Dean of Students | Conestoga College

Established in 1967 and now serving students in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, Stratford, Ingersoll, Brantford, and Milton, Conestoga College is Ontario’s community college. As the region’s only provider of polytechnic education and one of Canada’s top research colleges, Conestoga plays an integral role in the success of its communities, supports student learning, and drives industry growth and innovation.

Conestoga’s students are its core, and the College is searching for its next Dean of Students to maintain and elevate inclusive programs and services that enrich the student experience, maximize student potential, and support the achievement of every student’s individual goals.

Reporting to the Vice President, Students, the Dean of Students is accountable for the leadership and development of innovative and effective programs, services, and supports to promote students' well-being and engagement. Prioritizing student success, safety, and support, the Dean is an advocate for students, responsible for shaping fair and equitable processes, policies, and procedures, in service to Conestoga’s entire student population. The Dean provides strategic leadership for the broad range of student programs and activities offered by several portfolios, including Accessible Learning, Medical Care Clinic, Counselling Services, Test Centres, Student Engagement and Experience, Student Rights & Responsibilities (including student conduct), Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Campus Management, and Student Advising and Retention. The Dean models inclusive leadership and helps drive equity, diversity, and inclusion in support of students and the specific activities and strategies of Student Success. The Dean maintains effective working relationships with all academic schools and community organizations and is responsible for facilitating a positive relationship with the Students' Union. The Dean ensures that Conestoga continues to evolve in its understanding of the diverse needs of its student communities across each campus while growing its capacity to provide culturally relevant, accessible, and impactful student support, within and beyond their academic lives at the College.

As the ideal candidate, you have honed your leadership skills in student affairs over the course of the last decade in a post-secondary setting. You have demonstrated knowledge and experience in student engagement, student conduct, health and accessible learning, student case management, sexual and gender-based violence, campus management, student advising, student development, crisis management, and risk assessment. You are deeply collaborative and solutions-focused, able to identify and create opportunities through partnerships and relationships with others. You possess a breadth and depth of understanding across operational management, budgeting, and human resource management. You are kind and curious, displaying a high level of confidentiality and professionalism, approaching sensitive issues with tact, diplomacy, integrity, and compassion. You have a track record of success making sound, high-impact decisions, juggling priorities, and keeping your team moving ahead towards a common goal in a complex, high-paced environment. As a collegial partner with academic and non-academic leaders, you demonstrate the ability to foster open communication, cooperation, and mutual support. You have consistently developed outstanding relationships with students and student leaders, bringing to Conestoga both your knowledge of best practices in student support and engagement from your career, but also your commitment to hearing from Conestoga’s students about their unique challenges, helping bring innovative solutions to bear. You are detail-oriented, flexible, and demonstrate a strong commitment and leadership toolkit related to equity, diversity, and inclusion. A problem-solver and mediator, you can readily distil complex conflicts down to the important details, charting a path forward to fruitful and mutually beneficial resolutions.

You bring a Master’s degree in a relevant field and seven years of progressive leadership experience. Crisis management skills, training, and/or experience is mandatory for this role as well as a demonstrated ability to handle a variety of complex student-related situations. You have strong time management skills, organizational skills and the ability to make high-impact decisions, and juggle multiple priorities within in high-stress environment. A National Association for Behavioural Intervention and Threat Assessment (NABITA) certification and/or formal training in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is recommended. 

Are you the right person to maximize student potential through the provision of accessible, transformation, and scalable services for students at Conestoga College? If so, we’d love to hear from you! If you’d like to be considered, please submit a detailed CV and covering letter at https://boyden.thriveapp.ly/job/2360. Please contact Mike Young (myoung@boyden.com) with any questions or concerns related to this process. 

As a preferred employer, Conestoga is committed to supporting the development and well-being of our employees through competitive salaries, a comprehensive benefits package, and ongoing professional and personal learning opportunities that result in enhanced skills, shared successes, and an engaged college community. 

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for interview will be contacted. Conestoga College is committed to workplace diversity and provides accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If you require accommodation, please get in touch with Mike Young (myoung@boyden.com).