by:

• Participating in Executive and Board planning activities;
• Leading the Academic Planning development process;
• Developing and implementing effective monitoring systems for academic activities of the Polytechnic;
• Office to ensure evidence-based academic division decisions; and
• Liaison with the Institutional Research Office, which conducts and supports institutional research.

Only applications received electronically via the Northwestern Polytechnic website will be considered.We review all applications to select candidates whose qualifications and experience most closely meet our needs.Only applicants selected for interviews will be contacted. For general inquiries, please contact HR at .Thank you for applying to NWP!Appointment Date From:6/2/2025Appointment Date To:Salary Grade$0.00 - $0.00Organizational UnitNorthwestern Polytechnic -> Office of the PresidentLocationGrande Prairie, AB T8V 4C4 CA (Primary)

Northwestern Polytechnic