Please note: This recruitment is being handled by Phelps. Please see application details below.
Provost and Vice-President, Academic
George Brown College | Toronto, ON
Lead transformation. Empower learners. Shape what’s next.
(Alternate: Academic excellence. Bold transformation.)
George Brown College is seeking a bold and inclusive academic leader to serve as its next Provost and Vice-President, Academic (VPA). Located in the heart of downtown Toronto on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, George Brown is one of Ontario’s leading polytechnic institutions, serving nearly 30,000 learners through applied degrees, diplomas, and other credentials.
As Provost & VPA, you will bring visionary leadership to the role and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of applied education at George Brown. You will lead academic strategy, innovation, and transformation, advancing equity, strengthening Indigenous education, expanding STEM programming and digital learning, advance research and innovation, and aligning programs with labour market needs. This is a unique opportunity to advance meaningful institutional change as George Brown delivers on the bold priorities outlined in its 2030 vision and to participate in the development of an update to Strategy 2026.
The Opportunity
Reporting directly to the President, the Provost and Vice-President, Academic is George Brown’s senior academic officer and a member of the senior executive leadership team. The Provost & VPA will develop and lead strategic priorities across all areas of academic programming, research and innovation, enrollment planning, student services, and teaching and learning.
This is a role for a transformative leader — someone who combines academic leadership with business acumen, is comfortable navigating complexity, and understands how to drive progress through inclusive leadership and cross-institutional collaboration. The Provost & VPA will play a pivotal role in shaping George Brown’s position as a polytechnic leader, aligning programming with labour market needs, government priorities, and emerging technologies like AI and digital learning.
Your Leadership Impact
Strategic Academic Leadership
- Lead academic transformation with integrity and collaboration across deans, the Office of the Registrar, curriculum, student services, and research functions
- Lead, mentor, and support GBC’s high-performing academic leadership team while fostering a culture of trust, inclusion, and accountability
- Advance George Brown’s branding and differentiated identity through curriculum renewal and growth of research, creative, and scholarly activity
- Support faculty professional development in teaching and learning, research, and program assessment
Data-Informed Planning & Market Alignment
- Use advanced sector and institutional data analytics to guide academic planning, program viability, enrollment strategy, and resource allocation
- Align programs with government priorities, STEM and workforce trends, and financial strategy
- Ground decision-making in meaningful, actionable insight, and sector and institutional data analytics in support of meeting student needs, addressing government policies and directives, and fulfilling the mandate of the College
- Lead academic quality assurance and accreditation activities
Student-Centric Success & Engagement
- Champion the full learner journey and career-oriented learning experience, from recruitment and retention to supports and outcomes
- Expand digital, hybrid, and experiential learning for diverse learners engaged at various stages of their learning journeys
- Embed equity and Indigenous ways of knowing and being across pedagogy and student experience
Research, Innovation, Partnerships & Revenue Growth
- Promote a culture of research excellence, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration
- Drive innovation through Artificial Intelligence, hybrid delivery, and digital transformation
- Cultivate partnerships to grow experiential and work-integrated learning, research and innovation, and global reach as well as community engagement as part of an urban institutional profile
Who You Are
You are a strategic, entrepreneurial, people-centered leader who thrives in complex environments. You bring a strong sense of purpose, a commitment to equity, and a clear understanding of how education can transform lives. Whether your leadership experience has been in postsecondary education, public service, industry, or another sector, you have built and lead high-performing teams, driven large-scale change, and led with integrity.
Your Experience & Approach:
- Senior executive leadership experience guiding organizational strategy, transformation, and collaboration across functions or sectors
- A track record of advancing equity, inclusion, and reconciliation in policy, practice, and culture
- The ability to navigate complexity, engage diverse stakeholders, and lead teams through change
- Strong financial and operational acumen to connect strategy with sustainability – both financial and environmental
- An appreciation for applied learning and a vision for building partnerships that expand opportunity and impact of the institution
- An earned Ph.D. is preferred; however, equivalent leadership experience will be considered, including those with a Ph.D. in progress
- Identify and implement new revenue opportunities aligned with George Brown’s strengths
- Experience leading in unionized environment
Why George Brown?
At George Brown, you will join a community as diverse and vibrant as Toronto itself. With a culture rooted in equity, purpose, and innovation, you will have the opportunity to shape one of the most exciting transformations in Canadian postsecondary education. As Provost & VPA, you will influence strategy, empower people, and lead initiatives that matter for students, the city, and communities.You will be an important member of the leadership team of the institution influencing the strategic direction, branding, and position of an already vibrant and significant post-secondary institution in the City of Toronto and the Province of Ontario.
Join us in redefining applied education for the next generation.
To apply for this key role, submit your application to Phelps by clicking: https://rb.gy/5p9ly1
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to those received by September 22, 2025
To learn more information, visit our website at https://phelpsgroup.ca/
