Reporting to the Chancellor, the Provost is the chief academic officer of the University responsible for the development and execution of institutional strategies that deliver excellence and ever greater levels of achievement and eminence across the University.
The next Provost will be institutionally ambitious with an ability to deliver significant impact at scale. We seek an individual with:
- A leadership style characterized by collegiality, collaboration and civility
- Academic stature and broad familiarity with scholarships across a wide range of disciplines
- An ability to communicate effectively with the entire Vanderbilt community
- An unwavering commitment to the success of students, faculty and staff
- Dedication to and sophistication about diversity, equity and inclusion
- Strategic, operational and financial acumen
- The ability to attract financial and human resources
- An appreciation for the role athletics, athletic facilities and student-athletes play in an academically rigorous institution
- A readiness to engage with the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and other key external partners
- An understanding of emerging technologies and their implications on education and research
In addition, the next Provost will bring a global perspective and have a deep understanding of both the national and international context for higher education. They will be an inspiring advocate not just for Vanderbilt but also for higher education in general and be able to forcefully communicate the essential role the academy plays in addressing many of the world’s most pressing problems.
LIKELY PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT PROVOST
- Advancing academic excellence and collaboration across the University, identifying priority areas where Vanderbilt can excel and making strategic investments in those areas
- Delivering significant positive impact on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion across faculty, research and curriculum
- Demonstrating commitment to and leveraging the power of Vanderbilt’s residential college system, ensuring that it continues to provide the physical, socio-emotional and learning environment required to deliver a distinctive, world-class undergraduate experience
- Investing in graduate and professional education as well as the research and teaching infrastructure to support it
- Deepening and expanding the positive and mutually beneficial relationship with the academic medical center
- Expanding the University’s commitment to access, Opportunity Vanderbilt, and ensuring that systems and structures are in place to fully support student success and the ongoing development of a highly inclusive campus culture
- Embracing and leveraging the power of technology to enhance Vanderbilt’s reach and impact
- Expanding Vanderbilt’s global presence while also engaging deeply with Nashville and the region on issues of shared concern; e.g., public education, transportation, housing, economic development, etc.
- Strengthening faculty governance and empowering a high-performing team in the provost’s office
IDEAL EXPERIENCE
The successful candidate will have academic stature in their field and a track record of impactful academic leadership at a meaningful level of scale and complexity. In addition, they will have experience in academic institutions that are known for excellence and innovation in research and education as well as on broader issues of access and affordability, diversity and inclusion, community engagement, and institutional partnerships. In addition, they will have demonstrated the ability to lead, motivate, develop and empower high-performance teams and work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.
CRITICAL COMPETENCIES FOR SUCCESS
Driving Results: The successful candidate will have skills in the areas of implementation and execution, translating ambitions and strategies into on-the-ground realities by:
- Being strategic and pragmatic in the pursuit of institutional priorities
- Identifying barriers to positive change and developing strategies to overcome them
- Making priority decisions
Collaborating and Influencing: The successful candidate will be gifted at building coalitions and support for innovation and new initiatives by:
- Exhibiting very strong communication skills—listening and speaking
- Creating alignment and energy across relevant stakeholder groups
- Identifying and pursuing win-win opportunities
- Leading team-based problem solving that builds a shared sense of ownership
Change Leadership: The successful candidate will be institutionally ambitious and have the ability to unleash that ambition in others by:
- Resisting complacency, setting clear goals and expectations, and supporting leaders across the organization who are eager to drive innovation and higher levels of performance
- Creating a culture where missteps are seen as learning opportunities and well-calculated risk-taking is rewarded