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Vice-President People & Culture

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Dalhousie is partnering with the executive search firm Royer Thompson on this selection process. To express interest in this opportunity, please submit a PDF including your resume, cover letter, and completed self-identification questionnaire online through this website:

https://royerthompson.com/leadership-opportunities/#!/a9f447cb-7393-4d9f-8639-ea288b94cc98/detail

To learn more, please contact Amy Reid at areid@royerthompson.com or Jenna Gromack at jgromack@royerthompson.com.


Position Details

Position Information

Position Title Vice-President People & Culture
Department/Unit President's Office
Location Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Posting Number S256-23
Employee Group EXAD
Position Type Regular, On-Going
Duration of Contract (if applicable)
Employment Type Full Time
Full-time Equivalency (FTE)
Salary
Classification
Provisional Statement
About Dalhousie University
Dalhousie University is located in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq. We are all Treaty people.

We recognize that African Nova Scotians are a distinct people whose histories, legacies and contributions have enriched that part of Mi’kma’ki known as Nova Scotia for over 400 years.

Founded in 1818, Dalhousie is located in the Province of Nova Scotia (in the territory of Mi’kma’ki) with 21,000 students on four campuses in Halifax and Truro, and satellite locations in Yarmouth and Saint John, New Brunswick. Nova Scotia is growing rapidly, and Halifax itself is one of Canada’s fastest growing cities with a booming technology community and a diverse economy fueled by proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. With more than 6,000 employees, Dalhousie is one of Nova Scotia’s largest employers and the university benefits locally, regionally, and nationally from a reputation as a high-quality employer. As we strengthen our important role in service to our province and our communities, our strategic plan, Third Century Promise signals our long-term ambitions while providing a clear, actionable strategy to guide us over the course of five years.

To learn more about Dalhousie University please visit: www.dal.ca
Job Summary
Dalhousie is seeking an inaugural Vice-President, People & Culture. This is a transformative leadership opportunity to champion progressive people and culture strategies and change in alignment with the university’s academic mission and strategic plan.

Reporting to the President and Vice-Chancellor and working as a key member of the senior leadership team, the Vice-President, People & Culture (Vice-President) is a strategic, trusted advisor, role model, and ambassador for the university’s values. As a sought-after partner, they work with academic, administrative, and union leadership to ensure Dalhousie’s people and culture goals and core values are aligned and fully embedded across the institution so that all members of the university community feel included, motivated, and supported to excel in their careers and in advancing the mission of the university. Working with a talented team, the Vice-President leads and directs the university’s full range of people and culture functions and services including accessible employment, HR data and systems, total compensation, staff and faculty relations, employment equity, recruitment and retention, organizational health, and learning and career development. In pursuit of modern, service-oriented people and culture practices, the Vice-President promotes new and enhanced policies, systems, and initiatives that foster a safe, transparent, healthy, and productive working culture.

The Vice-President is the Executive Sponsor of the the Inclusive Excellence pillar in the strategic plan and works closely with the Vice-Provost Equity & Inclusion to champion the university’s commitments under that pillar. The Vice-President also works closely with internal and external communities, including African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaw communities, other senior leaders, and with equity-deserving groups across the university to inspire and enact progressive change, enrich and diversify the faculty and staff complement, and foster a sense of opportunity and belonging for all employees across the university.
Key Responsibilities
Note
Required Qualifications
Required
  • Progressive senior leadership experience in HR, including demonstrated experience in driving transformation and culture change.
  • Senior leadership experience in a large, unionized environment.
  • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline.
  • A reputation as a champion for equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) with a strong track record of success in developing, implementing, measuring, communicating, and reporting on EDIA programs, policies, and activities.
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills as well as active listening skills and the ability to lead difficult conversations.
  • Proven ability to shift culture, drive transformation, and introduce and implement change.
  • Demonstrated experience building, mentoring, and empowering high-performing teams.
  • Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to develop trusted relationships with all stakeholders.

Assets
Assets
  • Leadership experience within the post-secondary education sector.
  • Knowledge across HR competency areas, particularly as they relate to Dalhousie’s HR department structure: employee experience, accessible employment, academic staff relations, employment equity and executive recruitment, and total compensation.
  • Lived experience as a member of an equity-deserving group.
  • Experience leading or participating in union negotiations and collective bargaining.
  • An advanced degree and professional accreditation or designation related to human resources
Job Competencies
The ideal candidate will be expected to demonstrate Dalhousie’s core & leadership competencies as Vice-President. For more on Dalhousie’s leadership competencies click here.

Additional Information
Application Consideration
Dalhousie is partnering with the executive search firm Royer Thompson on this selection process. To express interest in this opportunity, please submit a PDF including your resume, cover letter, and completed self-identification questionnaire online through this website:

https://royerthompson.com/leadership-opportunities/#!/a9f447cb-7393-4d9f-8639-ea288b94cc98/detail

To learn more, please contact Amy Reid at areid@royerthompson.com or Jenna Gromack at jgromack@royerthompson.com.
Diversity Statement
Dalhousie University commits to achieving inclusive excellence through continually championing equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The University encourages applications from Indigenous persons (especially Mi’kmaq), persons of Black/African descent (especially African Nova Scotians), and members of other racialized groups, persons with disabilities, women, persons identifying as members of 2SLGBTQ+ communities, and all candidates who would contribute to the diversity of our community. For more information, please visit www.dal.ca/employment-equity.
Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies
Open Date 06/19/2023
Close Date
Open Until Filled Yes
Special Instructions to Applicant
Dalhousie is partnering with the executive search firm Royer Thompson on this selection process. To express interest in this opportunity, please submit a PDF including your resume, cover letter, and completed self-identification questionnaire online through this website:

https://royerthompson.com/leadership-opportunities/#!/a9f447cb-7393-4d9f-8639-ea288b94cc98/detail

To learn more, please contact Amy Reid at areid@royerthompson.com or Jenna Gromack at jgromack@royerthompson.com.


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