Vice Provost for Continuing and Professional Studies

Fairfield University invites nominations and applications for the position of Vice Provost for Continuing and Professional Studies.

Reporting to the Provost, this new position is created to develop programs that bring high quality, Jesuit education to non-traditional students and others through lifelong learning. The University seeks an entrepreneurial leader with the vision and academic credentials to build broad based continuing & professional studies both online and locally. Candidates must have experience delivering educational content in an environment committed to the highest level of integrity and quality. As an entrepreneurial leader, the Vice Provost will direct programmatic efforts that engage civically, globally, and with the latest innovations in teaching and learning.

Fairfield University has approximately 5,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in its five schools and colleges. Founded in 1942, Fairfield University is a Catholic and Jesuit comprehensive university, one that holds the liberal arts as central to its institutional identity as it strives to develop reflective, discerning, highly educated citizens who embody the University's core values as men and women for others. With the announcement of its first lay President, Fairfield is entering a period of targeted, strategic expansion seeking to reach broader populations in ever more innovative ways. The University's continuing and professional studies programs will play a critical role in increasing access to high quality, Jesuit education; developing a convenient means for professionals seeking advanced degrees; and allowing FU to reach new markets and maintain its excellent financial health through revenue growth. The Vice Provost will serve as the University lead in overseeing continuing and professional studies at the University. As a member of the Academic Affairs Cabinet, the Vice Provost will work collaboratively with the academic deans and other University administrators to advance the continuing and professional studies agenda.

The new Vice Provost will have the following characteristics:

  • The capability to serve as a general manager to incubate, market and grow academic programs and lifelong learning experiences commensurate with the University's core values.
  • Organizational Capacity Building: The successful candidate will have the ability to assess an organization, evaluate its existing capabilities in the context of the required performance levels, and develop effective approaches for addressing the gaps where they exist.
  • Strong analytical skills, the capacity to understand human and organizational dynamics, and the proven ability to move forward and make meaningful progress in the absence of perfect information.
  • The ability to motivate and lead faculty and staff through a period of cultural and operational change, to clearly communicate expectations in an inspiring way, and to drive accountability at both the team and individual level.
  • An understanding and the ability to thrive within a mission-oriented academic enterprise and professional experience in the fields of higher education, educational technology, and academic program building and execution.
  • Experience that would be commensurate with holding an academic appointment, while favorable, will not be a requirement.

A main goal for this position is to re-establish Fairfield University as a primary player in the continuing and adult studies market in Connecticut, in the Northeast and beyond – with a focus upon degree-completers, those seeking alternative professional credentials (i.e., certificates), increased Masters programs and other forms of lifelong learning. We expect that in the first year, the Vice Provost will work to learn the culture at Fairfield as well as identify key areas for immediate growth in adult and continuing studies, with clear processes for bringing new revenue-generating programs to market. In three to five years, we expect that Fairfield will be offering a robust set of high quality revenue generating continuing and professional education programs.

A complete search profile for the Fairfield University Vice Provost for Continuing and Professional Studies position is available at https://www.agbsearch.com/searches/vice-provost-continuing-and-professional-studies-fairfield-university.

Application Process

Review of applications will continue until the position is filled. To receive full consideration, applications should be received by July 14, 2017, and include a substantive letter of interest addressing the leadership priorities outlined in the profile, a curriculum vitae, and the contact information (names, phone numbers and email addresses) for at least five professional references. All nominations, inquiries, and applications will be confidential.

Nominations and applications must be submitted electronically in MS Word or Adobe PDF to FairfieldViceProvost@agbsearch.com.

Assisting Fairfield University in this search:

Dr. Louise H. Feroe, AGB Search
1133 20th St. NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20036
lhf@agbsearch.com
p: 914-475-2105

Fairfield University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, committed to excellence through diversity, and, in this spirit, particularly welcomes applications from women, persons of color, Veterans, and members of historically underrepresented groups. The University will provide reasonable accommodations to all qualified individuals with a disability.