Chair

Seneca Polytechnic; King City; Hybrid; CAD 156,000 - 218,000; Full time

Job summary

Seneca Polytechnic invites applications for the role of Chair, School of Community Services. This leadership position oversees Child & Youth Care; Social Service Worker; Mental Health programs and related degrees, across multiple campuses, guiding academic and operational priorities.

You will champion equity, human rights, reconciliation and anti-oppressive practice while ensuring students, faculty and staff can thrive through strategic planning, collaboration and evidence-based

Qualifications

• Senior academic leadership experience in postsecondary education.
• Strong grasp of program delivery, quality assurance and student success.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and human rights.

Responsibilities

• Lead academic quality, program delivery and continuous improvement across the School.
• Provide inclusive leadership to full-time and contract faculty and staff.
• Guide program planning, curriculum renewal and academic innovation using data and sector trends.
• Advance student access, retention, well-being and completion through inclusive teaching and advising.
• Ensure effective stewardship of budgets, enrolment, scheduling and resources.
• Collaborate with Deans, Chairs and partners to advance academic priorities.
• Build partnerships with community orgs, employers and regulators to support field placements and employment.
• Maintain consistent academic and operational practices across the School.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Higher education governance

Change management

People management

Equity & reconciliation

Education

Master's degree in relevant discipline

Equivalent mix of education and leadership experience

Job description

Join the Renewed Seneca, The Next Seneca.

At Seneca Polytechnic, we offer a flexible working environment that supports innovative thinking and encourages exploring new ideas and approaches. As we adapt to an ever-changing landscape, we continue to promote opportunities for career growth and development. We focus on health and well-being in all ways to provide great employee experience.

Chair, School of Community Services

Are you a collaborative, people-focused academic leader committed to student success, community impact and the transformative power of education? If so, we would love to hear from you.

As the Chair, School of Community Services, you will provide academic, and operational leadership across Child & Youth Care; Social Service Worker, including specializations in Gerontology and Immigrants & Refugees; Mental Health Intervention; and the Honours Bachelor of Mental Health and Addiction. These advanced diploma, diploma, graduate certificate and degree programs are delivered at multiple campuses.

This role is ideal for a strategic, practical and inclusive leader who can translate academic priorities into effective operations and create the conditions for students, faculty and staff to thrive.

Drawing on relevant academic and sector expertise, you will guide the School’s continued evolution. You will champion education grounded in human rights, equity, anti-oppressive practice and reconciliation, equipping graduates with the knowledge, applied skills and field experience to serve individuals, families and communities across the lifespan.

Here’s some of what your role will involve

• Lead academic quality, program delivery and continuous improvement across the School, ensuring alignment with institutional quality-assurance requirements, credential standards and relevant professional expectations.
• Provide inclusive leadership to full-time and contract faculty and staff through clear direction, workload planning, coaching, performance support, succession planning and collaborative decision-making within Seneca’s collective agreements and policies.
• Guide program planning, curriculum renewal and academic innovation using student success data, quality assurance findings, community needs, labour-market evidence, professional standards and emerging sector trends.
• Advance student access, retention, well-being and completion by supporting inclusive teaching, early intervention, effective advising and responsive academic pathways that enable students to thrive academically, personally and professionally.
• Ensure effective stewardship of budgets, faculty complement, enrolment, scheduling, facilities, technology and specialized learning resources while balancing innovation with operational sustainability.
• Collaborate with Deans, Chairs and institutional partners to advance shared academic priorities and coordinated student pathways.
• Build and sustain partnerships with community organizations, employers, professional associations, regulatory bodies and other sector partners to support field placements, curriculum relevance, graduate employment, applied research and community impact.
• Maintain consistent academic and operational practices across the School in accordance with institutional policies and collective agreements.

What You Bring to Seneca

• Progressive postsecondary leadership experience supported by a strong foundation in teaching.
• Master's degree in a discipline relevant to the School's portfolio is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and academic and sector leadership experience will also be considered.
• Broad knowledge of community and human services and the social, economic and policy factors shaping these fields. Demonstrated expertise in at least one discipline represented in the School’s portfolio.
• Demonstrated experience leading faculty and staff in a complex, multidisciplinary postsecondary environment. This experience should include academic planning, change leadership, conflict resolution, resource allocation and collaborative decision-making.
• Strong knowledge of academic quality assurance, program development and review, degree-level expectations and work-integrated learning requirements. Familiarity with the professional, regulatory and legislative frameworks relevant to community and human services education.
• Demonstrated commitment to reconciliation, human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-oppressive education, supported by the cultural humility and relational leadership needed to serve diverse students, employees and communities.

Job Details

• External Posting Date October 6, 2026
• External Closing Date October 14, 2026
• Job Type Permanent, Full-Time
• Hours 37.5 hours/week
• Work Type Hybrid
• Shift Monday to Friday (9 00 AM - 5 00 PM)
• Ideal Start Date November 30,2026
• Number of Openings 1
• Posting Intent Immediate Need
• Pay Range Admin Pay Grade E $155,875 - $218,223 (Hiring Range $155,875 - $187,049)
• Job Category Administrative

Pre-Employment Verification Process

Administrative and Support Positions For Administrative and Support roles, Seneca conducts standard pre-employment verification after a conditional offer of employment is made. Faculty & Teaching Positions For professor positions, we require copies of official transcripts directly from the issuing institution or credential evaluation from World Education Services (WES) or International Credential Assessment Service (ICAS). However, we recommend that candidates gather any supporting documentation (e.g., unofficial transcripts, scan of credentials) in advance to support their applications in the event that they are successful in the hiring process. The compensation step will be determined based on receiving and verifying relevant formal education through official transcripts and relevant work experience, in accordance with the salary placement calculation process.

Seneca Polytechnic at a Glance

Seneca is Canada’s leading, and Ontario's first, polytechnic with more than 40,000 full-time students and 18,500 part-time students. Since opening our doors for the first time more than 55 years ago, we remain dedicated to getting our students career and world-ready.

None of this happens without the exceptional employees of Seneca – the faculty, support staff and administrators – who show their commitment to our students and their success every day. The student experience. The employee experience. The community experience. The Seneca experience is a differentiator.

Our Commitment

We are proud to be building the equitable Seneca, and welcome applications from candidates who can contribute to the diversity of lived experiences, perspectives, and approaches. Joining Seneca means being part of an inclusive community working hard to dismantle barriers to access, student success, and employee potential. Learn more about how we are building an equitable Seneca

Accessibility

Seneca is committed to making employment opportunities accessible in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. Upon request, accommodation will be provided in all parts of the application and hiring process. If you require accommodation, please contact [e-mail].