Memorial University of Newfoundland Looking for Dean, School of Social Work at St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada Full Time

Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador seeks a visionary and dynamic leader to serve as Dean of the School of Social Work. As Newfoundland and Labrador s only university and provider of social work education, this is an exciting time and unique opportunity to play a vital leadership role in preparing social work professionals and scholars to work in a variety of practice areas throughout all regions of our province. In this post-pandemic era, there are many critical societal and community challenges that have placed a greater urgency and focus on ensuring our professional education programs prepare our social workers of tomorrow. The faculty is excited to present its recently completed strategic plan Passion and Purpose: The Strategic Framework of the School of Social Work . This new strategic roadmap acknowledges the challenges and opportunities of our environment, while focusing on our goals and aspirations going forward.

At Memorial, fostering a culture of inclusion is an institutional imperative. Memorial s School of Social Work is among the most racially and ethnically diverse social work schools in Canada. The school offers undergraduate and graduate programs through a combination of on-campus and distance delivery to approximately 400 students. Faculty and students are engaged in critical theories and socially engaged community-based practice, research and scholarship. Examples include community service learning, critical social policy, 2SLGBTQIA+ studies, critical gerontology, critical disability studies, mad studies, settlement and integration, anti-colonialism and decolonization and anti-Black racism. Please see our Anti-Black Racism statement and Anti-Indigenous Racism statement or to learn more about the school s faculty and research, visit Memorial s School of Social Work .

About Memorial

Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador is home to more than 19,000 students and 3,850 faculty and staff from more than 115 countries learn, teach, research, create and engage. Memorial has teaching and learning facilities across Newfoundland and Labrador, and abroad, and offers more than 300 program options. From the Classics to advanced technology, Memorial offers certificate, diploma, undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate programs across six campuses and online.

A global network of more than 100,000 accomplished alumni throughout the world strengthens Memorial s capacity and reputation for leadership in research, teaching and public engagement. For more information about this dynamic institution, visit .

THE OPPORTUNITY

Reporting to the provost and vice-president (academic), and as a senior member of Memorial s leadership team, the next dean of the School of Social Work will provide visionary leadership to a team of faculty and staff who are passionate about the work they do to support, mentor and engage their students, alumni, and local, national and international communities.

As the social work program at Memorial is the only one of its kind in the province, the successful candidate will continue to position the school as a highly sought-after learning and teaching destination for individuals locally, nationally and globally. The dean will actively seek out ways to understand the rich, complex and multidimensional cultures of the province; will provide a strong leadership voice for social justice, equity, inclusion and diversity; and will proactively connect social work scholars to the province s unique history.

Building upon its existing academic strengths, the dean will lead the School s teaching and learning environment and will work collaboratively with faculty and staff to create new innovative, sustainable programs as well as maintain existing programming to provide students with a high quality educational experience. The dean will foster the development of relationships in the school, as well as between the school and other faculties and campuses. The dean must also be highly visible and actively engaged in fostering external relationships with the school particularly with communities, organizations, and governments within this province and work to enhance its visibility in Atlantic Canada and beyond. The successful candidate will also lead the implementation of the school s strategic plan centered on the school s priorities: connecting people, improving lives and creating social change for a just and inclusive province and world, through integrated and transformative social work education, research and community engagement .