Dean, Faculty of Environment
The University of Waterloo invites applications, nominations, and expressions of interest for the position of Dean, Faculty of Environment, with the appointment to be effective July 1, 2022. This is an exciting opportunity to lead the Faculty towards its goal of being Canada’s catalyst for environmentally sustainable innovation, solutions, and talent generation, bringing partners from across disciplines and sectors together.
The University of Waterloo — consistently ranked as Canada’s most innovative university — is home to transformational research and inspired learning in science and engineering, health, environment, arts and social sciences. With the world's largest post-secondary co-operative education program, Waterloo encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research, and commercialization. The University has developed a reputation for the excellence and relevance of its undergraduate, graduate, and professional education for more than 42,000 students in the heart of Canada’s technology hub. Waterloo embraces its connections to the world with campuses and education centres on four continents and academic partnerships spanning the globe. Waterloo brings ideas and brilliant minds together, inspiring innovations with real impact to shape our planet, today and in the future. For more information, please visit www.uwaterloo.ca.
The Faculty of Environment is Canada’s largest, with an interdisciplinary approach focused on creating a just and sustainable future that reconciles economic and social goals with ecological imperatives. The Faculty offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs to almost 3,000 students and actively engages with a wide network of partners in the global research community. With 50 years of leadership in environmental and sustainability education, research, and advocacy and a collaborative community of engaged students, faculty, staff, and alumni, the Faculty of Environment creates leading, transdisciplinary, impactful research that addresses complex environmental and social issues. The Faculty has annual research funding of more than $12 million, 100 internationally renowned faculty members that include 12 research chairs, and more than 16,000 alumni in 89 countries. Additional information, including the 2020-2025 strategic plan, is available at www.uwaterloo.ca/environment/.
Reporting to the Vice-President, Academic & Provost and serving as an officer of the University within Waterloo’s senior administration, the Dean of the Faculty of Environment provides visionary strategic direction, academic planning leadership, external relations, and administrative oversight to achieve the highest possible standards in environmental education and research. Working in collaboration with the Department Chairs, School Directors, and Associate Deans, the Dean will lead and expand the boundaries of innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and research, and will successfully manage the financial, administrative, and human resources of the Faculty. As a champion for teaching and scholarship who is committed to the success and development of students, faculty, and staff, the Dean will work collaboratively with academic, industry, alumni, and public sector partners to further enhance the stature and resources of the Faculty.
The successful candidate will be an accomplished leader with strong achievements in teaching, innovative and interdisciplinary research, and community engagement who will be appointed as a full Professor within one of the Faculty’s departments/schools. With proven academic leadership experience and a record of building strong teams, the new Dean will possess an open and collegial style, a creative approach to problem solving, and outstanding management, communication, and interpersonal skills. The ability to relate successfully to a range of internal and external partners, promote and amplify the Faculty’s strengths to external stakeholders, and to identify and generate new sources of funding will be required. Committed to the vision and goals of the Faculty with expertise in sustainability, the environment and/or climate solutions, the new Dean will be able to promote excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion amongst all faculty, staff, and students, and ensure a focus on wellness and student success.
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River.
The University values the diverse and intersectional identities of its students, faculty, and staff. The University regards equity and diversity as an integral part of academic excellence and is committed to accessibility for all employees. The University of Waterloo seeks applicants who embrace our values of equity, anti-racism and inclusion. As such, we encourage applications from candidates who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including applicants who identify as First Nations, Métis and/or Inuit/Inuk, Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women and/or 2SLGBTQ+. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. The University of Waterloo is committed to accessibility for persons with disabilities. If you have any application, interview, or workplace accommodation requests, please contact WaterlooEnvironment@lavernesmith.com.
The advisory committee will begin consideration of candidates immediately and will continue until the role is filled. Applications should include a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names of three references (who will not be contacted without the consent of the candidate), and be submitted electronically, in confidence, to:
Laverne Smith & Associates Inc.
WaterlooEnvironment@lavernesmith.com
