Executive opportunities

For more context & background about this role, please see Velocity's blog post:

http://velocity.uwaterloo.ca/2019/08/executive-director-search/

Overview

Velocity ignites and fuels the entrepreneurial spirit at the University of Waterloo and the broader community, with the ultimate goal of creating massive economic and social value in Canada and beyond. For the University of Waterloo campus community, Velocity is one of the key providers of inspiration, information and guidance for anyone interested in entrepreneurship.

The Executive Director oversees the two Velocity missions of campus and startups. The Executive Director ensures that Velocity’s missions and activities align with and are well understood in the broader University community, this includes being one of several key ‘voices of the entrepreneur’ at the highest levels of leadership and administration. The Executive Director is responsible for overseeing the administration, programs and strategic planning of the Velocity organization. Other key duties include fundraising, outreach and building strong strategic relationships with government as well the private sector.

The Executive Director is also responsible for representing Velocity in local, national, and international forums, developing and maintaining partnerships, relationships, and enhancing UWaterloo’s global leadership position.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategic Partnerships

• Responsible for strategic planning to ensure that Velocity can successfully fulfill its two missions: as a key provider of inspiration and guidance to aspiring entrepreneurial students on UWaterloo campus and as Canada’s most productive start-up incubator

• Engages with top global accelerators, incubators, entrepreneurial post-secondary institutions and investors, learning from them, forming partnerships and building global awareness of Velocity. Enhances Velocity’s brand impact with existing partnerships through community networking with professional, civic and private organizations
• Connects Velocity talent and ideas with the resources and professionals needed to move innovation from concept to reality
• Strengthens Velocity’s profile in the region, province, nationally and internationally with a range of stakeholders – all levels of government leaders, policy makers, and funders
• Develops and maintains a high level of awareness of the needs of the community through regular assessment and evaluation of strengths, on which Velocity could build on and the gaps Velocity could fill through effective programming
• Performs environmental scanning and institutional data analysis and benchmarking for the innovation ecosystem in Canada and internationally
• Expands market presence, develops sustainable competitive advantage and builds brand awareness for Velocity

• Provides strategic guidance, direction and coaching to Velocity’s leadership team, ensuring staff are informed, engaged, developed, and working effectively together
• Serves as Velocity’s senior spokesperson to University’s leadership, the media and the general public.
• In conjunction with the Velocity Director of Startups and Velocity Director of Campus, work collaboratively with other UWaterloo and external entities that support and inspire students, faculty and alumni entrepreneurs including the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business, the Accelerator Centre, and the Office of Research (including UW Innovation Office and WatCo).

Velocity Alumni Engagement

• Engages alumni from the Velocity program to ensure strong ongoing relationships between alumni and the program with the goals of alumni contributing to the program
• Works with University Advancement to navigate opportunities for philanthropic contributions to Velocity

Reporting, Finances and Compliance

• Reports to the Associate Provost, Students
• Communicates with and reports Velocity outcomes to senior leadership (Board of Governors, President, Provost, Deans, VPs, Associate-Provosts), VIPs (alumni, donors, etc.) and government  
• Overall accountability for the financial health of the Velocity organization, advocating for resources as needed
• In collaboration with Velocity’s Director Campus and Director Startups, prepares annual budget for the approval of the Provost and thereafter monitors the budget, maintaining financial reports in an up-to-date and organized manner
• Develops long-range fiscal plan that factors in growth and anticipates possible changes and challenges
• Ensures compliance with all University policies and procedures and helps inform evolution of existing policies or introduction of new policies to best support entrepreneurial output at the University

Qualifications

• One or more university degrees required
• A minimum of ten years’ leadership experience in (a) complex environment(s)
• Leadership success in an academic organization at the post-secondary level an asset
• Demonstrated management training, coaching and development
• Demonstrated organizational and strategic leadership
• Experience managing and implementing organizational change with a complex and large scope
• Strong understanding of Canada’s innovation policies and relevant government funding landscape
• Experience working within a startup or startup ecosystem
• Extensive experience in securing government funding, financial management, budgeting, planning and reporting
• Proven experience with managing media (e.g. press releases, media inquiries, etc.)
• Proven expertise in developing and successfully implementing strategy including process re-design
• Proven skill in relationship management, partnering and achieving results using a collaborative approach and influence
• Excellent verbal, listening, written and presentation communication skills with individuals and groups
  from a few dozens to a few hundred
• Demonstrated high level of organization and ability to manage high volumes of activity and change
• Comfortable acting as spokesperson for the university

If this sounds really exciting, we’d love to hear from you. If you’re interested in learning more, reach out at velocity.director@uwaterloo.ca. If based on the information above (and on Velocity’s blog) you know this is a great fit, please send a curriculum vitae and a statement of interest in the position, in confidence, to Chris Read at chris.read@uwaterloo.ca.

The University of Waterloo invites applications, nominations, and expressions of interest for the position of Dean, Faculty of Engineering, with the appointment to be effective July 1, 2020. This is an exciting opportunity to lead Canada’s largest engineering school, with a reputation for excellence built on the foundation of co-op education, world-leading research, and a bold history of innovation.

The University of Waterloo — Canada’s top innovation university — is home to transformational research and inspired learning in engineering and architecture, science, mathematics, applied health sciences, environment, and the arts. Waterloo has spawned thousands of commercial and social enterprises, has the world's largest post-secondary co-operative education program, and boasts a uniquely entrepreneurial culture that encourages experimentation and risk-taking. Located in Waterloo, Ontario, the result is an outstanding learning and research experience for more than 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students in the heart of Canada’s technology hub. For more information please visit www.uwaterloo.ca.

Ranked among the top 50 engineering schools worldwide, the Faculty of Engineering is proud of its reputation for leadership, innovation, co-operative education, and excellence. Over 8,000 undergraduate students are enrolled in 15 co-op programs, including degrees in interdisciplinary areas. Almost 2,100 graduate students in 37 degree programs benefit from a robust and innovative research environment that includes more than a dozen research centres and institutes. In 2018/19, external research funding from Canadian and international partners exceeded $96 million, a strong indication of the Faculty’s extensive industry partnerships and the excellence of its engineering research programs. Each year, Waterloo Engineering graduates the largest number of engineers in Canada, adding to its distinguished alumni of over 46,000. The Faculty’s 600 faculty and staff and eight academic units are housed in state-of-the-art facilities, many of which are newly built. Uniquely enhancing the Faculty’s breadth, interdisciplinarity, and scope of impact are the School of Architecture and the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business. Further information about the Faculty can be found at https://uwaterloo.ca/engineering/

Reporting to the Vice-President, Academic and Provost and participating as a member of Waterloo’s senior administration, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering provides visionary strategic direction, academic planning leadership, external relations, and administrative oversight to achieve the highest possible standards in engineering and architectural education and research. Working in collaboration with the Chairs, Directors, and Associate Deans, the Dean will lead and expand the boundaries of innovative and multi-disciplinary 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 research, and community engagement. 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, outstanding management, communication, and interpersonal skills, and the ability to identify and generate new sources of funding. The new Dean will be able to promote excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion amongst all faculty, staff, and students, while relating successfully to a range of internal and external partners.

The University of Waterloo respects, appreciates and encourages diversity. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, age, colour, gender, sexual orientation, ability, or disability. Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority.

The nominating 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.

WaterlooEng@lavernesmith.com

The first standalone Faculty of Mathematics in North America, Math at Waterloo has earned a global reputation for teaching excellence, research depth, breadth of academic offerings, renowned co-operative education programs, entrepre­neurship, and community outreach. The world’s leading organiza­tions pursue the Faculty’s graduates; today over 40,000 Waterloo Mathematics alumni are living and working in 105 countries. With an impressive and growing list of start-ups and spinoffs, Waterloo’s Faculty of Mathematics is a powerhouse of discovery underpinning the innovation economy of the future.

One of the largest of six faculties at the University of Waterloo, the Faculty of Mathematics ranks among the world’s leaders for the quality and diversity of its research and academic offerings, incorpo­rat­ing pure and applied mathematics, computer science, combinatorics and optimization, statistics and actuarial science, mathematics of business and finance, education in mathematics and computing, and a wide range of interdis­ciplinary topics. The Faculty’s four departments and the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science are complemented by a range of research institutes and centres in areas including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and privacy, risk management, and quantum computing.

As the next Dean, you will be a senior University officer responsible for a highly successful organization with over 8,300 graduate and undergraduate students, 250 full-time professors and 70 lecturers teaching 500 courses, and 120 staff. An eminent scholar, you model the best in academic ideals of teaching, research, service, and collaboration – and will foster a culture in which faculty and students can continue to experiment and excel. You have a record of sound administra­tive leadership, passion for the advance­ment of the discipline, and a collegial approach to building relationships with Department Chairs, faculty members, and students. You will engage productively with diverse stakeholders including alumni, colleagues across disciplines and at other universi­ties, and leaders across the region who are translating Faculty research into commercial enterprise. This is an opportunity to amplify the impact of an established world leader in mathematics, statistics, and computer science.

The University of Waterloo consistently ranks as Canada’s most innovative university. At Waterloo, you will have the opportunity to work across disciplines and collaborate with an international community of scholars and a diverse student body, situ­ated in one of the world’s fastest-growing technology hubs. From quantum computing and nano­technology to clinical psychology and health sciences research, Waterloo brings ideas and brilliant minds together, inspiring innovations with real impact. As home to the world’s largest post-secondary co-operative education program, Waterloo embraces its connections to the world and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research, and commercialization. With campuses and education centres on four continents, and global academic partnerships, Waterloo is shaping the future of the planet.

The University of Waterloo respects, appreciates, and encourages diversity. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified individuals regardless of race, ethnic origin, religion, age, colour, gender, sexual orientation, ability or disability. Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. Please request any accommoda­tions you may require to ensure you can participate fully and equally during the recruitment and selection process.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position has been filled. All responses to Caldwell are confidential. Please indicate your interest in Project 190642 at www.caldwellpartners.com/apply.php or via email to hring@caldwellpartners.com. Five-year term appointment, renewable for three additional years | Language of work: English | Work address: Mathematics & Computer Building, 200 University Avenue W, Waterloo, ON  N2L 3G1.