Chair

Seneca Polytechnic; King City; On-site; CAD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Seneca College invites applications for the role of Chair, School of Community Services. You will provide academic and operational leadership across Child & Youth Care, Social Service Worker, and related programs delivered at multiple campuses, guiding curriculum, faculty development and student success.

The role emphasizes human-rights-based education, equity, reconciliation and strong partnerships with community organizations to support field placements, graduate employment and applied

Qualifications

• Progressive postsecondary leadership experience with teaching background.
• Master's degree in a discipline relevant to the School's portfolio; equivalence considered.
• Broad knowledge of community and human services and related policy factors.
• Experience leading faculty and staff in a complex postsecondary environment.
• Strong knowledge of quality assurance, program development, and work-integrated learning.
• Commitment to reconciliation, human rights, equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-oppressive education.

Responsibilities

• Lead academic quality, program delivery and continuous improvement across the School.
• Provide inclusive leadership to full-time and contract faculty and staff with clear direction.
• Guide program planning, curriculum renewal and academic innovation with data and sector trends.
• Advance student access, retention, wellbeing and completion with effective advising.
• Ensure stewardship of budgets, enrolment, scheduling, facilities and resources.
• Collaborate with Deans, Chairs and partners to advance shared priorities.
• Build partnerships with community organizations and professional bodies to support field placements and employment.
• Maintain consistent practices across the School per policies and collective agreements.

Skills

Postsecondary leadership

Teaching foundation

Strategic planning

Change leadership

Conflict resolution

Resource allocation

Collaborative decision-making

Equity and inclusion

Community and human services knowledge

Education

Master's degree in a relevant discipline

Equivalency considered

Job description

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.