Academic Chair, Faculty of Technology & Skilled Trades

Job Duties/Qualifications, Skills and Abilities(QSA)

Job Duties

Job Duties

General Accountability The primary role of the academic chair is bridging the needs of their program areas within the strategic goals of the Faculty of Technology and Skilled Trades. Working with a strong base and knowledge of the post-secondary sector, the chair is responsible for the academic and operations management of assigned programs to ensure programs and services are delivered with a focus on quality education and training delivery. This is achieved by maintaining effective links with industry sectors, government, accrediting agencies and other educational institutions as they relate to programming needs. The academic chair will lead the program area faculty and staff to student-centered program and teaching excellence. Nature & Scope The chair reports to one of two associate deans in the Faculty of Technology and Skilled Trades. The primary responsibilities of the chair include academic leadership, operations management and administration (financial management, people management, facilities, and project planning and execution) and strategic planning. The chair is responsible for leading program staff and faculty in the effective delivery of programs and services. This will include advocating and supporting program areas when engaging with internal and external stakeholders, industry sectors, government partners or other educational institutions. This position will be responsible for ensuring the operational requirements for program areas are met and where needed, are secured. The academic chair has a number of direct reports, which can include faculty and other employees located across the various Saskatchewan Polytechnic locations and at educational partner sites. The chair will be responsible for all elements of the employee life cycle for faculty and staff in their program areas (staffing, recruitment, selection, orientation, training and development). The academic chair is responsible for monitoring the fiscal resources and recommending efficiencies within the assigned programs. It will be necessary for the academic chair to travel for program and administrative responsibilities. Additional travel may be required provincially and nationally to represent the Faculty and Saskatchewan Polytechnic on committees. The Faculty of Technology and Skilled Trades provides degree, diploma, certificate and apprenticeship programs. The Faculty includes four schools—the Joseph A. Remai School of Construction, School of Transportation, School of Mining, Manufacturing and Engineering Technologies and the School of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Sustainability—as well as an applied research centre, the Sustainability-Led Integrated Centres of Excellence ( SLICE ).

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE

Specific Accountabilities

1. Academic Leadership and Administration

• Promote and ensure teaching excellence to provide a successful learning experience for students.
• Provide academic leadership to the programs through curriculum development and accreditation cycles with a focus on excellence in service, safety and program delivery.
• Manage academic activity for the program areas including curriculum development and delivery, instructional methods and academic standards, ensuring commonality of program standards and outcomes.
• Ensure the quality of academic offerings by monitoring and implementing sound academic policies and procedures.
• Champion and model diversity to support an inclusive and supportive environment for all learners and staff. This will include strategies and programs to support success and achievement of Indigenous, international, newcomer, and diverse student populations.
• Contribute to and coordinate the accreditation process for academic programs by external organizations as required.
• Prepare program areas for program accreditation and review involving relevant internal and external stakeholder groups, including each program’s alignment to the academic model.
• Coordinate the Program Advisory Committee ( PAC ) and, where applicable, Trade Board process, including the recruitment of new members and calling and organizing annual PAC meetings, and maintaining contact with PAC members between annual meetings.
• Establish protocols for and ensure completion of Prior Learning Assessment Reviews.
• Manage administrative processes for ensuring quality in programs and alignment to Saskatchewan Polytechnic policies, procedures and standards.
• Oversee the quality assurance process for brokered programs.
• Manage the applicable accreditation processes for programs.
• Coordinate standardization of forms, documents, and procedures.
• In consultation with the Director of the Sustainability-Led Integrated Centres of Excellence ( SLICE ), review applied research projects that involve program area(s).
• In consultation with the associate dean, give oversight to the quality assurance process of Continuing Education/Extension offerings.

2. Resource Allocation

• Manage resource allocation for assigned programs.
• Contribute to preliminary aspects of the budget development process including identification of initial operating and capital requirements, as well as ongoing approval of expenditures in accordance with defined management authorities.
• Monitor the financial performance and recommend budget adjustments for applicable program areas.
• Recommend innovative solutions to resource challenges using internal and external resources.
• Apply for and manage Integrated Development Funds.
• Coordinate and rationalize use of resources among programs, including issues related to the process for securing capital, furniture, and computer assets for programs.
• Regularly monitor program budgets through the FAST system and provide reports to program heads regarding spending variances and other budget issues.

3. People Management

• Manage human resources of program areas, in consultation with program heads where appropriate, through the employee life cycle reflecting the values of Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
• Foster an organizational environment that encourages personal productivity, job satisfaction and the professional growth of faculty and employees in the program areas, including group and personal development plans.
• Foster a culture of organizational safety and security.
• Maintain a high level of staff performance through effective use of human resources practices and procedures including recruitment, selection, orientation, and training, and probationary reviews of direct reports
• Establish clear performance standards and goals for direct reports and hold them accountable for meeting standards and goals.
• Address people management issues with direct reports, including disciplinary processes, applied in a timely manner while ensuring compliance with the collective agreement and Saskatchewan Polytechnic policies.
• Act as a first point of contact to interpret, administer and manage within respective collective bargaining agreements and ensure employee standards are applied appropriately.
• Review draft work prepared by program heads in the areas of workload assignments, program activity initiatives and instructional hours of faculty to ensure consistency across the schools with the Faculty of Technology and Skilled Trades.
• Promote communication among all organizational levels.
• Ensure a positive, diverse and inclusive work and learning environment.
• Periodically meet direct reports for communication and coaching.

4. Student Affairs

• Manage the student experience through the student life cycle.
• Collaboratively with program heads, support the development of student recruitment strategies that promote academic programs and services to potential students.
• Oversee student enrolment ( SEM ) and orientation strategies to ensure consistent onboarding experiences.
• Support student success strategies in consultation with program personnel.
• In collaboration with Student Services, assist in developing strategies to ensure full intakes of students into programs, monitor attrition, and ensure implementation of student success and enrolment management measures.
• Ensure that concerns regarding student performance and conduct are managed consistently across the program areas and are appropriately addressed, including all issues related to alleged academic and non-academic misconduct.
• Manage processes for appeals and student financial issues.

5. Relationship Management Internal

• Represent the school/program on internal committees and teams as assigned by the associate dean or ensure appropriate representation amongst program membership.
• Build and maintain relationships across both academic and administrative divisions, and with Saskatchewan Polytechnic students, with specific attention to the students and staff of the programs.

External

• Develop and maintain relationships with external agencies, educational and government organizations, colleges and universities as related to programming and articulation agreements and to remain current with their priorities and plans.
• Represent the program, School(s)/Faculty and Saskatchewan Polytechnic at relevant business, industry, community and sector functions as required.

6. Strategic Planning

• Manage the planning and implementation of strategic initiatives within the programs, coordinating with the wider strategic planning in the schools in the Faculty of Technology and Skilled Trades and Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
• Forecast future trends and year end results and communicate as required to Senior Management. Take action on these trends in conjunction with industry partners, external stakeholders and internal resources.
• Recommend measures to ensure strategic planning is aligned to needs of stakeholders and program areas.
• Manage priorities and strategic initiatives within program areas.
• Contribute to the development of grant and other funding proposals.
• Contribute to establishing goals for program areas.
• Anticipate human resource needs for achieving strategic goals (meeting future trends).

Duties

Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities (QSA)

Candidates will be considered in accordance with the minimum education requirements to support the programs supervised . For this position an undergraduate degree in a field related to programs in the Faculty of Technology and Skilled Trades, such as engineering or natural sciences, or an interprovincial journeyperson certificate, is required. An equivalent combination of education, experience and training may be considered. Demonstrated leadership experience and skills in relationship and financial management is an asset. Instructional experience in a post-secondary institution is preferred.

Desired QSA

Required Competencies

Leads Transformation:
Anticipates emerging trends and creates opportunities that shape and transform the organization and polytechnic sector in Canada. Inspires Courage & Innovation:
Models and enables creative thinking, curiosity, and calculated risk taking to create new solutions. Cultivates Strong Relationships:
Builds strong and trusting relationships and brings a stakeholder and learner-centric mind set and focus to all elements of the organization. Drives Operational Excellence:
Leverages business insight, financial acumen, and operational rigor to maximize productivity and build long-term, sustainable success. Builds Leadership & Culture:
Brings authenticity, emotional intelligence, and accountability to develop leadership effectiveness in individuals, teams, and our culture.