Special Advisor, Academic Initiatives

**COMPETITION NUMBER**:966**
**CLOSING DATE**:
**Special Advisor, Academic Initiatives**

**Office of the VP, Academic**

NorQuesters are difference makers and we’re searching for someone dedicated to making a difference to join our Academic portfolio as a Special Advisor, Academic Initiatives. This position reports to the Vice President, Academic and has responsibility for managing and providing broad strategic leadership within the portfolio and at the college level. The Special Advisor, Academic Initiatives will work with external stakeholders from industry, industry groups, and associated municipal, provincial, and federal governments on behalf of the academic portfolio, with the focus on researching future opportunities and securing resources to fund educational opportunities that benefit the students, faculty, portfolio, and the college overall.

The Special Advisor, Academic Initiatives is responsible and accountable for the following:

- ** Managing incubation and new innovation projects** across the Academic portfolio, including the planning, implementing, establishing KPIs, and following up.
- ** Conducting market research** based on specific inquiries and preparing written reports.
- ** Developing partnerships** with existing and new shareholders that are necessary for the projects’ successes.
- ** Negotiating, developing and** **reviewing the terms of contracts** including discrepancies and change requirements and managing legalities with shareholders.
- ** Providing management expertise** to various project teams within the portfolio, to enable growth and capacity.
- ** Incubating new initiatives and managing their operational transitions **to the Faculties, as appropriate.
- ** Representing the college** on a senior management level at relevant groups, conferences and in special sessions, as assigned
- ** Working closely and collaboratively with Senior Academic Leaders** across the organization to ensure consistency and success of the Academic Initiatives.
- **Seeking new, portfolio wide alternative revenue opportunities**, innovative partnerships and contract training initiatives that align with the college’s mandate, vision, and educational goals.

**What you bring**:

- Demonstrated success working with internal and external partners in collaboratively developing and implementing a vision and guiding people to achieve exemplary performance and outcomes.
- Progressive and demonstrated experience in senior post-secondary administration, including understanding and experience in partnership development, project management, program development, and administration.
- Knowledge and understanding of issues (including cultural, socio-economic, political, and other factors) affecting Indigenous peoples and communities, and other excluded populations.
- Demonstrated capacity to lead in matters relating to advancing the college’s strategic priorities, and especially with respect to Indigenous engagement.
- Strong interpersonal skills and experience working with Indigenous and other equity seeking groups, as well as with students and stakeholders in a post-secondary setting.
- Superior organization, collaboration, conflict resolution, critical thinking, problem solving, time management and facilitation skills required.
- Creativity and analytical ability.
- Persistence and flexibility in a complex, rapidly changing environment

**How you’ll make a difference**:

- Assess potential new opportunities ranging from partnerships to new program development.
- Develop proposals and oversee successful management of projects.
- Develop contracts and approve external contracts for new enterprises, programming, and services.
- Accountable for receiving, cascading, and contributing to the relevant strategic and operational directions of academic initiatives, ensuring full understanding and executing work requested as needed.
- Strong facilitation, collaboration and consensus building with others from within the portfolio and college overall
- Communicate within the portfolio and across the college to ensure efficient and effective program delivery.
- Interact with senior officials in government, post-secondaries, and other shareholders, as appropriate
- Make hiring and performance and resource allocation decisions.
- Operating supervision - all aspects of the development and incubation of academic initiatives.
- Accountable for results and for developing/fostering the growth of skills and capabilities of any required individuals or teams.

**We offer flexible work options. **We strive for balance between a flexible work environment, connectedness to the campus community, and ensuring NorQuesters are set up to succeed in their roles and responsibilities.

For applicants who have completed post-secondary studies from outside of Canada, it is recommended they obtain an assessment of their credentials from a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator, such as:
This competition may be used to fill future vacanc