Vice-President, External Relations at University of Alberta, Edmonton

AI Summary

The Vice-President, External Relations at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, leads strategic initiatives to enhance the university's reputation and deepen external relations. This senior role oversees government and community relations, strategic communications, and advancement efforts. Key duties include advising the President, managing issues, and driving philanthropic growth. Candidates require significant executive leadership experience, strategic acumen, and proven relationship-building capabilities.

The Opportunity for a Strategic Leader

The University of Alberta is seeking an accomplished Vice-President, External Relations, to lead its comprehensive external engagement strategies. This pivotal role, based primarily at the North Campus in Edmonton, Alberta, with a hybrid mix of remote and in-person work, reports directly to the President. The successful candidate will be instrumental in developing and executing initiatives that significantly strengthen the university’s reputation and deepen its relations with the public, government, key partners, and diverse communities across Alberta and beyond. This strategic leadership position is vital for advancing the university’s fundraising and development priorities, ensuring its continued success and impact.

The Vice-President, External Relations, fosters understanding and engagement through robust government and community relations, compelling storytelling, advocacy, and strategic community partnerships. Working in close collaboration with academic faculties and administrative units, this leader serves as a senior ambassador for the university, building and sustaining critical relations with government officials, donors, alumni, and community members. The role demands a fully integrated external relations strategy that moves beyond mere communication to genuine engagement, helping partners and communities understand the profound links between their lives, culture, and society and the University of Alberta's mission. This Vice-President also acts as a trusted advisor to the President, providing strategic counsel and proactively managing potential reputational risks for the university. Leading a substantial team of approximately 300 professionals, this executive will oversee a vibrant and diverse portfolio dedicated to enhancing the university’s overall status and value proposition.

Key Responsibilities and Impact

The Vice-President, External Relations, holds broad accountability for advancing the University of Alberta’s reputation, relationships, and philanthropic success. This strategic leader provides integrated oversight across communications, marketing, government relations, and engagement with key partners and communities. A core responsibility involves building and maintaining trusting relations with a wide range of interest holders, including Indigenous communities, as well as municipal, provincial, and federal governments. The Vice-President coordinates the institutional interface with all orders of government, leveraging a deep understanding of governmental needs to position the university effectively for influence and responsiveness.

Further, this Vice-President is tasked with expertly navigating both anticipated and unanticipated challenges through issues management, minimizing risks to the university’s brand and reputation. They shepherd the university’s brand by leading institutional strategic communications through external media, increasing understanding and engagement among both internal and external communities. The role also provides vision and leadership to a full-scale institutional advancement program, driving philanthropic growth through major gift and planned giving, corporate and foundation giving, and robust donor relations. Cultivating lasting relations with the university’s local, national, and international alumni population is another critical component, ensuring sustained support and engagement. Through these comprehensive efforts, the Vice-President strengthens the University of Alberta's visibility and long-term impact, fostering a culture of stewardship that inspires enduring trust.

Qualifications for this Executive Role

Candidates for the Vice-President, External Relations, position must possess a compelling combination of executive leadership experience, demonstrated accomplishments, and relevant education. While a graduate degree in disciplines such as Business Administration, Communications/Public Relations, or Public Policy is considered an asset, the emphasis is on a proven track record of significant achievements across communications, marketing, government relations, advancement, and alumni relations. The successful individual will be a strategic thinker with a clear ability to engage diverse stakeholders, both within and outside the university, in collaborative efforts that advance the University of Alberta’s strategic plans.

This executive will be an accomplished relationship-builder and communicator, exhibiting excellent delegation skills and the capacity to mentor and lead a strong, cohesive team of professionals towards common goals. A proven history of success within a complex organization, particularly one with a diverse workforce, is essential, alongside the ability to develop proactive partnerships and collaborate effectively across all organizational levels. Superior leadership, people management, coaching, and mentoring skills are paramount, especially within a collaborative environment characterised by decentralized decision-making. The ideal candidate will also bring evidence of innovation, fresh thinking, and creative approaches to problem-solving, coupled with a demonstrated understanding of practices that ensure access, foster community connections, and increase belonging within the university and the broader community in Alberta. Integrity, trust, and a visionary approach are personal characteristics highly valued for this critical Vice-President role.