Associate Chair

**Please note: This is a temporary assignment ending on or before June 30, 2026 with the possibility of extension. This competition is limited to current salaried NASA staff within the School of Health and Life Sciences.**

Reporting to the Chair, the Associate Chair is responsible for helping to champion the program and ensure student success through instructional and curriculum excellence. This is a leadership and supervisory role that collaborates closely with the Chair to identify and promote instructor learning and development opportunities, conduct classroom observations, provide coaching and mentoring, and support the overall health and well-being of both staff and students.

This Associate Chair position will provide academic and operational support for the following program areas:

- Optical Sciences - Contact Lenses
- Optical Sciences - Eyeglasses

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Provide direct instruction to students and fulfill assigned teaching duties.
- Collaborate with the chair in mentoring, coaching, and guiding instructors to enhance teaching excellence within the program cluster.
- Participate in the recruitment, selection, and orientation of new instructors.
- Recommend professional development opportunities for instructional staff to the Chair.
- Engage with industry, external stakeholders, and other post-secondary institutions to ensure each program’s content, equipment, and outcomes remain relevant and responsive to current needs.
- Support program-level expertise development through participation in relevant committees, where possible.
- Provide guidance and support to students, in collaboration with advising services.
- Participate in student recruitment, retention, and program retention activities for all programs.
- Collaborate with the Chair to strive for continual quality improvement and implement best practices in curriculum management, ensuring each program’s relevance and quality.
- Engage in ongoing professional learning and development.
- Perform other duties as assigned.

**Skills & Abilities**:

- Demonstrated proactive leadership with emerging supervisory and administrative skills to effectively support the Chair in managing academic operations.
- Strong ability to collaborate as a team player, contributing positively as a member of academic and administrative teams.
- Diverse instructional experience within the program areas, with the ability to support technical training in open-exit and blended learning environments.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) to support program administration, communication, and planning.
- Working knowledge of institutional policies and procedures (e.g., NAIT’s Academic Plan and Business Plan), with the ability to support alignment of program initiatives.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, demonstrating a respectful, supportive, and effective approach in interactions with faculty, staff, and students.
- Ability to manage competing priorities and support multiple tasks in a fast-paced academic environment.
- Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to meet deadlines and contribute to ongoing process improvement efforts.

**Qualifications**:

- Related diploma required. Degree preferred.
- Active practice permit with applicable regulatory college.
- Previous leadership/supervisory experience is considered an asset.
- Equivalencies will be considered.

Applicants with education credentials earned outside of Canada should have their credentials evaluated by World Education Services or the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS).

**Remuneration**:As outlined in the NASA Collective Agreement.

(Classification - Leader l, Associate Chair)
- NAIT believes in the learning and development of our employees so that they are equipped to support the achievement of our organizational goals and as such, you may be required to engage in learning opportunities related to the chair/associate chair assignment._
- Appointment to this assignment is for a one year term with the possibility of a further one-year extension. _
- This assignment is covered by the NASA (NAIT Academic Staff Association) Collective Agreement._

**Please submit a resume and cover letter to be considered for this opportunity.**

**About NAIT**

We are proud to have been named one of Alberta’s Top Employers for 14 consecutive years. Being part of a community that makes a difference in the lives of students, staff, industry clients and partners, NAIT’s culture reflects our shared values of respect, collaboration, celebration, creativity, and accountability.

People are what make NAIT great, and we prioritize the employee experience. We offer benefits and unique perks focusing on health and wellness, work-life balance, recognition, and professional and personal growth. In addition to excellent vacation time, we offer paid time off between Christmas and New Year's.

NAIT supports a flexible work env