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Department:
Advancement and Strategy
Position Type:
Full-Time Administrative
Salary Range:
$132,338.00-$176,451.00-Annual
Scheduled Weekly Hours:
36.25
Anticipated Start Date:
September 01, 2025
Length of Contract:
NA
Posting Information
This job posting is now accepting applications from all qualified individuals.
Posting Closing Date:
August 21, 2025
Please note: jobs are posted until 11:59 pm on the job closing date.
Job Description:
The Director, Strategy and Planning provides leadership to ensure the necessary insights, information, advice and resources are available to identify and articulate organizational strategies that will ensure effectiveness, integrated planning and long-term sustainability. The Director provides transformational leadership support to the College’s key multi-functional processes, including strategic planning, business planning and operational planning, and is accountable for developing the framework for action and directing all aspects of the Strategy and Planning Office.
Under the direction of the Vice President, Advancement & Strategy and working with the members of Algonquin College’s Executive and Leadership teams, the Director, Strategy and Planning supports organizational decision-making on matters of strategic importance. The complexity and sensitivity of the responsibilities of the Director require significant judgement in dealing with a broad range of complex and sensitive situations. The Director is responsible for configuring and facilitating strategy, supporting alignment in the delivery of strategy, evaluating and leading change. Integrated planning is intended to be sustainable, collaborative, aligned to current and future goals, and the Director will be well-versed in the discipline of integrated planning.
The Director has primary responsibility to guide College integrated planning for all College divisions and campuses, and to provide continuous improvements to position Algonquin College as a leader in higher education. The incumbent will build effective relationships with internal stakeholders and consult leaders at the Executive and Leadership levels on business strategies and processes. The Director directs the design, implementation and management of College-wide consultations, including cross-College committees such as the Algonquin College Executive Team (ACET), Algonquin College Leadership Team (ACLT), Integrated College Development Planning (ICDP), and the College Budget Committee (CBC). The Director has the ability to influence decisions to address business goals and operational efficiencies of the College as an academic institution and a business enterprise.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Strategy Management and Execution
- The Director is responsible for developing, implementing and enhancing a variety of cross-College strategy, planning and reporting functions that are aligned with the overall strategic goals of the College. The Director leads the development, planning, policies and practices that govern strategy management, business plans and operating plans.
- Strategy Architecture – Provides direction and implements policies, guidelines, processes and practices that govern strategic and corporate planning. The Director provides the senior leadership team with criteria and frameworks for how both strategic direction and initiatives and tactical projects are prioritized and how decisions are made.
- Strategy Delivering & Facilitation – Leads planning and implementation to ensure that priorities, initiatives and investments are aligned with the commitments identified in the strategy. This requires building capacity through platforms, structures and processes, and the assurance that efficient processes are also consultative and inclusive. The Director guides senior leadership on the strategy planning process by setting and validating goals and performance indicators to ensure objectives are achieved.
Strategic Research and Evaluation
- Strategy Evaluation – Plans analysis for comprehensive and actionable key performance indicators (KPI) and characteristics of the College. The Director embraces a Plan-Do-Study-Adjust approach to continuous improvement. This requires a disciplined and systematic assessment of progress through milestones and progress towards targets. The Director must implement and utilize evaluation mechanisms and interpret complex information to make informed recommendations for shifts in strategic direction.
- Research – Understands current trends in education and best-practices in the College sector. The Director aligns research findings and internal analysis with Strategic Mandate Agreements and understands the institutional impact of KPIs with respective stakeholders.
- Process Improvement – Assesses College planning processes from an institutional perspective and recommends initiatives at a College-wide level. The Director establishes and reviews the recommended goals and approach for process improvement annually as part of planning cycles and manages institutional learning on process management and improvement methodologies
Relationship Management
- Internal Stakeholders – Collaborates with the Executive Team and provides leadership and direction to the Algonquin College Leadership Team to support corporate planning processes. The Director embraces the diversity of opinions in the College community and synthesizes information into mid- and long-term strategy discussions. This requires diplomacy, coaching and mentorship.
- External Liaison – Advises the College community on strategic partnerships and proposals that may have a financial and/or reputational impact. The Director builds relationships with external stakeholder groups, including community organizations, industry partners, or employers, to support the development of College strategy. This may require presentations to external organizations or the College’s Board of Governors.
Required Qualifications:
- Four (4) year degree; Master’s degree and/or Project Management Professional certification is preferred
- 11+ years experience of progressive strategic planning and business leadership
- Demonstrated experience in the post-secondary experience is considered a strong asset
- Proven understanding and leadership of the business planning process in integrating objectives with departmental requirements aligned with overall direction, values, vision and strategy of day-to-day operations
- Experience leading, coaching and mentoring staff and Human Resources functions (i.e. recruiting, performance management and development, administration, etc.)
- Experience in a unionized environment is an asset
- Experience developing and managing large, complex resource allocations/budgets, including monitoring and control techniques
- Excellent interpersonal skills and political acumen
- Demonstrated data management and analytics experience
- Possess out-of-the-box thinking; ability to identify opportunities to enhance institutional goals
- Collaborative, creative and inclusive; demonstrated leadership experience through the lens of social inclusion, internationalization, decolonization and equitable practices
- Strong report writing, presentation and public speaking skills
- Co-creates outcomes with others through vision, prioritization and detailed execution.
- Sets high goals and achieves them.
- Manages a broad portfolio of short- and long-term goals, makes appropriate trade-offs between priorities and achieves the business plan and strategic mandates the role fits within and enables.
- Position is paid at Payband 14
- Vacancy is for P18190
This position is eligible for hybrid work in conjunction with the College's Flexible Work Arrangement policy.
https://www.algonquincollege.com/policies/hr26/
(subject to change).
Algonquin College values diversity and is an equal opportunity employer. We offer an inclusive work environment and encourage applications from all qualified individuals. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process please contact the Human Resources department at [email protected]. While we thank all those who apply, only those to be interviewed will be contacted.
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