The Opportunity (Position Summary):

Under the direction of the Dean, the Associate Dean provides day-to-day leadership for the Faculty of Language, Literature and Performing Arts. The Associate Dean works with faculty, staff and administration to coordinate planning, program development and review, budgeting, and evaluation of faculty; oversees scheduling; is responsible for ensuring appropriate academic standards; handles complaints, grievances and appeals; and performs other duties as required.

This regular full-time position is available starting May 1, 2027. Regular hours of work are 8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. Travel between Douglas College’s campuses will be required. Travel for business may be required on occasion. The posting will remain open until filled with a first review date of October 30, 2026; we anticipate holding first-round interviews in early December.

About Douglas College:

Do what you love. Be good at it. That’s how Douglas College defines a great career. It’s a philosophy that resonates through our classrooms, our offices and our boardrooms. It inspires our students and drives us to make Douglas College one of BC’s Top Employers. We love what we do. And we’re looking for passionate, motivated people to join us in making one of Canada’s best degree-granting colleges even better.

Be a part of an institution where everyone is committed to empowering successful students, creating responsive learning environments, fostering social and environmental responsibility, and supporting healthy learning and work environments.

Application Information:

Interested applicants must submit their application and all required documents online on the Douglas College Career Site www.douglascollegecareers.ca.

This position will remain open until filled with a first review date of October 30, 2026. Please ensure your application documents clearly show how you meet the required knowledge, skills and abilities of the position for which you are applying. All candidates selected for interview will need to provide original sealed transcripts for educational credentials noted on their resume.

Responsibilities:

This position is given delegated responsibilities as follows:

• working with LLPA faculty and staff and relevant College areas to manage and resolve student-related issues;
• supporting student success by working with students and faculty, as required, to address performance and/or academic issues;
• development and maintenance of curriculum in the Faculty;
• development and monitoring of tactical and operational plans within the Faculty;
• management of the Faculty, including human and fiscal resources;
• management of the operating structures, guidelines, procedures and communications for and within the Faculty;
• interpretation and administration of College policies, in consultation with appropriate personnel, as required;
• development of new educational initiatives and projects, such as collaborative degrees; and ensuring the quality and integrity of activities within the Faculty.

Management and Leadership

• Represents the Office of the Dean of Language, Literature and Performing Arts.
• Provides input into the Academic Division’s strategic plan.
• Represents the Dean and the Faculty in selected external relationships.
• Takes responsibility for specific initiatives in the Faculty as identified by the Dean.

Programming

• Works with the Dean, Chairs and Coordinators to ensure that new curricula are planned, developed and implemented, and that existing curricula are regularly reviewed and updated to meet appropriate standards and the educational needs of students.
• Under the direction of the Dean, ensures the establishment and maintenance of a Program Advisory Committee (PAC) for selected programs and represents the Dean on selected (PACs).
• Oversees timely and thorough program reviews.
• Assists with program-related market research and needs assessments, and participates in promotional and marketing opportunities.
• Supports the development and implementation of new programming in the Faculty; in the case of collaborative degrees, assists in communicating program needs to other areas of the College (such as the Registrar’s Office) and to collaborative partners (within the College or at other institutions).
• Works with Department Chairs and Coordinators to ensure the quality of calendar copy and other external communications materials for the Faculty, such as brochures, webpages and advertising
• Works with Department Chairs and Coordinators to maximize student enrolment, retention and success.

Operations 

• Assists with the implementation of departmental tactical and operational plans.
• Under the direction of the Dean, and in collaboration with Chairs and Coordinators, offers input to the development of the departmental budgets, including the capital budget, and ensures that departmental expenditures are within budget.
• Works with Department Chairs and Coordinators regarding the staffing of the Education Plans for each department.
• Maintains knowledge of and ensures compliance with the Collective Agreements.
• Addresses complaints and conducts investigations as required, and recommends to the Dean disciplinary action as required.

Human Resources 

• Works with Department Chairs and Co-ordinators regarding the scheduling of workload and instructional hours of faculty to meet program and Collective Agreement demands and deadlines.
• Works with Department Chairs and Co-ordinators to schedule language lab assistants to meet program and Collective Agreement demands and deadlines.
• Supervises and evaluates language lab assistants.
• Participates on faculty and staff selection committees; manages performance review processes; completes performance evaluations, and makes recommendations on performance evaluation outcomes to the Dean, as required.
• Develops and co-ordinates new faculty orientation, and develops and up-dates orientation materials and processes.
• Reviews and recommends to the Dean approval of faculty professional development and vacation, sick leave, and leave of absence requests.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• A graduate degree (Ph.D. preferred) in a discipline represented in the Faculty of Language, Literature and Performing Arts.
• A minimum of three years of experience in academic administration or similar role (such as Department Chair, Program Coordinator, Associate Dean) within a post-secondary institution.
• A minimum of five years of post-secondary teaching experience in a discipline represented in the Faculty of Language, Literature and Performing Arts.
• The ability to meet “Qualified to Teach” requirements in at least one department or program within the Faculty of Language, Literature and Performing Arts.
• A demonstrated record of creative and/or scholarly activity.
• A demonstrated ability to support creative and/or scholarly activity.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and relationship-building capabilities, including the ability to foster team work and collaborative working relationships; facilitation and mediation skills; and the ability to build consensus among diverse groups.
• Demonstrated organizational and time-management skills, including computer competencies.
• Proven capacity to manage change and demonstrated ability to lead and support innovations from conception through to implementation.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, and the ability to present information and arguments clearly and effectively to a range of audiences

CORE COMPETENCIES

Achieving Results by Working Together: The individual identifies and achieves results aligned with College goals, develops collaborative environments, and demonstrates accountability in self and others.

• Leadership: Commits to the vision and key priorities of self and others.  Creates a sense of energy by empowering others and recognizing performance.  Inspires and leads self and others to demonstrate Douglas College values of honesty and integrity; innovation and creativity; community and relationships; and sustainability, diversity and inclusion.
• Drive for results: Identifies important outcomes, uses resources to deliver quality and excellence, and achieves results that are aligned with College goals. Demonstrates accountability to others and external stakeholders.  Pursues goals and assignments effectively with high standards, and follows through to completion.
• Collaboration: Proactively builds collegial relationships within Douglas College and with external stakeholders. Builds trust with others and contributes to an environment that encourages people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.  Treats people equitably and values the diversity of others.

Championing Change and Innovation: The individual develops innovative strategies, expertise and resources to meet current demands in a continuously changing world.

• Systems thinking: Recognizing that the work of individual departments or units forms part of a larger, interrelated environment, takes a global perspective and leverages solutions from all business functions, maintaining the overall big picture of the College and its interrelationships.
• Forward-looking: Drives and supports change and innovation to bring new ideas and improvements that enhance or transform the College’s delivery of services, programs and strategies.  Is aware of trends, challenges current thinking and practices, and engages in continuous improvement.
• Creative problem-solving: Assesses options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.  Responds resourcefully, flexibly and positively when faced with new challenges and demands.

Contributing to a Respectful and Inclusive Culture:  The individual contributes to Indigenization, equity, diversity and inclusion at the College, demonstrates respectful, ethical, collegial, equitable and inclusive behaviour, and demonstrates responsibility for their own learning journey through professional development, mentorship and engagement in related activities.

• Communication: Is open to and listens to others. Communicates effectively, clearly and respectfully, in writing, verbally and non-verbally, with individuals and in groups.
• Inclusion: Treats people fairly, respectfully and equitably, and values the diversity of others.  Models Douglas College values and demonstrates integrity in all actions.  Promotes an environment that provides opportunities for all, regardless of differences.
• Indigenization: Understands the importance of truth and reconciliation, decolonization and Indigenization within the post-secondary context. Develops and starts own learning journey, and can articulate what Indigenization means and how it applies to their role at the College.