Associate Provost - Western Colorado University

Western Colorado University is seeking an Associate Provost to help shape the future of academic excellence, innovation, and student success in Gunnison, Colorado. Reporting directly to the Provost, this senior leader will influence undergraduate and graduate education, faculty development, strategic initiatives, and institutional priorities, including oversight of the School of Graduate Studies and a campuswide general education reform initiative. This is an on-campus opportunity for a collaborative, forward-thinking academic leader ready to make a university-wide impact.

Another Source's client, Western Colorado University, is recruiting an Associate Provost to join their team in Gunnison, Colorado. This is an on-campus senior leadership opportunity reporting directly to the Provost. Relocation assistance is available.

Here's a little about Western Colorado University:

Western Colorado University offers the opportunity to make an institution-wide impact in a highly collaborative academic environment. Located in Gunnison, Colorado, Western brings together undergraduate and graduate education with a strong commitment to academic quality, student success, and continuous improvement.

The Associate Provost will join the university at a time when Academic Affairs is advancing several significant priorities, including graduate education, general education reform, accreditation, strategic planning, and the exploration of new academic programs. For a higher education leader who enjoys working across disciplines and turning strategy into action, this role offers meaningful scope and visibility.

About this role:

Reporting to the Provost, the Associate Provost is a senior academic administrator responsible for helping ensure the quality and integrity of Western's undergraduate and graduate degrees while sharing in the leadership of academic operations.

This position combines academic strategy, faculty and staff leadership, program development, institutional governance, and external representation. The Associate Provost typically supervises 8–12 faculty and administrative leaders and works across the university to move strategic priorities forward. The role also represents Academic Affairs in shared governance and with organizations and governing bodies such as the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE), Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and Board of Trustees.

Scope & Impact

• Strategic Planning, Assessment & Academic Oversight (25%): Help lead academic operations, fiscal health, curriculum review, assessment, and accreditation while promoting data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement. Partner with academic departments to explore opportunities for new graduate programs.

• Faculty & Staff Recruitment, Retention & Development (25%): Foster an environment that supports excellence in teaching, scholarship, service, professional growth, and innovation. Provide leadership, mentoring, and performance management for academic administrators reporting through Academic Affairs.

• Strategic Implementation & Institutional Representation (20%): Translate Western's strategic plan, mission, and institutional priorities into action within the Office of the Provost. Represent Academic Affairs in shared governance, state committees, and external organizations, and support responses to Board of Trustees inquiries.

• Advancement & Student Success Partnerships (15%): Collaborate with Alumni Relations, Career Services, Sponsored Programs, and Advancement to strengthen students' professional pathways, pursue innovative funding strategies, and help lower the cost of education. Contribute to grant development and external partnerships as appropriate.

• Conflict Resolution & Personnel Support (10%): Work constructively with students, faculty, and staff to address concerns, navigate personnel matters, and resolve issues whenever possible.

• Emerging Priorities & Special Assignments (5%): Take leadership roles in institutional priorities such as HLC accreditation, strategic planning, and campuswide initiatives.

• Take on additional responsibilities as institutional needs evolve.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree.

• Minimum of five years of senior academic leadership experience.

• Demonstrated leadership, organizational, and management skills with the ability to navigate multiple priorities and deadlines.

• Familiarity with higher education processes for hiring, developing, evaluating, and promoting faculty.

• Excellent analytical, critical-thinking, verbal, and written communication skills.

• Ability to work effectively in interdisciplinary environments and collaborate with faculty and staff from a range of backgrounds and cultures.

• Demonstrated ability to lead significant projects from planning through timely completion.

• Experience navigating conflict and resolving complex issues.

• Ability to collaborate effectively using Office 365, video meeting platforms, and other tools that support academic and administrative work.

Preferred experience includes:

• Supervisory experience in higher education administrative leadership.

• Higher education teaching.

• Developing, delivering, or supporting academic programs offered online or through residential, low-residency, or blended modalities.

• Stackable credentials, microcredentials, or other flexible credentialing initiatives.

• Workday and/or other technology supporting academics, advising, grants, donor relations, or career services.

• Developing grants, academic programs, and/or external partnerships.

• Grant writing and management.

• Entrepreneurial initiatives and innovation within higher education.

What's in it for you:

The anticipated salary range for the Associate Provost is $120,000–$130,000 annually. Relocation assistance is available.

Western’s benefit package includes employer contributions to retirement, generous employer contributions to medical/dental/vision insurance, employee and dependent tuition benefits, paid vacation, paid sick leave, and 11 paid holidays per year. Employees receive basic life insurance and disability insurance at no cost.

Learn more about Western Colorado University’s employee benefits:
https://western.edu/about/directory/human-resources/employee-benefits/

Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted by October 31, 2029, at 11:59 PM.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Western Colorado University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local law.

In compliance with the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act, in any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

About Another Source:

Another Source works with their clients, on a retained project basis. We are committed to building inclusive candidate pools as we partner with hiring teams. As you read through the job posting and review the list of qualifications (required and/or preferred), please do not self-select out if you feel you do not meet every qualification. No one is 100% qualified. We encourage you to apply and share your story with us.

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