Director, Office of the Dean

University of Toronto; Toronto; On-site; CAD 111,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education seeks a Director, Office of the Dean, to provide strategic governance support and leadership. Based in Toronto, you will guide policy, administration, and special projects, reporting to the Dean and interacting with senior leaders.

Strong judgment, discretion and relationship-building are essential. Responsibilities include supervising staff, shaping academic administration, and ensuring timely delivery of initiatives that

Qualifications

• Post-graduate degree in a related area or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum five years of progressive governance and senior-level administrative experience in a post-secondary educational institution.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level governance, strategy, policy and governance support to achieve Faculty goals.
• Supervise the Awards Officer and other staff as assigned.
• Lead and support strategic projects to raise the Faculty's profile and advance curricular and co-curricular programs.
• Coordinate governance committee work and liaise with senior administrators while maintaining neutrality and integrity.

Skills

Governance procedures

Analytical skills

Written communication

Data management

Policy planning

Stakeholder relations

Project coordination

Strategic planning

Brief writing

Interpersonal collaboration

Education

Post-graduate degree in related area

Job description

The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education is globally recognized for developing and advancing knowledge about the interactions of physical activity and health through outstanding undergraduate and graduate education programs, cutting-edge research and the delivery of sport, recreation and high performance athletic opportunities for students, staff, faculty and community members across the three campuses. In achieving this vision, the Faculty is guided by values of integrity, respect, equity and diversity.kpe.utoronto.ca.

Purpose

Under the general direction of the Dean, the Director, Office of the Dean provides high-level research, strategy, policy and governance support in the development and execution of the Faculty’s institutional goals. The Director is a member of the Dean’s senior management team and provides support to academic administration and other senior leadership at the Faculty. The incumbent also provides strategic leadership and administrative support in developing and implementing special projects at the Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) which includes high-profile initiatives aimed at raising the profile of the Faculty and promoting its numerous and varied curricular and co-curricular programs. The Director supervises and directs the work of the Awards Officer and other staff as assigned. The role of the Director will continue to evolve and the individual must be willing to respond to the priorities of the Faculty and work cooperatively in a challenging and dynamic environment.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: Education: Post-graduate degree in a related area or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Experience

A minimum of five years of progressive governance and senior level administrative experience in a post- secondary educational institution. Experience in a policy environment is a strong asset. Experience with a broad range of post- secondary educational institution procedures including academic HR, student services, athletics and recreation, finance, and issues management an asset.

Familiarity with governance committee work and experience as recording secretary, or equivalent; strong analytical skills; precision of thought and attention to detail; the ability to apply principles to factual situations; policy interpretation and application; ability to serve the needs of multiple clients’ needs while preserving and guarding the intent/integrity of policy and principles with utmost neutrality and objectivity. Demonstrated experience liaising with senior administrators, responding to and handling matters of a complex, confidential and highly sensitive nature. Working in a fast-paced, dynamic and complex environment.

Skills

• Strong understanding of governance procedures
• Strong analytical, synthesis and writing skills
• Strong understanding of IT for process improvement and data management
• Independent decision-maker and able to collaborate with colleagues
• Demonstrated competences with policy and planning
• Ability to adopt and learn new information quickly
• Proactive planning and ability to coordinate numerous tasks
• Strategic planner
• Able to provide briefs based on strong knowledge of procedures and policies
• Develop and maintain relationships with academic units to act as resource
• Develop working relationships with accreditation bodies
• Experience with or the ability to develop a strong understanding of accreditation
• Write succinctly and effectively to communicate governance and quality assurance
• Develop working relationships with Central Administration staff members

Other

Strong leadership capabilities; highly professional demeanor with exceptional interpersonal and collaborative skills. Must have sound judgement, tact, diplomacy and discretion, and be attentive to detail. Must have a strong customer service orientation, excellent planning and organizational skills and be able to meet tight deadlines and perform well under pressure. Must be a fluent writer, able to concisely summarize information and provide a rationale for action. Must be able to demonstrate political astuteness and be able to deal with confidential information that has legal and labour relations implications. Must possess management skills including: budgeting, reporting, stakeholder relations, governance, and strategic planning. Must be able to work both independently and within a team environment and demonstrate commitment to the values and priorities of the University and KPE.

Closing Date: 11/30/2026,11:59PM ET

Employee Group: Salaried

Personnel Subarea:PM

Appointment Type: Budget - Continuing

Schedule: Full-Time

Pay Scale Group & Hiring Zone: PM 4 -- Hiring Zone: $110,973 - $129,471 -- Broadband Salary Range: $110,973 - $184,957

Job Category: Administrative / Managerial

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.
As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP .

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.
The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.
If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact [e-mail] .

The University of Toronto has implemented a process to substantiate Indigenous Membership/Citizenship/Enrolment for candidates who identify as Indigenous. For more information about this process, please refer to the Indigenous Substantiation Website .