Brock University, Niagara Region, Ontario

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced higher education or public sector leader to help shape and advance the academic priorities of one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities. As Senior Advisor & Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives & Portfolio Coordination, you will work closely with the Provost & Vice-President, Academic to provide trusted advice on emerging issues, coordinate major institutional initiatives, support governance processes, and foster alignment across the University. Your leadership will help ensure that complex priorities are translated into action and that academic and institutional objectives are achieved effectively and collaboratively. The University

Brock University is a comprehensive teaching and research institution with rich academic programs and world-class scholarship. Located on the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Agreement, with its main campus located in the historic Niagara region, Brock offers all the benefits of a young and modern university in a safe, community-minded region with beautiful natural surroundings. With more than 18,000 students in seven diverse Faculties, 600 faculty members, and over 124,000 accomplished alumni, Brock has earned a reputation as a one of Canada’s top post-secondary institutions. The university continues be an important regional presence and with a new campus in Burlington, further growing connections to the community through this new, agile space. Brock was recently named one of Canada's best employers for Company Culture by Forbes as well as ranked top 10 as one of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity in 2024,



through an independent survey of more than 40,000 Canadian employees working for companies with more than 500 employees. Brock is also home to fourteen 3M Teaching Fellowship Award Winners, Canada’s most prestigious recognition of excellence in educational leadership and teaching at the post-secondary level, and eight Canada Research Chairs. The Role

Reporting to the Provost & Vice-President, Academic, the Senior Advisor & Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives and Portfolio Coordination serves as the Provost’s executive advisor and Chief of Staff, providing strategic counsel, executive coordination, issues management, and leadership of key institutional initiatives. The incumbent acts as an extension of the Provost’s office, ensuring priorities, commitments, strategic initiatives, and executive decisions are effectively coordinated, communicated, advanced, and monitored across the University. The Senior Advisor & Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives and Portfolio Coordination provides high-level executive support through the development of briefing materials, strategic analysis, communications, stakeholder engagement strategies, and executive recommendations. Working closely with senior leaders, governing bodies, and internal and external partners, the incumbent facilitates institutional alignment, anticipates and resolves emerging issues,



and ensures the Provost is positioned to make informed decisions and advance the academic agenda of the University.

Key Responsibilities

Serve as the Provost’s strategic advisor, providing informed counsel on emerging institutional issues, priorities, opportunities, and risks; Monitor and assess emerging issues, stakeholder concerns, reputational matters, and implementation challenges affecting the Provost’s portfolio; coordinate information gathering, analysis, and recommendations; and develop proactive strategies to address barriers, dependencies, and matters requiring executive attention; Support the Provost in managing sensitive, confidential, and complex issues requiring strategic judgment and executive coordination; Lead the coordination and advancement of institutional transformation initiatives sponsored by the Provost, establishing systems to monitor progress, timelines, deliverables, risks, and outcomes associated with strategic priorities; Lead the development and coordination of executive communications, speeches, presentations, key messages, correspondence, and engagement materials, advising on communications strategies related to institutional priorities and emerging issues; Coordinate communications related to major initiatives, institutional announcements, governance matters, emerging issues, and strategic priorities, ensuring consistency with institutional priorities and the Provost’s direction; Coordinate preparation for Senate, Board of Trustees, Senate committees, Deans’ Council, and executive leadership meetings; Ensure governance submissions, briefing materials, reports, presentations, and recommendations are complete, strategically aligned, and submitted within established timelines; Establish and maintain systems to track governance decisions, commitme

📌 Senior Advisor (Winnipeg)
🏢 KNIGHTSBRIDGE ROBERTSON SURRETTE
📍 Winnipeg