Role details: Assistant Vice-President, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs and Assistant Provost, Graduate Students

Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) is seeking to fill the position of Assistant Vice-President GSPA and Assistant Provost Graduate Students (Assistant VP), starting July 1, 2026, for a two-year term.  Applications are due June 3, 2026, and selected candidates will be interviewed between June 16-18.   

Job title: Assistant Vice-President, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs and Assistant Provost, Graduate Students 

Department: Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs 

Reports to: Associate Vice President, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs 

Effective date: July 1, 2026 

Term length: Two years 

During the past year, a comprehensive review of GSPA was conducted. One of the outcomes is the consolidation of the previously two Assistant VPs roles into one, as the Assistant Vice-President, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) and Assistant Provost, Graduate Students. This role will continue to report to the AVP, GSPA, but also have a dotted-line reporting arrangement to the Associate Provost, Students.  

Held by an academic colleague, this position will be responsible for the priorities of the GSPA portfolio and will lead on graduate student and postdoctoral fellow initiatives, as well as participate in some of the committees defined in the Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) framework. The position will also serve as a key liaison with the Associate Provost, Students portfolio, reinforcing the importance and responsibility of creating an exceptional cross-institutional graduate student experience that supports and inspires our students to excel. 

The activities of the Assistant VP are varied but fall within broader GSPA goals. 

Enhance the experience of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows   

The Assistant VP contributes to initiatives that promote research communication (e.g., GRADflix), orient and inform students (e.g., GradReady), develop academic and professional skills (e.g., scholarship information sessions, GRADnavigate, Grad Skill Enhancement Project), and build community amongst graduate students and postdoctoral scholars (e.g., PhD candidacy event, postdoc appreciation week). The Assistant VP balances graduate student and postdoctoral scholar advocacy with fair application of University guidelines, demonstrating that care and rigour co-exist.   

During their term, the Assistant VP will lead the review of the beginning of the graduate student enrolment journey, specifically new student transition supports for graduate students, including Grad Ready, the Academic Integrity Module (AIM), and orientation. This collaborative work will involve close partnership with key campus partners supporting graduate student success (e.g., GSPA, Graduate Student Association, Student Success Office) as determined by the project. While the responsibility and oversight for these areas remain within the portfolio of the Associate Provost, Students, the Assistant VP will contribute their expertise and perspective on graduate student needs, reflecting a spirit of collegiality and respect for the roles and contributions of all partners.   

Strengthen relationships and provide leadership to academic partners  

The Assistant VP provides strong representation for graduate studies and works to create connections across academic and support units. The Assistant VP supports training and mentorship in graduate supervision (e.g., Graduate Supervision Series), collaborates with, and provides consult to, Faculties and other academic support units, and ensures that the perspective of the graduate and postdoctoral community is heard during institutional decision-making. The Assistant VP, within their portfolio and activities, will have a particular emphasis on collaborative work with the student support areas under the portfolio of the Associate Provost, Students.  

Facilitate graduate experiential learning and interdisciplinary activities  

The Assistant VP is involved in initiatives that identify and build experiential learning opportunities for graduate students both within the university and external settings (industry and community partnerships) – as well as developing and facilitating opportunities for graduate students from varied disciplinary backgrounds to work together collaboratively.   

Cultivate a strong and diverse graduate community  

Recognizing a need to evaluate and challenge existing processes, the Assistant VP collaborates with areas, such as the Office of Equity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism, Office of Indigenous Relations, and AccessAbility Services to ensure that graduate student-related processes are equitable and inclusive. Moreover, the Assistant VP supports graduate student-related initiatives that reflect the University’s commitment to inclusivity and reducing bias (e.g., mentorship, training, representation).   

Ensure proficiency within internal graduate processes  

A number of Assistant VP activities support the ongoing processes within GSPA, such as adjudicating graduate awards and scholarships, coordinating the graduate student petition process, providing of academic oversight to admissions, and identifying ways to streamline or innovate current procedures.    

Applicants for this role should be faculty members who have Sole-Supervisory Privilege Status (SSPS2), who have held administrative leadership roles and have experience in the graduate arena (e.g., Graduate Officer/Graduate Chair, Associate Dean, Graduate Studies). As the position involves representing graduate studies and postdoctoral affairs in diverse contexts, applicants should be comfortable being in a visible role, providing leadership within and beyond the University community.   

Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, and a one-page articulation of the role graduate studies plays within the academic community and their vision for graduate studies at the University of Waterloo. Material should be submitted via email to Marianne Simm by June 3, 2026, at 12 p.m. ET.  

As part of the review process, the committee may seek endorsement from administrators who work with applicants. Interviews for selected applicants will be conducted June 16 to June 18.   

Applications will be reviewed by a committee comprised of Justin Wan (Interim Associate Vice-President, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs), Marianne Simm (Director, GSPA), Mike Beazley (Associate Dean, Graduate Studies, Faculty of Science), Pam Charbonneau (Interim Associate Provost Students), and Maha Eid (Graduate Studies and Research Officer, Faculty of Arts).