Deputy Vice Chancellor / Provost / Vice President

SUMMARY OF THE POSITION:

The Deputy Vice Chancellor/Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs is the Chief Academic Officer of the American University of Nigeria and provides strategic and executive leadership for all academic affairs and programs. Reporting to the Vice Chancellor/President, the Provost leads academic planning and administration, curriculum development and review, faculty governance and development, teaching and learning, research and scholarship, quality assurance and accreditation, graduate education, and the responsible management of academic resources. Because AUN is founded on the American model of higher education, the Provost must possess a strong practical understanding of the U.S. higher education system and be able to translate that understanding into effective implementation of the University's mission, academic policies, shared-governance practices, and student-centered educational model. The Provost also provides strategic leadership for academic budgeting and fiscal management and ensures that academic operations align with the University's vision, mission, strategic priorities, and institutional values.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic and executive leadership for the University's academic affairs and ensure effective implementation of its mission, vision, strategic priorities, and institutional objectives.
• Oversee academic operations, policies, programs, personnel, and resources across the academic division.
• Serve as a key member of the University's senior leadership team and collaborate closely with the Vice Chancellor/President, Deans, academic administrators, faculty, and other stakeholders.
• Advise the Vice Chancellor/President and other senior officers on academic policy, programs, faculty affairs, academic standards, and institutional development.
• Foster a culture of academic excellence, innovation, accountability, collegiality, shared governance, and continuous improvement.
• Lead the planning, development, review, implementation, and continuous improvement of academic programs and curricula.
• Work with Deans, Heads of Departments, faculty, and relevant committees to ensure curricula remain rigorous, innovative, and responsive to emerging societal and industry needs.
• Lead academic program development, evaluation, restructuring, and quality-enhancement initiatives.
• Promote innovative, evidence-based approaches to teaching, learning, curriculum delivery, educational technology, and student success.
• Oversee the development and expansion of graduate education and coordinate academic activities related to graduate programs.
• Provide leadership and oversight for faculty governance and academic personnel matters.
• Support the recruitment, appointment, retention, and development of highly qualified faculty committed to excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, and service.
• Make recommendations regarding faculty appointments, promotion, compensation, sabbaticals, leave, disciplinary matters, and other personnel actions in accordance with University policies and established procedures.
• Promote continuous professional development, capacity building, and academic advancement for faculty and academic staff.
• Create an environment that supports faculty engagement, collegial governance, professional growth, research productivity, and teaching excellence.
• Ensure that faculty evaluation and development processes are applied consistently, transparently, and in accordance with University policy.
• Provide institutional leadership for excellence in teaching, learning, academic delivery, and student outcomes.
• Establish and support initiatives that strengthen instructional quality, pedagogical innovation, and academic effectiveness.
• Encourage the effective adoption of innovative educational practices and technologies.
• Monitor academic performance and identify opportunities to improve program delivery and student learning outcomes.
• Provide strategic leadership for research, scholarship, innovation, and knowledge creation across the University.
• Encourage faculty research productivity, interdisciplinary collaboration, scholarly publication, and external research engagement.
• Strengthen the University's research profile and expand opportunities for partnerships, grants, fellowships, and scholarly collaboration.
• Promote academic initiatives responsive to the educational, research, economic, and social needs of local, national, and international communities.
• Support meaningful engagement with academic, professional, governmental, industry, and community stakeholders.
• Provide strategic leadership and institutional oversight for academic accreditation and program-review processes.
• Ensure that academic programs comply with the standards of relevant regulatory, professional, and accrediting bodies.
• Uphold and continuously strengthen the University's academic standards and quality-assurance framework.
• Coordinate with Deans, academic units, and administrative offices to ensure timely preparation for accreditation, reaccreditation, program review, and institutional assessment.
• Monitor academic quality indicators and ensure that identified gaps are addressed through continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Lead the formulation, review, interpretation, and implementation of academic policies, regulations, procedures, and standards.
• Ensure academic policies align with the University's strategic objectives, institutional values, regulatory requirements, American educational model, and international best practices.
• Represent the academic division on the University Council and other statutory or governance bodies, as required.
• Participate in relevant academic and administrative committees and provide appropriate leadership and institutional representation.
• Ensure effective communication and implementation of approved academic policies and decisions across academic units.
• Lead the development, implementation, monitoring, and management of annual and long-term budgets for the academic division.
• Work closely with Deans and relevant administrative and financial officers to establish priorities and align resources with institutional objectives.
• Monitor academic expenditures and promote prudent, efficient, and accountable use of University resources.
• Support long-term financial and resource planning for academic programs, faculty needs, research, infrastructure, and other academic priorities.
• Identify opportunities for sustainable resource optimization and strategic investment in academic excellence.
• Ensure consistent implementation of personnel policies governing academic employees, including the Faculty Manual, Personnel Manual, and other approved University policies.
• Ensure academic personnel decisions are fair, consistent, transparent, and compliant with established policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with Human Resources and Planning on faculty recruitment, employee relations, performance management, professional development, compensation, benefits, and other academic personnel matters.
• Represent the University and/or the Vice Chancellor/President at internal and external academic, professional, regulatory, governmental, and stakeholder engagements, as delegated.
• Build productive relationships with academic institutions, professional bodies, regulatory agencies, accrediting organizations, research institutions, industry partners, and other strategic stakeholders.
• Promote the University's academic reputation, visibility, partnerships, and institutional interests at national and international forums.
• Provide effective leadership, direction, and supervision to personnel within the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor/Provost.
• Coordinate the Office's activities to ensure efficient, responsive, and professional academic administrative services.
• Promote effective collaboration between the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor/Provost and other academic and administrative units.
• Represent and act on behalf of the Vice Chancellor/President on academic matters when formally delegated.
• Exercise delegated authority responsibly and within the limits prescribed by the University's governance framework, policies, and procedures.
• Support institutional continuity and effective decision-making in the absence of, or as directed by, the Vice Chancellor/President.
• Perform other duties assigned by the Vice Chancellor/President in furtherance of the University's academic mission and strategic objectives.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• An earned Ph.D. or other terminal degree in an academic discipline from an internationally accredited institution.
• A distinguished record of teaching, scholarship, service, and progressively responsible academic administration.
• Demonstrated success in leading accreditation, quality-assurance, and academic assessment processes.
• Substantial leadership experience in strategic planning, policy development, budgeting, and academic personnel administration in higher education.
• Strong experience assessing student learning and using evidence to improve academic quality and student success.
• A thorough understanding of the American higher education system, including liberal education, student-centered learning, shared governance, academic freedom, faculty development, and outcomes-based assessment.
• Demonstrated ability to implement an American-style academic mission effectively within an international and Nigerian higher education context.
• Commitment to integrity, inclusion, cultural diversity, transparency, accountability, and collegial leadership.
• Knowledge of current issues, emerging trends, and future directions in higher education.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make difficult decisions promptly and motivate others.

PRIORITY CONSIDERATION

• First priority will be given to qualified expatriate candidates who were educated within the American higher education system and who demonstrate substantial knowledge of its academic structures, standards, and practices.
• Next priority will be given to qualified Nigerian and other national candidates who hold one or more degrees from accredited American higher education institutions and demonstrate the ability to implement AUN's American-style educational mission.
• All candidates must demonstrate appreciation for shared faculty governance, sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to maintain confidentiality.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience and the job classification approved by the University.