Vice President, Academic and Students
COMPETITION NO. AD26-29
Band 17: $196,592 - $227,933
About Durham College:
Durham College (DC) is a
leading post-secondary institution with a clear purpose: transforming lives,
building careers, and enriching communities.
We prepare students to thrive in a rapidly changing world of work through innovative, hands-on and industry-connected learning. From co-ops and field placements to applied research and other experiential opportunities, DC students develop the practical skills, knowledge, and confidence to make an immediate impact in their careers and communities.
Known for future-focused, innovative teaching and strong connections to industry, DC offers a diverse range of market-driven programs designed to respond to evolving workforce needs. Our programs span business, information technology, engineering, construction and skilled trades, health care, science and technology, culinary, hospitality and horticulture, social and community services, and media, art and design.
Across our modern campuses in Oshawa and Whitby, DC offers 145 programs, including eight degrees and 11 apprenticeship programs, serving nearly 11,000 full-time post-secondary and 2,800 apprenticeship students. We also support lifelong learning through more than 18,000 registrations in professional and part-time learning, while our community of more than 125,000 alumni is making an impact locally and around the world.
Our impact extends well beyond our campuses. DC contributes more than $913 million annually to Durham Region’s economy. Remaining community-connected, DC works closely with employers, industry, and partners to strengthen our communities and create new opportunities. We are committed to embedding sustainability in the way we learn, work, and contribute to the communities we serve.
At DC, employees are at the heart of that impact. As a people-centred college, our culture is grounded in our values of collaboration, diversity and inclusion, excellence, innovation, integrity, respect and social responsibility. Together, we are creating exceptional learning experiences, supporting student success, and helping to shape a more sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Reporting to the President, the Vice President, Academic and Students provides strategic leadership and executive oversight for DC’s academic and student portfolios, advancing the college’s Strategic Vision and Academic Plans while shaping an integrated, exceptional student experience from access through graduation and career success. The Vice President is accountable for the quality, delivery, impact, and continued advancement of the college’s applied research agenda and for progressing DC’s commitments to Indigeneity and Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging. As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the Vice President contributes to the overall leadership, direction, and management of the college and works collaboratively across the institution to advance shared strategic priorities.
The role provides leadership through change, complexity and ambiguity, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and people-centred culture. It also builds and strengthens partnerships with Ontario Tech University and other post-secondary institutions to advance shared priorities and create meaningful opportunities for students.
- Leads the college’s integrated academic and student portfolios, including teaching, learning, student success, and the student lifecycle.
- Manages the human, financial, and physical resources of the academic and student portfolios, including developing and monitoring operating and capital budgets.
- Provides strategic leadership for the evolution of the college’s academic portfolio, responding to student demand, workforce and labour market needs, industry and technological change, and government priorities to ensure programs remain relevant, responsive, and future-focused, equipping students with the durable skills, knowledge, and adaptability.
- Drives academic excellence in teaching and learning by advancing academic quality, innovation, and continuous improvement across the college, ensuring academic programs and learning experiences meet high standards of quality, effectiveness, and student success.
- Leads the transformation of teaching and learning by advancing innovative, flexible learning models; strategically integrating educational technologies, artificial intelligence and digital learning; and expanding applied research, academic partnerships, work-integrated learning and global experiences to strengthen student success, academic excellence and readiness for a rapidly evolving workforce.
- Leads the development and implementation of a comprehensive vision and strategic plan for Student Affairs, advancing an integrated college-wide approach to student success across the student lifecycle – from access, enrolment, orientation and transition through engagement, retention, progression, completion, and career success.
- Provides strategic leadership for the college’s comprehensive Student Affairs portfolio, ensuring mental health and well-being, accessibility, student engagement and leadership, recreation and athletics, and other student services are integrated, responsive, and aligned with institutional priorities to foster student success and experience.
- Works collaboratively as part of a strategic enrolment management team, contributing to alignment among enrolment, program mix, student success, the student lifecycle, and institutional sustainability.
- Leads and advances applied research, innovation, and workforce development through applied research centres, corporate training, and industry partnerships, enhancing experiential learning, supporting regional economic prosperity and responding to evolving workforce needs.
- Advances community and industry partnerships through projects, articulation agreements and program advisory committees.
- Contributes as a collaborative executive leadership team member to operational and resource decisions affecting institutional effectiveness and financial sustainability.
- Serves as the Board of Governors’ primary academic advisor, leading academic program recommendations in accordance with accreditation requirements, laws and regulations.
- Builds leadership capacity through talent development and succession planning across the academic and student portfolios.
- Represents the college on provincial boards and committees.
Qualifications:
Above all, the successful candidate will be a collaborative, values-driven leader who builds strong relationships, brings people together and advances institutional priorities through shared leadership. They will have a proven track record of working effectively across organizational boundaries, building trusted relationships with leaders and teams across the College, and fostering a culture of partnership and shared accountability. They will demonstrate a strong alignment with the College’s values and a commitment to inclusive, empowering, and transparent decision-making.
The successful candidate
will bring:
- Progressive post-secondary leadership experience and education, including graduate-level education and at least 10 years of progressively responsible leadership in a college or university. A doctoral degree (PhD, EdD or equivalent) and experience across academic and student-facing portfolios are assets.
- A highly collaborative, relationship-centred leadership approach, with the ability to build trust, foster shared accountability and unite diverse perspectives across academic and administrative leaders, faculty, staff, students, unions and external partners.
- A strong commitment to the College’s values, including reconciliation, Indigenization, accessibility, equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, as well as excellence in teaching and an exceptional student experience.
- A strong foundation in academic and student success, with demonstrated knowledge of teaching and learning, the student lifecycle, academic planning, program development, quality assurance, continuous improvement, and strategic enrolment management.
- Strategic leadership and institutional planning experience, with the ability to advance strategic priorities and align enrolment, program sustainability, student success, academic programming, and institutional sustainability.
- A forward-looking approach to innovation and technology, with experience fostering innovation and entrepreneurship and thoughtfully adopting emerging technologies and artificial intelligence to advance institutional and student success.
- Demonstrated experience advancing positive change and transformation, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, complexity and resource constraints while bringing sound judgment, decisiveness, and clarity to complex issues.
- Strong people, communication, and labour relations skills, with demonstrated success in leading teams, fostering collaboration and innovation, building effective internal and external networks, and cultivating positive labour relations in a unionized environment.
- Strong financial and governance acumen, including experience managing complex budgets and long-term resource planning, and knowledge of college governance structures, policies and procedures.
- Knowledge of higher education trends, legislation, accreditation requirements, and sector best practices, with the ability to apply them to institutional planning and decision-making.
Durham College invites applications from all qualified individuals. Durham is committed to fostering workplace diversity and provides accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout our hiring process. If you require this information in an alternate format, require communication supports, an accommodation in applying for a posting, and/or if you are selected for an interview, please contact our Human Resources (HR) department and an HR assistant will work with you to meet your needs.
Telephone: 905.721.3073 Email: HumanResources@durhamcollege.ca
Please apply below by submitting your cover letter and
resume to the online portal. Job
Competition closes on October 27th, 2026. Competition number AD26-29.
We thank you for
your interest in employment with Durham College however, only those applicants
selected for an interview will be contacted.
Land Acknowledgement
Durham College is situated on the traditional lands of the First Peoples of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. These lands are covered under the Williams Treaties and rest within the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg. We offer our gratitude to the Indigenous Peoples who care for and, through the treaty process, share the lands on which we live, learn, teach and prosper today.
