Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement

Brock University, Niagara Region, Ontario

Brock University is seeking a respected, relationship-centered Indigenous leader to serve as its next Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement. This is a unique opportunity to help shape the next chapter of Indigenous engagement, reconciliation, and institutional transformation at Brock University. Building on a strong foundation of community partnerships, Indigenous programming, and institutional commitment, the successful candidate will play a central role in implementing Brock's Indigenous Strategic Plan and fostering meaningful, sustainable change throughout the University.

The Role

Reporting to the Provost and Vice-President, Academic, the Vice-Provost, Indigenous Engagement serves as the University's senior Indigenous academic leader and a key member of Brock's academic leadership team. The VPIE provides strategic advice and leadership across the institution to advance Indigenous priorities and strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities, students, faculty, staff, Elders, Knowledge Holders, and partners.
Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership and Institutional Transformation - Provide leadership for the implementation of Brock's Indigenous Strategic Plan and related institutional priorities. Support the development of measurable goals, accountability frameworks, and institution-wide initiatives that advance reconciliation, decolonization, and Indigenous engagement across academic and administrative portfolios. Serve as an advisor to the institution, working closely with senior leaders, faculty, staff, and students to build capacity for Indigenous engagement and cultural understanding.
• Community Engagement and Partnerships - Serve as Brock's primary senior contact for Indigenous community engagement. Build and maintain respectful, reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities, leadership organizations, governments, educational institutions, and community partners. Support meaningful engagement with Indigenous advisory and governance bodies while helping strengthen alignment between community priorities and institutional processes.
• Student Success and Well-being - Champion Indigenous student success by supporting culturally grounded programs, services, and initiatives that foster belonging, achievement, leadership development, community connection, and holistic well-being throughout the student experience.
• Academic Leadership and Indigenization - Provide leadership and guidance regarding Indigenous governance structures, institutional policies, and community-informed decision-making. Collaborate with Deans, faculty leaders, researchers, and academic units to advance Indigenous curriculum development, support Indigenous research and scholarship, build relationships with Indigenous faculty and staff, strengthen community-engaged research, and promote respectful and reciprocal approaches to knowledge creation and dissemination.

The Ideal Candidate

As the ideal candidate, you are an accomplished Indigenous leader in the higher education sector who is recognized for your ability to build trust, strengthen relationships, and guide organizations through meaningful change. You are a courageous leader, bringing a demonstrated commitment to Indigenous advancement and possess the credibility, humility, and strategic leadership required to work effectively across Indigenous communities and complex institutional environments.

You understand that meaningful progress is rooted in both relationships and action. You are a skilled listener, collaborator, and advocate who can bring diverse groups together around a shared vision while ensuring priorities are translated into measurable outcomes. Whether your experience has been developed primarily within higher education, Indigenous organizations, public institutions, community leadership, or a combination of these environments, you bring a demonstrated record of advancing Indigenous priorities, leading organizational change, and fostering strong partnerships.

Qualifications and Demonstrated Success:

• Indigenous identity and lived experience, preferably connected to local communities, consistent with the University's intention to fill this role as a designated appointment for an Indigenous candidate.
• An earned doctorate, terminal degree, or an equivalent combination of education, community leadership, executive experience, and demonstrated accomplishments.
• Progressively senior leadership experience within post-secondary education, Indigenous organizations, government, public sector organizations, or similarly complex environments.
• Demonstrated success building meaningful, reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities, organizations, Elders, Knowledge Holders, and partners.
• Experience leading strategic initiatives, organizational change, and collaborative planning processes.
• Understanding of Indigenous education, Indigenous student success, Indigenous scholarship, and community-engaged approaches to teaching, learning, and research.
• Knowledge of Indigenous governance, policy environments, and contemporary issues affecting First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples.
• Experience working collaboratively within complex organizations and advising senior leaders, governing bodies, or community decision-makers.

Skills and Attributes:

• Exceptional relationship-building and consensus-building skills and a collaborative, authentic, and community-centered leadership style.
• Strategic thinking and action-oriented, with strong implementation abilities.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and engagement skills.
• Courage as a leader with a commitment to accountability, transparency, and shared responsibility.
• Humility, integrity, resilience, and cultural grounding.
• Understanding of distinctions-based approaches and the diverse realities of First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and urban, global and reconnecting Indigenous communities.

Role Type: Current Vacancy
The Search Committee will begin reviewing applications on September 30, 2026.

KBRS does not use artificial intelligence in any part of candidate and application screening.

Candidates interested in this opportunity should contact Abbey MacLeod at , Kyle Steele at [email protected], or Dr. Jennie Massey at [email protected], or submit a full application package by clicking "Apply Now" by visiting the following link: https://www.kbrs.ca/Career/17744448320300000008kiz

We are committed to offering flexible work arrangements where possible as outlined in our Flexible Work Arrangement Policy. As a student-centered organization, all employees are required to work on campus as needed.