Director, School of Nursing

Acadia University

Acadia University acknowledges that we are in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which the Mi’kmaq, Wəlastəkwiyik, and Peskotomuhkatiyik Peoples first signed with the British Crown in 1726. These treaties did not implicate or affirm the surrender or transfer of land to the British but recognized Mi’kmaq title and set the rules for what was to be a long-standing relationship between nations. Acknowledging the land that we are on, means that we are working towards decolonization across campus. As an educational institution, we are continually learning more about how we can deeply engage and move forward the work of truth, reconciliation, and equity. As Department/School faculty, staff, and students, we are grateful to live and work in Mi’kma’ki. We recognize that without action, an acknowledgment is empty. It marks the beginning of the work ahead of us, not the end.
Acadia University is committed to upholding the spirit and tenets of the Treaties of Peace and Friendship, as well as respecting the historical and contemporary contributions of African Nova Scotians to the land, culture, and life of the region.

Acadia University is recognized as one of Canada’s premier undergraduate universities, offering a liberal arts education unique among post-secondary institutions. Acadia offers a stimulating, vibrant environment, on and off campus, where dedicated faculty inspire and challenge students to be their best through supportive personalized learning environments, holistic education, and nurturing community engagement. Academic innovation and a technology-rich teaching and learning environment have garnered the university a reputation for excellence. Our progressive workplace is located only one hour from Halifax in Nova Scotia's beautiful Annapolis Valley. With a progressive commitment to sustainability, the region offers locally crafted artisan food and beverage, with many communities embracing organic, fair-trade, and farm-to-table ideals. There is a small but vibrant francophone community in the Annapolis Valley, and the university campus is situated 6 kms from Grand-Pré National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that commemorates and celebrates Acadian contributions to the region.

At an institutional level, Acadia University has recently taken steps to create the Acadia University Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism (EDIAR) Council to provide oversight and accountability for Acadia’s progress toward anti-racism and equity, diversity and inclusion, to establish a Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) Student Working Group, and to align Acadia with the new nationwide initiative to eliminate anti-Black racism in Canadian higher education by being one of the first signatories of the Scarborough Charter on Anti-Black Racism and Black Inclusion in Canadian Higher Education in November 2021. To read more about this initiative, please visit www2.acadiau.ca/home/news-reader-page/acadia-releases-anti-racism- report.html.

Academic Qualifications:
The candidate must have a terminal degree (Ph.D. or Doctorate). Candidates with a graduate degree in nursing, and a doctorate in progress may be considered. The candidate should be registered or eligible for registration with the Nova Scotia College of Nursing.

The ideal candidate will have an excellent track record of teaching, scholarly activity, and nursing practice education and at least five years of administrative experience, two years of which have been in nursing education and/or higher education administration. They will be knowledgeable of multiple delivery models for nursing education. Consideration will be given to leadership experience in healthcare organizations. Ideal candidates possess outstanding communication skills and direct experience working within a collegial setting with diverse partners. They have demonstrated experience effectively supporting and leading teams through change and cultivating innovative and creative approaches to complex situations. They are committed to continued personal and professional development. They foster and champion the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism, and are attentive to the complex roles that gender, race, sexuality, ability, socioeconomic status, geographic origin and indigeneity play in shaping an educational and professional community.

The search committee recognizes that scholars have varying career paths and that non-linear career trajectories are a normal part of an academic record. Additionally, in line with SSHRC considerations for merit review of Indigenous research, there is a recognition that reciprocity and co-creation in community-based research is a significant aspect of this work not always captured by conventional scholarship records.

Candidates are encouraged to provide any relevant information about their educational background, career experience(s) and/or non-linear career trajectories.

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience and is accompanied by an administrative stipend. The appointment will be effective August 1, 2024, or as mutually agreed, for a term of up to six years. There is a provision for academic administrators who were not members of the bargaining unit before taking up their administrative roles to be admitted to the bargaining unit under Article 40.32 of the Collective Agreement.

Position Profile:
Overview of the Position

The role of Director, School of Nursing requires a dynamic individual to meet the challenges and opportunities of providing academic leadership to develop Acadia University’s Nursing program. Using strong communication and interpersonal skills, the Director will foster new relationships and expand on existing relationships among Acadia’s various partners, including faculty, staff, students, and a variety of external partners. The Director will work in a fast-paced environment using sound judgement and decision-making skills to balance the needs and requirements of the School’s key affiliates. The environment for nursing education and the profession is dynamic and requires graduates who embrace the complexity of nursing practice and the multi-level collaborations required to address the needs of patients, families, communities, and populations.

The Director reports to the Dean, Faculty of Professional Studies. Working collaboratively with the Dean and the other Heads and Directors, the Director promotes clear communication and consultation on matters of academic policy and to facilitate academic and administrative processes within a unionized environment as governed by the existing Collective Agreement between Acadia University’s Board of Governors and the Acadia University Faculty Association (https://hr.acadiau.ca/files/sites/hr/Collective%20Agreements/AU_AUFA_16th_Collective_Agreement.pdf).
The Director’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following three areas of academic and overall leadership of the School:

1. Administrative Leadership
Guided by a sound understanding of the workings of the School and its partners, the Director is a visionary leader with the skills and determination to promote continued excellence in the areas of teaching, scholarly activity, administration and other professional services, and mentoring.

Possessing excellent time-management, critical thinking and decision-making skills, the Director:
• Fosters an environment conducive to quality teaching, scholarly activity, and service;
• Makes decisions using the highest level of ethical and equitable consideration;
• Leads program development and modification and associated policy development across the School;
• Engages with students on a daily basis and in a variety of ways, including but not limited to: academic advising, concerns of an academic nature, extra-curricular programming, etc.;
• Effectively and efficiently manages the daily operations of the School, including the School’s budget, timetable and hiring process;
• Monitors academic processes within the School to ensure their alignment with University Policy and the Collective Agreement;
• Leads initiatives to respond to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Scarborough Charter as they pertain to the School;
• Manages infrastructure allocated to the School of Nursing;

2. Institutional Leadership
The Director advocates for the School within the broader University context. Guided by the overall interests of the School, the Director:
• Uses strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills to:
o Champion program, resource and policy development informed by the interests and perspectives of the School at the University level;
o Work actively with colleagues in other departments and schools, within and across Faculties.

3. External Relations, and Community Development
The Director is a respected leader who represents the School of Nursing across a variety of external groups. Actively involved in the professional and academic communities, the Director engages regularly with relevant academic institutions and groups on scholarly and pedagogical development. The Director is also well known and respected within the broader health-care community and is capable of using this presence to enrich the School’s teaching and research opportunities. Guided by the overall interests of the School, the Director:
• Collaborates closely with colleagues in the School of Nursing and beyond at Cape Breton University (CBU), as Acadia University completes the phased launch of its own Nursing program, moving from a satellite offering of CBU’s Nursing program, to a joint offering, and eventually a standalone program;
• Liaises with academic leaders and external partners such as the provincial government, the Nova Scotia College of Nursing, the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing, MPHEC, the Nova Scotia Schools of Nursing Deans and Director group, Tajikeimik, Nova Scotia Health, IWK Health, and other professional organizations;
• Liaises with members of the L’nu Nurse Initiative, the Black Nurses Association of Nova Scotia, and local Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotian communities to ensure equitable access to nursing education.

A review of applications will begin on May 24th, 2024, with the competition remaining open until the position is filled. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
How to Apply: Candidates are asked to submit their application in a single PDF document to Faculty.Careers@AcadiaU.ca. Receipt of the application will be acknowledged via email. Applications should include the following:
- position number (include in the subject of the submission email),
- cover letter that addresses each component of the position profile
- a curriculum vitae that details their educational background as well as the areas of leadership, professional service, outreach, mentoring, teaching, and scholarly activity

Short-listed candidates will be asked to provide contact information for three references.

Application should be addressed to:
Dr. Corinne Haigh, Dean, Professional Studies Acadia University
Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada B4P 2R6 Email: Faculty.Careers@AcadiaU.ca

Acadia University invites applications from all qualified individuals; however, Canadians and permanent residents shall be given priority. The University encourages applications from Indigenous people; African Canadians; African Nova Scotians; persons with disabilities; visible minorities; women; persons of any minority sexuality, gender identity or gender expression; and all intersections of these identities. Acadia embraces the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion as fundamental in creating an expansive academic environment and champions diverse knowledge systems as pillars of academic excellence.

All applicants are required to submit an online Employment Equity Self-Identification Form as part of their application package. The form provides the option of self-identifying based on the applicant’s comfort level. Failure to complete the form by the closing date will result in the disqualification of your application.
Closing Date: May 24th, 2024 (with competition open until the position is filled)

Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members.
The University will provide support in its recruitment processes to applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that considers an applicant's accessibility needs. If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact Kim Vaughan, Assistant to the Dean of Professional Studies (kim.vaughan@acadiau.ca)