Executive Brief Vice President, University Services

January 2019

Executive Brief www.boyden.com Vice President, University Services, Yukon College

Essence of the Opportunity An exciting evolution is underway at Yukon College (YC) as it becomes Canada’s first university in the North, leading through outstanding place-based education, northern- focused research and scholarship and focused on exemplary community engagement, with First Nation partners throughout Yukon. The transition, expected to take place in 2019, will create the Yukon University (YukonU), a flexible, post-secondary institution that includes a place and a pathway for every learner including: adult basic education, skills and vocational training certificates and diplomas, plus degree and post-graduate programs. Yukon College contributes significantly to the development of a healthy and prosperous North through relevant, innovative and inclusive education and research. The College currently serves 1,200 full and part-time credit students and over 4,400 non-credit students each year. The student body includes 150 full time international students. Yukon College operates 13 campuses across Yukon, including the beautiful main campus in . With a $46 million operating budget, supported by 270 full-time and 310 part-time faculty and staff, Yukon College is a major contributor to the economic and social fabric of Yukon. Student surveys have demonstrated strong endorsement from the student body. In 2016, 96% of student respondents were satisfied with the quality of instruction at YC, and 98% agreed that “Yukon College is a good learning environment”. Yukon College has a long history, and is a leader in Canada, in its commitment to reconciliation and Indigenization. Collaborating with to identify and respond to their educational needs and priorities is one of the five strategic goals for the College. Currently, nearly 30% of all students identify as First Nation, and Yukon College is currently launching the first Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Governance in Canada. Yukon College continues to lead the country in research conducted by community colleges. YC ranked first among all colleges in Canada for research intensity and third and fifth respectively for research funding and partnerships, according to Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges by Research Infosource Inc. Expanding Northern research and innovation is one of Yukon College’s five strategic directions. Yukon College is seeking a strategic visionary thought leader to become the Vice President, University Services (VPUS) in the exciting transformation to a university. This dynamic individual will have the vision, skills, drive and expertise to successfully support the College’s transition to a University. Reporting to the President, the VPUS will play a pivotal role overseeing innovative and leading edge informed best practice strategies and programs related to Finance, Human Resources, Student and Infrastructure Services, Community Campuses and revenue generation areas including Continuing Education.

Key opportunities ahead of the new VPUS include: working with government on new funding formulas for the University, enhancing the relationship with First Nations, executive oversight of anticipated capital builds, and developing campus plans to accommodate future growth, including a campus housing strategy.

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Yukon College to Yukon University

At the request of the Government of Yukon, Yukon College is preparing to become Yukon University (YukonU). Several years ago, Yukon College Board of Governors and staff members spent 18 months researching, visiting and meeting with leaders from more than 60 institutions and organizations around the world, and learned a number of valuable lessons. These lessons guide the institution as it moves forward with planning and development. The current timeline has the institution transitioning in 2019.

The Model

When Yukon College transitions, Yukon University will be what is referred to as a hybrid university – a flexible, post-secondary institution that includes a place and a pathway for every learner including: adult basic education and upgrading, trades and vocational training certificates and diplomas or degree and post-graduate programs. All programs will provide opportunities for students at all levels and be grounded in research relevant to the North. The 13 community campuses will continue to play a critical role in delivering education to the communities.

Ongoing development of partnerships in response to education, training and research needs, with business, industry, governments and First Nations, will shape its future.

Northern Focused

Yukon University will stand apart from those in the South. It will reflect its own cultures and identities. It will be borne from its own experiences. It will contain its own ideas and aspirations.

Niche Programming

Yukon University will be known for focusing on education and research relevant to populations in the North, contributing to a responsive, resilient and versatile economy and society.

With this in mind, Yukon University (YukonU) will build on its existing strengths and will be known for unique, relevant, niche programming and research in the following areas:

Climate change - society and environment: The climate is rapidly changing in the North and affecting the landscapes and people’s lives. For over 16 years, Yukon College has been recognized as a leader in climate change research in both the natural and social sciences. This work spans community health and well- being, impacts on traditional culture and practices, infrastructure and economy, policy implications, community and individual resiliency and food security. The College builds on this strong foundation in climate change research to ensure its programs provide a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to the study of a changing planet.

Indigenous self-determination and governance: Yukon College offers five programs in Indigenous self-determination studies and is currently delivering its first made-in-Yukon degree – a Bachelor of Arts in Indigenous Governance.

The College has had strong partnerships with Yukon First Nations for many years, working closely with First Nations governments to share knowledge and build reciprocity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous traditions. In 2014, the College won the inaugural gold award from Colleges and Institutes Canada

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(CICan) for Indigenous Education Excellence. The College has a history of taking seriously the role of education in reconciliation, a position now strengthened by the report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Building on this history and the strengths, experience and knowledge of decades of First Nations self- governance in the Yukon, the College will continue to work in partnership with First Nations to provide programming that supports capacity development and self-determination.

Sustainable resource development and innovation: Through education, training, research and innovation, Yukon College supports the sustainable development and stewardship of Yukon’s resources – the land, wildlife, water and minerals. For over five decades Yukon College has successfully delivered a wide range of apprenticeship, trades and technology training across the territory. As the College evolves, it will continue to play this role while also expanding training opportunities, connecting training more closely to research and emphasizing sustainable practices.

Current research in mine reclamation and bioremediation, alternative energy and cold climate and technology innovation offers many opportunities to align training with research and scholarship. Yukon College researchers work constantly to innovate and diversify resource development in the North, in areas such as renewable energy and agriculture, with a focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship.

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Strategic Plan 2016-2021 Inspiring dreams. Revealing passions. Changing lives.

Click on the above video to watch a 3-minute video on Yukon College’s strategic plan.

Yukon College is forging a new future, for the North, for Yukon, and for the institution.

Dr. Karen Barnes, President & Vice Chancellor; Yukon College

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Strategic Plan - Overview

The 2016 to 2021 Yukon College Strategic Plan will support the transition to university, anticipated in 2019. Rather than initiating the year-long consultation which drove our previous 2013-2016 plan, we conducted an email survey in 2016 (173 responses), querying possible revisions and updates to the previous plan. This survey affirmed that the previous plan required only minor revisions to take us through to 2021.

Mission

Yukon College is a leader in education, rooted in our diverse cultures and northern environment, where everyone is inspired to dream, learn and achieve.

Vision

Grounded in northern expertise and strong partnerships, we will build a healthy and prosperous North through unique, relevant and inclusive education and research.

Strategic Direction

Each of the five strategic directions have specific goals:

• Offer exceptional student experiences • Collaborate with First Nations • Engage with Yukon rural communities • Expand research and innovation • Become a Northern-focused university

Institutional Values

At Yukon College, we are shaped by our shared values and Northern identity. We commit to being a welcoming, collegial and innovative learning community that is dedicated to promoting lifelong learning. We benefit the Yukon, the North, Canada, and the world by creating, preserving and communicating knowledge through our teaching, research and scholarship.

Value headings include:

• Northern identity • Inclusiveness and diversity • Integrity and academic freedom • Achievement and excellence • Innovation and discovery • Leadership and accountability • Health and wellness

For the full Strategic Plan and a complete description of these values and directions, view the 2016-21 Strategic Plan booklet.

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About Whitehorse, Yukon Whitehorse was built on the traditional territory of the Taa'an Kwächän and the Kwanlin Dün nations and is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in Canada. Named the Wilderness City, Whitehorse is nestled on the banks of the famous Yukon River surrounded by mountains and pristine lakes. With gorgeous scenery and a vibrant city lifestyle, it’s no small wonder over 30,200 people enjoy living here year-round. A healthy economy, small town values, a safe environment in which to raise a family, and access to the great outdoors makes Whitehorse one of the best cities in Canada in which to live and work. Whitehorse provides diverse services to all outlying communities. Its economic base includes mining, transportation services, tourism, and government services.

Whitehorse is the capital and largest city of Yukon and the largest city in . It is Yukon's only city. It was incorporated in 1950 and is located at kilometre 1426 on the Alaska Highway in southern Yukon. Whitehorse's downtown and Riverdale areas occupy both shores of the Yukon River, which originates in and meets the Bering Sea in Alaska. The city was named after the White Horse Rapids for their resemblance to the mane of a white horse, near Miles Canyon, before the river was dammed.

Because of the city's location in the Whitehorse valley, the climate is milder than comparable northern communities such as Yellowknife. At this latitude, winter days are short and summer days have up to about 19 hours of daylight. Whitehorse, as reported by Guinness World Records, is the city with the least air pollution in the world.

Whitehorse is served by the Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport and has scheduled service to Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Yellowknife, Ottawa (via Yellowknife), Dawson City, Old Crow, Inuvik, as well as Fairbanks, Alaska and Frankfurt, Germany during the summer months. Surface access to Whitehorse is provided by a network of highways, including the international Alaska Highway connecting the Yukon with Alaska, British Columbia, and Alberta highway networks.

Whitehorse has several schools as part of a Yukon Government operated public school system and offers French immersion at both the primary and high school level. Except for École Émilie-Tremblay, Yukon does not have school boards, however each school has a council composed of three to seven elected positions for 2-year terms, consisting of (and elected by) citizens residing in the school's assigned area and parents of students attending the school. All teachers are employed directly by the Department of Education and there are no tuition fees to be paid to attend elementary and secondary institutions.

Whitehorse's proximity to the wilderness and the northern range of the Rockies allows its residents to enjoy a very active lifestyle. The city has an extensive trail network within its limits, estimated at 850 km (528 mi), including sections of the Trans Canada Trail. These trails are used for a variety of non-motorized and/or motorized activities. The Yukon River in and around Whitehorse provides many opportunities for kayaking and canoeing.

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Position Description Vice President, University Services

The Vice President, University Services (VPUS) is a key member of the College’s executive team. Reporting directly to the President, the individual will provide broad strategic leadership across the institution working to ensure that all administrative, services and entrepreneurial functions are engaged in the creation and implementation of integrated, researched and informed plans and programs that bolster the College’s transition to a University.

The VPUS will have primary responsibility of the strategic leadership of the Financial, Human Resource, Student and Infrastructure Services, Community Innovation and Development, and Risk Mitigation areas. The VPUS will also provide exemplary vision and leadership across the organization, consistently placing institutional integrity at the core of decision making while seeking to eliminate unacceptable risk to build a strong, powerful, resilient and innovative organization.

As a critical member of the executive team, the VPUS will model and advance the values of the organization. Decisions will be guided by the College's commitment to Northern reconciliation, Inclusiveness and Diversity, Integrity and Academic Freedom, Achievement and Excellence, Innovation and Discovery, Leadership and Accountability and Health and Wellness.

The VPUS will also have demonstrated ability to lead innovation and advancement in Continuing Education, Community Programming and other related areas, aimed at both advancing students and bringing an entrepreneurial focus to the institution. As these areas advance and grow, the VPUS will be responsible for ensuring activities and growth are consistent with the institution's core values while providing an expanding financial and strategic objective benefit.

General Leadership

Overall, the VPUS will always consider and advance the core principle of collegiality by fostering and modeling partnership, growth and respect among and between colleagues and students. In part, the VPUS will model these principles by individual active participation in college activities and groups as well as supporting and encouraging the participation of others.

Working with the VP, Academic and Student Services and the AVPs, the VPUS will support the President in developing long term plans for the advancement of Yukon College priorities through participation in the President’s Executive leadership team, the Senior Executive Committee and other College committees.

Financial Leadership

Through direct engagement with senior management in relevant government departments, the VPUS will oversee annual funding arrangements, including the core funding transfer agreement. The VPUS will support the Director, Financial Services in

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Yukon College’s engagement with the Office of the Auditor General, including the preparation of annual audits.

As the executive responsible for the financial management of the Institution, the VPUS will work with the Director, Financial Services in the development and management of the College’s operating and capital budgets. Once approved by the Board, the VPUS will provide the executive oversight needed to ensure the college operates according to the approved budget.

Human Resource Leadership

The VPUS will support the Director, Employee Relations and Organizational Development in the development and implementation of a strategic HR plan for the institution that creates a resilient, responsive, innovative organization. Specifically, the VPUS will provide guidance to ensure that any HR planning or initiatives are consistent with both the culture of collegiality and the values as set out in the strategic plan.

The VPUS will support the Director, Employee Relations and Organizational Development (ER&OD) in their leadership and oversight related to engagement with the union, including development of any negotiation mandates and having those mandates approved by the Board.

The VPUS will work with the Board and President on preparation of collective agreement negotiation mandates.

Student and Infrastructure Support Leadership

The VPUS will support the Director of Student and Infrastructure Support (SIS) in the creation and implementation of a strategic operations and infrastructure plan that incorporates the changing management of the facilities and infrastructure. This will include guidance in researching and creating systems to ensure that best practices in facilities and infrastructure management reflect strategic values and are known, incorporated and evaluated.

The VPUS will support the Director, SIS in their leadership and oversight with community and government partners to ensure that all student services appropriately balance student engagement with the need to target cost recovery and, when appropriate, revenue positive outcomes.

During the transition towards a university, the VPUS will work closely with the President and Board to provide strategic leadership on advancing the College's objective of taking greater control of facilities and infrastructure in a manner that mitigates risk for the institution and provides increased accountability for the institution as a whole.

Continuing Education, Community and Project Development Leadership

The VPUS will provide leadership and guidance in promoting a strong entrepreneurial culture in the areas of Continuing Education and project development while preserving and protecting the institution’s financial stability to deliver core academic programming.

The VPUS will ensure community campuses are managed in a manner that is consistent with the main campus infrastructure but allows for appropriate local engagement and control.

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REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to: President

Direct Reports: Director, Financial Services

Director, Student and Infrastructure Support

Executive Director, Community Innovation and Development

Director, Employee Relations & Organizational Development

Executive Council Vice President, Academic and Student Services

AVP, Research Operations

AVP, Research Development

AVP, First Nations Engagement and Reconciliation

Executive Director, College and External Relations

Detailed organizational charts for the College can be found at:

https://www.yukoncollege.yk.ca/sites/default/files/inline- files/YC%20Organizational%20Chart.pdf

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Candidate Profile

The Candidate Qualifications: The Search Committee recognizes that no candidate for Vice-President, University Services is likely to meet all the following criteria in equal measure; nevertheless, the following administrative experience and personal qualities are seen to be highly desirable:

Academic Qualifications

• The ideal candidate will have a minimum Master’s degree and/or a financial designation.

Experience

• A track record of success as an integral member of a senior leadership team with a reputation for providing vision, inspiration and leadership across a complex portfolio that includes all or some of finance, campus and operations planning, human resources, and continuing education. This experience has ideally been gained through a Vice-President, Associate Vice-President or Director capacity.

• Has been recognized as a powerful and progressive agent of change due to the approach demonstrated in creating and implementing strategic and organizational planning.

• Strong business acumen; able to assess the short and long term financial, human and operational impacts of decision making.

• Experience in a post-secondary institution is an asset.

• Experience successfully developing relationships with and negotiating/working with multi levels of government, including federal, provincial/territorial and First Nations.

• Ideally has experience working with a Board. Understands what a board needs to carry out their fiduciary and governance responsivities.

Functional Expertise

• Brings to the College a breadth and depth of experience developing, implementing and evaluating long range planning within an institutional setting.

• Can bring thought leadership, innovation and strategic thinking to the financial management, campus and operations planning, human resources and continuing education.

• Sophisticated leading edge financial management skills and business acumen with the ability to align financial planning with identified priorities.

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• Superior analytical, organizational and managerial skills that include the ability to foster dynamic faculty relations and to see and set innovative strategic direction.

• Excellent project management and informed integrated systems development capabilities. Can provide the executive leadership that inspires completion of a wide range of projects that are being executed simultaneously across the college.

• Understands the systems and processes an institution needs to identify and scale as it moves through a major transformation.

• Has the knowledge and expertise to be the executive lead in the development of the long-range campus plan which incorporates the future direction of programing and student needs at the Whitehorse and community campuses.

• Has been the champion of effective creation, implementation and evaluation of enterprise risk management programs.

Strategic

• A strategic executive who can provide dynamic leadership to ensure the University is successful in achieving the vision and goals set out in its strategic plan.

• A motivator, collaborator and inspirer who brings people together to achieve the institutional vision; creates a sense of possibility and purpose. • Has a reputation for turning plans into action. Known for getting things done in an effective and accountable manner.

Values Based Leadership

• An inspiring leader and agent of change who can coach, mentor and inspire the team members and colleagues across the organization.

• Committed to a culture that has transparency, inclusion, empowerment and innovation as corner stones.

• Instills and demonstrates a commitment to accountability.

• Decisive but flexible, with a willingness to listen to and consider the views of others.

Commitment to Diversity and Multiculturalism

• Has demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusivity, and exhibits an ongoing commitment to increased understanding of Indigenous ways of learning, knowing and being.

• Has demonstrated understanding of multiculturalism by a commitment to ongoing learning, commitment and incorporation of multiculturalism values into the practices and systems in the workplace.

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Relationship Builder

• A participatory and collegial approach to relationships.

• Fair-minded, assertive and skilled in conflict analysis and management.

• Ability to work effectively with external officials, including federal territorial and first nation governments and other post-secondary institutions.

• Able to build and sustain strong collaborative relationships with direct reports, senior management and the broader community.

Leading Change

• Demonstrated ability to manage and make effective and impactful, positive change within an organization.

• Is viewed as a capable and strategic change agent who can make difficult decisions and manage the effects of change within a complex organization.

Communication Skills

• An enthusiastic, decisive, and dynamic communicator with all the required consulting, listening, planning and persuading skills to work effectively in a highly collegial and collaborative environment.

Personal Qualities and Communication Skills

• Someone with integrity who is trustworthy and fair, inspiring confidence and respect within and outside the University.

• Someone who is congenial, has a sense of humour and common sense.

• A person with the energy and the time management skills required to be successful in this demanding position.

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Overview of Search Estimated Search Timeline

While every search is dynamic and time frames are hard to predict, the following is an overview of the expected timeline for this search:

• Development of the candidate pool: January-early March

• Client interviews: late March, April

• Start date: Summer 2019 or earlier About Us

Founded in 1946, Boyden was the first firm to focus entirely on retained executive search. Today Boyden remains a global leader in executive search, set apart by a client- centric approach and a consistent track record of recruiting high-calibre executive talent.

Boyden consists of an integrated global community of search professionals and industry specialists across more than 70 offices in 40 countries worldwide. With an intimate understanding of their local markets and a truly global perspective, Boyden Partners offer clients a decided advantage, both locally and internationally.

As one of the largest and most experienced executive search firms in the country, with more than 90 search professionals based in Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, Boyden Canada serves all of Canada’s key sectors and executive functions. The search professionals of Boyden Canada have a rich foundation of experience and knowledge, reflected in the insight we bring to each of our industry and functional practices. Contact Us

For more information or to apply for this position, please contact Alex Verdecchia at Boyden at 604-685-0261 or [email protected]

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