Director, University Governance

The Director, University Governance, provides leadership for the day-to-day management and administration of the governance activities of the Board of Governors, the Senate, and the Planning Council for Open Learning (PCOL) (collectively, the “Governance Bodies”) and their respective committees. Reporting to the Chief of Staff to the President, this role supports the work of the Governance Bodies and works closely with the Chancellor, Chair of the Board, the President as Chair of Senate, the Provost as Chair of the PCOL, the Chief of Staff to the President, as well as senior administration and committee chairs.

The Director manages the University Secretariat’s support for institutional decision-making, providing advice and guidance on matters of jurisdiction, strategy, policy, and governance process. In doing so, the Director ensures that the Governance Bodies have accurate, timely access to the information, analysis, and procedural support required to make sound and well-informed decisions. This role also supports the University’s official policy framework, overseeing the development, revision, and publication of University policies, bylaws, and governance manuals.

The Director supports the continuous improvement of governance operations to align with best practices in post-secondary governance, increasing the visibility and effectiveness of the Secretariat’s services, and benchmarking comparable institutions to identify areas for ongoing improvement. In addition, the Director ensures effective liaison among the Governance Bodies, senior university officers, and external stakeholders, and contributes to special projects including business process reviews, governance structure reviews, and strategic initiatives at the direction of the President’s Office.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Organizational Structure
The Director, University Governance, reports to the Chief of Staff to the President and provides day-to-day leadership to the University Secretariat team. On a functional basis, the Director works closely with the Chancellor, Chair of the Board, the President as Chair of Senate, and the Provost as Chair of the PCOL. The Director represents the University Secretariat at various levels and at internal and external events.

Specifically, the Director, University Governance is responsible for:
Acting as a Member of the University Secretariat’s Leadership Team

• Provides operational leadership to the governance support functions of the University Secretariat, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, consistent service to Governance Bodies and their chairs.
• In consultation with the Chief of Staff and senior university leadership, contributes to the development of long- and short-term initiatives for the Secretariat that are consistent with the strategic goals of the President’s Office and the institution.
• Collaborates with senior administration to identify opportunities for improving governance processes, technology, and service delivery, and coordinates implementation of improvements.
• Maintains effective working relationships with the Chancellor, Board Chair, President, Provost, senior administrators, faculty, and staff across the institution.
• Represents the University Secretariat at governance events, orientation sessions, and internal and external forums as appropriate.

Governance Advice and Coordination

• Provides advice and guidance to the Governance Bodies and their Chairs on matters of jurisdiction, policy, strategy, and process. Anticipates substantive or procedural difficulties and proactively recommends measures to address them.
• Supports the work of ensuring that Governance Bodies identify, consider, and address all matters requiring their attention, and that information flows effectively between and among governance structures and senior leadership.
• Assesses requests from Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Governance Bodies for information, assistance, and advice, responding within the resources of the Secretariat and forwarding matters to the Governance Bodies as appropriate.
• Supports special projects that may include governance structure reviews, business process reviews, and collaborative initiatives with…