Job Summary:

Reporting directly to the President, the Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost (VPAA) is the chief academic officer of the university and provides strong leadership and vision for the academic community. The VPAA is a strategic partner in long-range university planning working in close partnership to develop innovative strategies that help address many of the university's most pressing challenges including leading discussions of relevant, viable, innovative, and high-quality programs to support the vision and mission of the university. The VPAA should demonstrate and embody values that are aligned with William Carey University’s Baptist history and beliefs and provide support to deans and other academic leaders related to diverse faculty hiring and to improving student success.

The VPAA should also be a champion of faculty and the overall academic mission of the campus and help generate and appropriately manage resources to help the academic community be successful. The VPAA should be an engaged and team-focused leader with a commitment to faculty excellence, the needs of students and to supporting the development of existing faculty while maintaining a focus on recruiting and retaining a diverse faculty cohort. This position also oversees or performs several managerial and operational functions concerning academic budgets, human resources, scheduling, determining faculty workload, and the catalog.

Duties and Responsibilities

This job description does not state or imply that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Duties and responsibilities listed are essential job functions and exclude functions which are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties.

• Assists the University in implementing the Statement of Purpose.
• Assists the University in implementing the long-range institutional and financial plans.
• Collaborate with faculty governance on curriculum development, program review and learning assessment.
• Oversee final accreditation reviews and compliance.
• Interpret and apply relevant policies and contracts, and collaborate with the colleges in recruiting, developing and retaining a high-quality and diverse faculty.
• Oversee academic grievances, and the annual faculty retention, evaluation, and promotion process.
• Assists in updating and maintaining consistency among university policy documents (By-laws, catalogs, handbooks, policies, Policy and Procedure Manual).
• Provides general supervision to the Associate Provosts, Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, University Academic Deans, and the University Registrar.
• Coordinates the implementation and review of the institutional effectiveness plan for the assigned administrative units.
• Oversees all commencement ceremonies.
• Participate as a member of the senior administration by serving on various councils and committees.
• Coordinates revisions of the University’s Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs for the assigned areas.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the president.

Physical Demands

• Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting, and to use standard office equipment.
• Must have vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone.
• Must have the ability to sit or stand for extended periods of time.
• Must have the ability to travel to off campus appointments.
• Must have the ability to travel throughout Mississippi and beyond.
• Must be able to maintain office hours and perform duties in an on-campus setting.

Required Qualifications

• Distinguished record in teaching and scholarship with an earned doctorate (or equivalent terminal degree) to warrant academic appointment at the rank of professor.
• Progressive record of extensive and successful administrative responsibility at the level of dean, provost or a similar position.
• Demonstrated experience managing and solving a variety of fiscal, budgetary, personnel and management challenges in a rapidly changing academic environment.
• Proven record of successfully recruiting, mentoring and retaining faculty and leaders, and supporting their professional development to create successful leadership teams.
• Success building relationships with external communities as well as securing external funding to advance academic and student success programs.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to use consultation and diplomacy to inform decision-making processes as well as fostering an environment of respect for all students, faculty and staff.
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal and be comfortable presenting to various constituents and groups from board members to students
• Ability to use institutional student information system.
• Ability to respect and adhere to the strict confidentiality requirements of the University.