Associate Director, Academic Planning and Strategic Initiatives

Reporting to the Executive Director, Academic Operations and Planning, the Associate Director, Academic Planning and Strategic Initiatives provides strategic and institution-wide leadership for the Academic Area, directing academic planning, partnership development and governance, and strategic opportunity assessment, and the advancement of key management objectives across a diverse portfolio of academic programs, and external and international engagement.

The Associate Director serves as a central point of coordination for the exploration, assessment and development of significant strategic academic opportunities requiring collaboration across academic units, corporate areas and external partners. The incumbent leads the coordination and evaluation of strategic and cross-functional academic funding proposals, partnership opportunities, including regulated, government, and sector-wide academic partnerships, and contract lifecycle activities, ensuring initiatives are aligned with the Academic Plan, financially sustainable, and compliant with institutional and regulatory requirements.

Working collaboratively across Academic units, Finance, Risk, ITS, Facilities, and other internal stakeholders, the Associate Director provides analysis, evaluative oversight, and evidence-based recommendations to support informed decision-making at the senior leadership level. The role provides leadership across the lifecycle of strategic academic initiatives and partnerships, from initial opportunity assessment and due diligence through negotiation, agreement development and transition to operational delivery, while monitoring performance, financial outcomes, risk and alignment with institutional priorities.

Through the Manager, Academic External Engagement, the Associate Director provides strategic oversight of the Academic Area’s external engagement portfolio, including the external relationship-development dimension of Cooperative Education and broader engagement with employers, industry and Program Advisory Committee members. The role leverages these relationships to identify and develop strategic partnership, experiential learning, workforce and academic growth opportunities; strengthen industry engagement; facilitate cross-College connections; and ensure a coordinated approach to Academic external relations.

Through the Manager, International Partnership, the Associate Director provides strategic oversight of the Academic Area’s international academic partnership portfolio, including partnership development, licensing arrangements and related academic agreements. The role leads or coordinates the assessment and development of prospective international opportunities, engages with global partners and foreign governments as required, and oversees the negotiation and development of memoranda of understanding, licensing agreements and related partnership documentation for approval in accordance with College authorities.

Through this work, the Associate Director contributes to the long-term sustainability, growth, quality and reputational integrity of the College’s academic portfolio and its relationships with industry, government, educational institutions and other external partners.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, collaborative leader with exceptional analytical and relationship-building skills, unwavering integrity, and significant expertise in academic planning, strategic initiative execution, and evidence-based decision-making that strengthens academic quality, institutional alignment, and long-term financial sustainability.