UBC Okanagan is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan Nation.

The School of Social Work at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan Campus (UBC Okanagan), invites applications for a new Director. This position represents an outstanding opportunity to take on a leadership role at one of the world’s top universities and at a smaller, growing campus with excellent engagement with the community and wider region. The anticipated start date is September 1, 2021 or upon a date to be mutually agreed.

Reporting to Dean of the Faculty of Health and Social Development, the Director will serve as a key member of the faculty’s leadership team and will have overall responsibility for academic leadership and administration in the School. The ideal candidate will be a visionary and collaborative leader who excels at building relationships and has a commitment to transparency. They will have a strong track record of scholarly eminence and a demonstrable commitment to research and teaching excellence. They will have a commitment to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion across all aspects of the academic enterprise and experience recruiting and mentoring excellent faculty, and leading and managing change in a university. As part of the University’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, UBC Okanagan has committed to supporting and implementing five key commitments, which can be found at https://ok.ubc.ca/about/indigenous-engagement/. The ideal candidate will therefore also have a demonstrated commitment to Indigenous engagement. The candidate must hold a PhD in Social Work or a related field and must qualify for appointment at the rank of Professor with tenure in the School.

UBC is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the 40 best universities in the world – and top 20 public universities. The University opened its Okanagan campus in 2005 as a bold new UBC presence in the interior of British Columbia, designed to deliver on the promise of a research-intensive institution purpose-built for the 21st century.

UBC’s Okanagan campus is home to over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 630 faculty members and nine Faculties and Schools. UBC Okanagan students receive an outstanding education in a stimulating student-centric learning environment. Over the last five years, campus research income has more than doubled. Success rates at the Canadian tri-councils (SSHRC, NSERC, and CIHR) have consistently exceeded national averages. Faculty have formal partnerships with over 100 organizations (local non-profits, regional small and medium enterprises, national and multinational corporations, regional health authorities, hospitals, and municipalities), with research, knowledge mobilization, and scholarly activities on the main campus and beyond. In 2019, UBC Okanagan published Outlook 2040, a visioning exercise that positions the campus as one of Canada’s fastest growing post-secondary institutions.

The School of Social Work at UBCO offers a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree that is accredited by the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE). The program provides advanced education and training so students can graduate job-ready for professional leadership roles in clinical and direct-practice organizations. Our graduates are eligible to apply for full registration/licensing with the BC College of Social Workers (BCCSW) and similar regulatory bodies nationally and in the USA. While promoting a professional Social Work identity, the Master of Social Work program is a unique program of study with a focus on clinical social work.

UBC Okanagan is partnering with the executive search firm Perrett Laver on this search. Applications should consist of a full CV detailing academic and professional qualifications and relevant achievements. It should be accompanied by a cover letter describing how candidates meet the selection criteria, why the appointment is of interest, what they believe they can bring to the role, and a statement describing strengths and experiences in advancing the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion in their previous and/or current institutions.

Review of applications will begin in late March, and will continue until the position is filled. 

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.

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