Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

Position Details

Position Information

Announcement Number FAC - VA - 27031 For questions regarding this position, please contact:

AGB Search Firm – To submit a nomination or request a confidential conversation with a search consultant, email MSUProvost@agbsearch.com.

Classification Title Working Title Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Brief Position Overview Faculty Tenure Track Yes Faculty Rank Provost Position Number 4E4089 Department Provost (Academic Affairs) Division Office of Academic Affairs Appointment Type Executive Contract Term Other Semester If other, specify From date If other, specify End date Union Affiliation Contact HR for Determination FTE 1.0 Benefits Eligible Eligible Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications Contract Type Board of Regents If other, please specify Recruitment Type Open

Position Details

General Statement

Montana State University (MSU), Montana’s premier land-grant university and Carnegie R1 research institution, invites applications and nominations for the position of Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. The next Provost will join the university at a pivotal moment, partnering with President Brock Tessman and the campus community to advance academic excellence, strengthen student success, expand research and graduate education, and further the university’s land-grant mission through teaching, scholarship, service, Extension, and community engagement.

Apply through the AGB Search Portal Here – https://www.agbsearch.com/searches/executive-vice-president-for-academic-affairs-and-provost-montana-state-university

Application should be received by December 14, 2026 for full consideration. The committee will review application materials until the position is filled.

The Application Must Include:

• a letter of interest
• current curriculum vitae/resumé
• contact information for five recent professional references
  
  

Duties and Responsibilities

The Executive Vice President For Academic Affairs And Provost Is The Second-ranking Officer Of The University. As Chief Academic Officer, The Provost:

• Provides leadership oversight for academic and scholarly excellence, academic planning stewardship, and fiscal management for the academic enterprise.
• Approves academic appointments, makes recommendations to the President on promotion and tenure decisions, and is responsible for ensuring the excellence of faculty, academic programs, and student learning outcomes throughout the university.
• Manages a significant portion of the university’s annual budget and provides direct and meaningful input to the President regarding current and future budget allocations.
  
  

These responsibilities are carried out in coordination with the policies and direction of the Montana Board of Regents and the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education and within a culture that values transparency, collaboration, active listening, respect for shared governance, and broad campus engagement. The provost must work effectively with faculty, students, staff, administrators, unions, alumni, legislators, community partners, and other stakeholders in advancing the university’s mission and strategic priorities.

Reporting to the position are the deans of 10 colleges and schools, the MSU Library, three vice provosts (including Graduate Education), and directors and centers, including the MSU Launchpad, Academic Outreach, Academic Technology, the Leadership Institute, the WWAMI Medical Education Program, Program and the Office of International Programs. Additionally, the Provost works closely with, and collaborates with, the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, as well as all other members of the MSU executive team. The Provost also plays a significant leadership role in advancing collaborations and strategic initiatives across the statewide, including MSU Billings, MSU Northern and Great Falls College MSU.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Montana State’s next Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost will join President Tessman in leading an energized campus community that is ready to continue its substantive progress. Already distinguished by its recent growth, research prominence, talented students, access and land-grant agenda, MSU seeks to strengthen its profile along scholarly and graduate study dimensions. In order to fulfill the University’s expectations, the Provost will demonstrate the following qualities and qualifications:

• Terminal Degree: An earned doctorate or equivalent terminal degree from an accredited institution.
• Academic Credentials: A distinguished record of scholarship, teaching, and service that qualifies the candidate for appointment as a full professor with tenure in an academic department of the university.
• Research: Significant leadership experience in a research-intensive university, and a personal background in successful research endeavors related to their chosen academic field.
• Leadership Experience: Substantial progressive, senior-level academic administrative leadership (e.g., Academic Dean, Vice Provost, or equivalent role) in a complex higher education institution.
• Relationship Building: Demonstrated success in building productive relationships, fostering trust, and engaging effectively with a broad range of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, community leaders, industry partners, government entities, and governing boards, in support of institutional priorities.
• Financial Acumen: Demonstrated success in managing large, multifaceted academic budgets and strategic resource allocation models.
• Access Mission: Demonstrated commitment to advancing public education via an open-access model that enables success for all MSU students, and includes Montana communities and the broader region in its passion to deliver on the land-grant mission.
• Shared Governance: A proven track record of transparent, respectful, kind, and effective collaboration within a shared governance framework involving faculty, staff, and student leadership.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Graduate Program Development: Demonstrated success in building and expanding high-quality graduate programs at the master’s and doctoral levels.
• Multi Campus System: Experience working with different stakeholders across multiple campus sites around a state or region, in support of the institution’s mission.
• External Engagement and Fundraising: Experience engaging with state legislative bodies, higher education boards, alumni, industry partners, and donors to advance academic initiatives and promote the power of public higher education.
• Curricular and Programmatic Innovation: Experience leading student success initiatives or engagement with innovative curricular design in both new and future academic programs and departments.
• Engagement with Rural Communities and Tribal Nations: Proven experience working with a broad range of rural communities in support of a land-grant public access mission, and an interest in supporting successful relationships between the University and Tribal communities.
  
  

The Successful Candidate Will

MSU Seeks An Experienced Academic Leader With Exceptional Strategic And Operational Skills And Leadership Attributes Complemented By Advanced Management Expertise And Success Within a Complex, Higher Education Environment. The Successful Candidate Will Possess The Following Skills And Attributes:

• Empathetic Trust-Building and Shared Governance: Demonstrates authentic, open communication to actively engage faculty, staff, students, and administrators fostering genuine institutional partnership and mutual trust.
• Disciplined Execution and Resource Management: Pairs visionary academic leadership with strong management skills to translate strategic goals into concrete actions, align budgets, make difficult and transparent decisions around resource allocation and fiscal management, and use data-informed decision-making.
• Academic Credibility and Interdisciplinary Curiosity: Brings a distinguished record of scholarship while respecting varied disciplinary traditions and championing cross-college innovation, research, and creative activity.
• Decisive Leadership and Courageous Advocacy: Makes transparent, tough choices and as a visible, vocal, and steadfast champion for academic quality, academic freedom, openness to polite disagreement, and institutional priorities, while following through on those values in making decisions.
• Enthusiastic Campus and Community Engagement: Demonstrates a deep, genuine commitment to MSU and all the communities it serves, enthusiastically engaging with students, faculty, staff, and local partners across Bozeman and the region.
• External Engagement: Excels at engaging external partners, legislative bodies, industry leaders, and community stakeholders to advance MSU’s land-grant mission.
• Statewide Partnerships: Possesses an interest in advancing support for Montana’s rural communities and tribal nations.
• Inclusive Support and Cross-Divisional Collaboration: Connects Academic Affairs with Student Success, Extension, and support units while valuing and integrating staff and non-tenure-track faculty into community life.
• Humility, People-Centered Commitment and Retention: Approaches campus dialogue with constructive openness, demonstrating a long-term dedication to MSU’s people through practical efforts to support faculty and staff retention.
• Continuity: Demonstrates principles and remains visible and accessible, demonstrating a personal commitment to the institution and the region for years to come.
  
  

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but as a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

The Program The Department The College

Posting Detail Information

Number Of Vacancies 1 Desired Start Date Upon Successful Completion Of Search Position End Date (if Temporary) Open Date Close Date Applications Will Be:

Application should be received by December 14, 2026 for full consideration. The committee will review application materials until the position is filled.

The Application Must Include:

• a letter of interest
• current curriculum vitae/resumé
• contact information for five recent professional references
  
  

The above materials are to be submitted in PDF format through the AGB Search Portal here: Montana State University Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

All Inquiries, Nominations, And Applications Will Be Held Strictly Confidential; References Will Not Be Contacted Without The Applicant’s Permission. Inquiries And Nominations Should Be Sent To MSUProvost@agbsearch.com Or Directed To:

Laura Woodworth-Ney, Ph.D.

Principal

laura.woodworth-ney@agbsearch.com

Andrew Bowen

Senior Executive Search Consultant

andrew.bowen@agbsearch.com

John E. Cech, Ph.D.

Executive Search Consultant

john.cech@agbsearch.com

Special Instructions EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.

FLSA Details

FLSA Determination

FLSA Status Exempt

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).