Provost & Chief Academic Officer

Endicott College; United States; On-site; USD 285,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits

Picturesque campus and community

Job summary

Endicott College seeks an accomplished Provost and Chief Academic Officer to guide its academic strategy during a period of growth and innovation. The Provost will collaborate with faculty leadership and the ECFA, reporting to the President and serving on the President’s Cabinet.

The role emphasizes expanding high-demand programs, strengthening interdisciplinary pathways, and advancing experiential learning while maintaining a student-centered culture.

Qualifications

• Earned doctorate or terminal degree required.
• Ten or more years of progressively responsible leadership in higher education.
• Experience leading academic organizations, budgeting, and policy development.

Responsibilities

• Develop and advance a comprehensive academic vision aligned with the College’s mission and priorities.
• Lead academic planning across undergraduate, graduate, professional, and doctoral programs.
• Provide leadership and accountability for Academic Deans and academic administrators.
• Evaluate and evolve the academic portfolio in response to student needs and market trends.
• Partner with senior leadership on enrollment strategy, financial sustainability, and growth.
• Oversee academic policies, accreditation, assessment, and integrity.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder collaboration

Higher education governance

Education

Doctorate or terminal degree

Tools

Workday familiarity

Job description

We are located approximately 20 miles north of Boston and parking is free. We are also accessible by commuter rail on the Newburyport/Rockport line. Come and explore Endicott’s seaside locale where employees are an important part of the bustling campus community! Endicott College seeks an accomplished, forward-thinking Provost and Chief Academic Officer to guide its academic strategy during a period of sustained institutional growth and innovation.

Known for its required three-internship model, The Endicott Experiential Edge, the College serves approximately 3,100 traditional undergraduate students, 300 adult undergraduate students, and 1,500 graduate students across its schools and academic programs. Supported by more than $80 million in academic infrastructure investments and $20 million in campus enhancements supporting the student experience since 2019, Endicott offers a strong foundation for continued academic advancement.

The next Provost will help shape the future of teaching and learning by expanding high-demand undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs; supporting faculty scholarship; strengthening interdisciplinary pathways; and preparing the College to respond thoughtfully and strategically to an increasingly AI-driven world.

Endicott is a relational, close-knit global community that values accessibility, collaboration, and visible leadership. The successful candidate will be an approachable, accessible, and engaged leader who builds meaningful relationships across the College and embraces a “management by walking around” philosophy. The Provost will work closely with faculty leadership and the Endicott College Faculty Association (ECFA), fostering open communication, meaningful collaboration, and a strong commitment to shared governance. Reporting directly to the President and as a key member of the President’s Cabinet and the College’s chief academic officer, the Provost will have a significant opportunity to influence Endicott’s academic direction. The role calls for an agile and entrepreneurial leader who can bridge traditional academic affairs silos, elevate research and scholarship, and pursue strategic growth while preserving the mentor-rich, student-centered culture that defines the Endicott experience.

Responsibilities

40%: Academic Strategy, Leadership, and Institutional Planning

Develop and advance a comprehensive academic vision aligned with the College’s mission and strategic priorities.

Lead academic planning across undergraduate, graduate, professional, and doctoral programs.

Provide effective leadership, support, and accountability for Academic Deans and academic administrative leaders.

Evaluate and evolve the academic portfolio in response to student needs, market trends, institutional priorities, and emerging opportunities.

Partner with senior leadership to advance enrollment strategy, financial sustainability, and institutional growth.

Ensure that academic programs maintain high standards of quality, relevance, and student success.

Guide the evolution of academic programs and signature internship pathways in response to emerging technologies, while protecting academic integrity.

Strengthen connections among undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.

35%: Faculty Excellence, Academic Quality, and Shared Governance

Foster a culture of teaching excellence, scholarship, innovation, and continuous improvement among faculty.

Serve as the College’s senior academic leader.

Develop and maintain effective partnerships across the campus community, including ECFA, adjunct faculty, and academic affairs staff, advance academic priorities, and support a positive campus culture.

Support effective faculty recruitment, retention, development, promotion, and recognition practices.

Oversee academic policies, accreditation expectations, assessment practices, and academic integrity.

Promote a collaborative environment grounded in transparency, communication, and a belief that all members of the Endicott community have an equal voice.

Collaborate with administrative leaders to streamline academic workflows and operations (such as advising and administrative systems).

25%: Executive Leadership, Collaboration, and External Engagement

Serve as the President’s primary advisor on academic matters and a key member of the President’s Cabinet.

Collaborate equally with the President’s Cabinet across the College to align academic priorities with institutional goals.

Represent Endicott’s academic mission with trustees, accrediting organizations, industry partners, donors, and external stakeholders.

Champion Endicott’s distinctive experiential learning model, ensuring The Endicott Experiential Edge remains central to the academic experience.

Be an active participant in the life of the College by attending and supporting major events in each division of the college.

As a member of the leadership team, model a strong commitment to community engagement.

Establish and maintain a robust, interactive, and transparent working relationship with the President’s Cabinet.

Other duties as assigned

Supervisory Responsibilities

Associate Provost, Academic Affairs (overseeing academic operations, experiential learning integration, honors programs, and key academic events).

Academic Deans (Undergraduate Schools, including Business, Education, Nursing & Health Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences/Humanities/Communication, Sport Science, and Visual & Performing Arts).

Office Staff: Executive Assistant / Administrative Assistant

Core Competencies

• Strategic and Entrepreneurial Leadership: Identifies emerging higher education trends, balances academic tradition with market agility, and translates big‑picture vision into achievable operational outcomes.
• Collaborative Governance and Relationship Building: Engages authentically with faculty, staff, students, and trustees; navigates complex organizational dynamics with transparency, empathy, and respect.
• Experiential Education Philosophy: Possesses a deep, unwavering commitment to applied learning, profession‑readiness, and student‑centered outcomes.
• Financial and Data Literacy: Uses quantitative and qualitative data to guide resource allocation, assess program viability, and manage complex divisional budgets effectively.
• Decisive and Steady Management: Navigates ambiguity and complex institutional challenges with clear judgment, steady communication, and personal integrity.

Qualifications & Skills

An earned doctorate or terminal degree from an accredited institution is required. A distinguished record of teaching, scholarship or creative activity, and service appropriate for appointment as a full professor or equivalent academic standing is required. A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience in higher education administration.

Demonstrated experience leading academic organizations, including supervising academic leaders, allocating resources strategically, and driving data‑driven decisions using modern administrative systems (familiarity with or utilization of Workday preferred).

Experience developing, evaluating, and evolving academic programs in response to student needs, institutional goals, market trends, and emerging opportunities across undergraduate, graduate, professional, online, and hybrid learning environments.

Demonstrated ability to foster strong relationships and work collaboratively with faculty, staff, executive leaders, staff, executive leaders, academic leaders, and campus stakeholders.

Experience advancing partnerships with external organizations, including industry, community, alumni, and philanthropic partners, to support academic opportunities and institutional goals.

Demonstrated ability to anticipate and navigate macro‑level trends and disruptive forces in higher education, leveraging innovative approaches to adapt academic structures and program offerings for future growth.

Strong understanding of accreditation, assessment, academic quality standards, and continuous improvement practices.

Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to build trust, inspire confidence, and effectively engage diverse internal and external audiences.

Demonstrated commitment to student success, experiential learning, and preparing graduates for professional and lifelong achievement.

Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with faculty leadership, executive leadership, trustees.

Experience fostering productive relationships with faculty unions or collective bargaining units.

Preferred Attributes

The ideal candidate will demonstrate: A deep commitment to Endicott’s distinctive identity, including its integration of the liberal arts, professional preparation, and experiential learning. A strong academic foundation and meaningful classroom teaching experience, providing firsthand knowledge of pedagogy, student engagement, scholarship, and faculty responsibilities. An accessible and visible leadership style, with an authentic interest in participating in the life of the campus community. Emotional intelligence and thoughtful self‑regulation, including the patience to listen, understand the institutional culture and history before initiating significant change. A collaborative and service‑oriented leadership approach, encouraging open dialogue across faculty, staff, students, and administration while working constructively within collective bargaining structures. Intellectual curiosity, with genuine appreciation for a wide range of academic disciplines and the value of interdisciplinary collaboration. Forward‑thinking adaptability in technology, recognizing the potential of emerging tools to strengthen teaching, learning, and career preparation while preserving meaningful human connection. A holistic commitment to the student experience, supporting academic achievement, student well‑being, personal responsibility, and coordinated advising. Strategic ambition for institutional growth, with an interest in elevating Endicott’s regional and national profile, expanding its geographic reach, and strengthening pathways among undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs. Approachability, warmth, and authentic care for others, reinforcing Endicott’s relational culture and ensuring that people across roles and areas of the College feel seen, respected, and valued.

Salary and Benefits

In compliance with Massachusetts pay transparency law, the annual base salary range for this position is $285,000–$300,000. Endicott College considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, relevant work experience, education, specialized skills, internal equity, and external market data when extending an offer. The final salary is determined by the Human Resources Office based on these factors. This range reflects base salary only and does not include benefits or other compensation.

• Total Rewards: Competitive benefits and a picturesque work environment.
• Inclusive Culture: We thrive on a mix of backgrounds and perspectives.
• Engaged Community: Work alongside passionate staff and faculty.
• The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Endicott College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and is committed to the principles of equal employment and complies with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations advancing equal employment. The College's objective is to employ individuals qualified and/or trainable for open positions by virtue of job‑related education, training, experience, and qualifications without regard to sex, race, religion, color, age, physical disability, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin or citizenship, veteran status, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other status protected by law.