The University of Windsor’s Odette School of Business seeks applications for Dean position commencing as early as July 1, 2025. This is a five-year term position with an opportunity for renewal and an academic appointment with tenure.

The University of Windsor (UW) is ideally located at the beginning of Ontario’s 401 highway in booming Windsor, Ontario. It is the only university in a region that features two multi-billion-dollar projects underway and a third in the works, several thriving industries, and a growing population.

The UW seeks a visionary, dynamic and inclusive Dean who will work collaboratively with other senior leaders, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external partners to advance the strategic goals and priorities of the School and the University. 

The OSB Dean will be responsible for strategic development, financial performance, fundraising and enhancement of OSB’s regional, national and international profile by fostering relationships with corporate partners, community groups, government officials and alumni. Further, the Dean will manage faculty and staff to ensure continued improvement and development of Odette’s portfolio of programs and services designed to promote inclusion, innovation and student success.

The AACSB-accredited Odette School of Business (OSB) stands out among Canadian business schools. It provides students with small class sizes, personalized attention from its 65 full-time faculty members, and robust community connections.  OSB’s 1,000 undergraduate and 800 graduate students are immersed in a comprehensive educational experience that includes personal growth, experiential learning, and career preparation. OSB’s close collaboration with the regional business community allows students to gain practical insights and apply their knowledge in real-world scenarios. Accordingly, OSB’s high-demand graduates are innovative and socially responsible business leaders who thrive in a changing world. To learn more about OSB, visit: https://www.uwindsor.ca/business/.

The successful candidate must have:

• Ph.D or equivalent terminal degree in business or a related discipline is required and a distinguished record of scholarly achievement that merits appointment as a full professor in one of OSB’s academic areas. Exceptional candidates with extensive industry and academic experience will be considered.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience in developing equitable, inclusive, and strong domestic and international relationships and partnerships with diverse communities, industry, government, and other institutions, as well as education, community development and research funding agencies;
• A clear people-first leader and a commitment to the University’s values, aims and objectives, and an alignment for all that the University of Windsor is seeking to achieve;
• A proven track record of effective academic leadership and administration in a university setting in more progressive senior roles;
• Proven financial and budgetary oversight experience;
• Proven track record in, or a capacity for fundraising. Prior experience leading or participating in a capital fundraising campaign is an asset;
• An ability to articulate a vision that inspires faculty and staff, and that promotes the OSB’s strengths in integrating research and teaching, thereby creating meaningful experiential learning opportunities for students;
• The ability to operate effectively and collaboratively as part of the senior leadership team of the University of Windsor;
• A strong vision for the future of business education and research in a changing global context;
• Sound judgement and practical problem-solving skills, with a proven record of delivering large, complex change projects effectively;
• A natural connector who builds mutually beneficial relationships, networks and strategic alliances (internally and externally) in order to generate new opportunities; and
• A history of leading with diplomacy and tact.

This hire aligns with the bold imperatives of the University of Windsor strategic plan, Aspire: Together for Tomorrow, ratified Spring 2023.  The University embraces a people-first philosophy grounded in a culture of academic excellence and deep belonging.  Among key strategic priorities are advancing the journey towards truth and reconciliation; building a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive university; ensuring a high-quality teaching, learning, and student experience; engaging in impactful research, scholarship, and creative activity; fostering a safe, welcoming, and sustainable campus; and engaging in local and global partnerships. The University has already made significant strides on many of these key files, and we are seeking applicants interested in working alongside us to advance them even further. Driven by the University’s commitment to anti-racism, the Black Scholars Institute was established in 2023 supported by a historic cohort hiring initiative that has brought thirteen Black scholars to UWindsor across several of our faculties. The recent cohort of new faculty joining the University (over 50) is among the most diverse in our history.

Our campus is situated on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations: the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi.  We are making steady progress on the Indigenization of academic programming, an Indigenous Strategic plan, and a cohort hire of Indigenous faculty in 2018-19 followed by additional hiring. Our students mirror the extraordinary cultural richness of our region, one of the most diverse in all of Canada. We  also have strong global partnerships and commitments, which are reflected in the increasing number of graduate and undergraduate students we attract from across the world. The University is a signatory to the Scarborough Charter and participates in the Federal 50/30 Challenge.

The University of Windsor is a Canadian public, comprehensive research university enrolling over 18,000 students, including over 5,900 graduate students, and tenured and tenure-track faculty numbering about 600. It offers more than 280 academic programs and certificates, including 70 master’s and doctoral degrees across its nine faculties: Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; Business; Education; Engineering; Graduate Studies; Human Kinetics; Law; Nursing; and Science. It also houses a medical program through the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry at Western University.

Application Requirements

• a comprehensive curriculum vitae
• a covering letter stating your interest in the role, how you match the required criteria, and relevant successes, including a statement confirming eligibility to work in Canada; and
• a statement of commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Decolonization and Indigenization and how this has informed your leadership and academic program development.

The short-listed candidates may be invited to provide further information in support of their applications. To ensure full consideration email your application to UWindsorDeanOSB@dhrglobal.com by September 15, 2024.

All applications will receive an automated response and will be thoroughly reviewed by the committee. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. We thank all applicants for their interest in this position. Applications may be considered after the deadline date; however, acceptance of late submissions is at the discretion of the appointments committee. 

Any questions may be sent to:
Lachie Woofter, DHR Global
lwoofter@dhrglobal.com

In pursuit of the University's commitment to employment equity, members from the designated groups (women, Indigenous/Aboriginal (First Nations, Métis, Inuit) persons, racialized persons/visible minorities, persons with disabilities, and persons of a minority sexual orientation and/or gender identity) are encouraged to apply and to self-identify. We particularly encourage eligible candidates who identify as Indigenous/Aboriginal Peoples or women to apply.

For an accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the Faculty Recruitment Coordinator (recruit@uwindsor.ca). Should you require further information on accommodation, please visit the website of the Office of Human Rights, Equity & Accessibility (http://www.uwindsor.ca/ohrea).

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. This position is subject to final budgetary approval.