Senior Advisor to Vice-President (Health Affairs) & Dean FMHS

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Position Summary

The Senior Advisor provides advising, planning, policy and project support on a range of dossiers and initiatives led by the Office of the Vice-President (Health Affairs) & Dean (VP-Dean) of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. This includes substantial executive support to the VP-Dean in the preparation of planning documents, key meeting agendas, briefing notes, data analysis and presentations.

The Senior Advisor plays an essential role in the advancement of the Faculty’s strategic priorities, helping to prioritize and assure the implementation of cross-cutting initiatives, and coordinating and assuring collaboration across the varied Schools, institutes, offices and programs that together comprise the Faculty, to achieve high-level objectives. The Senior Advisor interacts frequently with other executive offices of the University, including the President’s Office, the Secretariat, the Provost’s Office and other Vice-President offices, as well as with the Board of Governors (BOG).

The Senior Advisor must be able to function with a high level of responsiveness, discretion and effectiveness in a complex, fast-paced academic-administrative environment. This position often demands quick turnaround times, flexibility in work hours, initiative, good judgement, and independence.

Primary Responsibilities:

• The Senior Advisor is the principal advisor to the VP-Dean on major initiatives, providing strategic and tactical counsel and support.
• Acts as advisor to the VP-Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, with respect to internal and external portfolios (e.g., President’s Executive, Senate, BOG, Horizon McGill, Dean’s meetings, retreats).
• Supports the VP-Dean in the development and implementation of Faculty strategic planning and deliverables.
• Serves as a member of the Dean’s Operations Committee, the executive team overseeing strategic and operational management of the Faculty. Provides information, advice, and coordination to this group of academic and administrative leaders.
• Manages the administrative staff directly supporting the VP-Dean to ensure smooth functioning of the Deanery office.
• As delegated by the VP-Dean, represents the VP-Dean at specified meetings.
• In support of the VP-Dean, partners with the Faculty’s Executive Director, Administration and Operations, to support and execute business action items related to Faculty priorities.
• In close collaboration with the Faculty Communications team, as warranted, ensures effective communication of decisions made by the VP-Dean.
• Provides advice and support for external relations activities of the VP-Dean, including alumni and donor relations, and government relations, complementing and working closely with the relevant central University leads in these areas.
• Serves as the main point of contact  with the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada for organization and coordination of the Faculty’s involvement in national committees, networks and advocacy.
• Ensures that the VP-Dean is appropriately informed of any developments on campus and elsewhere that have the potential to affect the Faculty/University.
• Anticipates needs or issues, gathers and synthesizes information from varied sources including environmental scans,  and  ensures that the VP-Dean has seamless access to sufficient and up-to-date information; briefs the VP-Dean on a variety of complex issues.
• Provides the VP-Dean with recommendations and possible solutions for key issues related to the VP-Dean portfolio.
• Analyzes the impacts of initiatives undertaken by the Faculty and/or by the University from strategic and quality improvement perspectives, and makes recommendations for adjustments, as needed.
• Provides project management support on strategic initiatives on behalf of the VP-Dean.
• Provides oversight of Faculty governance, including management of meetings of the Faculty Council and its Steering Committee; acts as Chair of the Nominating Committee; responsible for planning, organizing and supporting all Faculty advisory and decision-making committees including: Dean’s Operations Committee (DOC), Deanery Executive Committee, Faculty Leadership Commons (FLC), and School of Medicine Committees.
• -Collaborates with the Communications Director on the annual Faculty Equity Report and coordinates other standing reports to Faculty committees.
• Ensures regular review of Faculty-wide and School of Medicine policies, in collaboration with policy stakeholders; collaborates with the Faculty’s Communications Office to ensure effective communication of policies and updates.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for Faculty-level Academic Program development and approval processes; coordinates with the Faculty Curriculum Committee and the University’s Teaching and Academic Programs team.
• Works directly with the VP-Dean to manage and resolve a large variety and volume of sensitive and time-critical issues and works on other special projects as required by the VP-Dean.
• Works closely with the VP-Dean, Director of Communications, Government Relations lead, and other senior administrators in the Faculty and across the University to develop and coordinate official responses to major issues that arise on campus and in the community.

Other Qualifying Skills And/Or Abilities:

A graduate degree in Business Administration, Public Policy, or related discipline or equivalent experience. 10 years of work experience at a senior management level in a university, healthcare, or other comparable institution. Experience in a university or academic health network setting along with familiarity with research environments is preferred. Strong organizational skills. The ability to communicate clearly, appropriately and efficiently, with discretion and diplomacy. Negotiation and conflict resolution experience with the ability to diagnose key issues, identify common ground, find solutions. Proven ability to efficiently gather, analyze and synthesize varied sources of information. Proven ability to initiate, support and/or lead key strategic initiatives and drive results. Excellent collaborative relationship and consensus-building skills. Experience ensuring equity and inclusion in highly diverse groups. Advanced Microsoft Office Suite skills including the ability to produce professional reports and presentations. Fully bilingual French and English. Familiarity with the social, political and cultural environments of Montreal and Quebec is a definite asset. Proven ability to creatively solve problems and demonstrate “out-of-the-box” thinking.

As one of Montreal's Top Employers, here is what we offer:

• Competitive benefits package (Health, Dental, Life Insurance) (if eligible)
• Defined contribution pension plan (with employer contribution up to 10%) (if eligible)
• Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA)
• Competitive vacation policy
• Two (2) personal days
• Two (2) floating holidays
• Nine (9) "Summer Fridays" - paid days off between the St-Jean Baptiste holiday and Labour Day
• Paid time off over the December holiday period
• Tuition waiver for regular employees and their dependents
• Up to two (2) days of remote work per week where the position permits

Before applying, please note that to work at McGill University, you must be both authorized to work in Canada and willing to work in the province of Quebec at the campus where the position is based / located.

Knowledge of English: McGill University is an English-language university where day to day duties may require English communication both verbally and in writing. The level of English required for this position has been assessed at a level # 4 on a scale of 0-4.

For a definition of our language proficiency levels, please click here.

Minimum Education and Experience:

Bachelor's Degree 8 Years Related Experience /

Annual Salary:

(MPEX Grade 09) $113,100.00 - $141,380.00 - $174,110.00

Job Profile:

MPEX-COM4A - Internal External Relations - Director or equivalent

Hours per Week:

33.75 (Full time)

Supervisor:

Professor

Position End Date (If applicable):

Deadline to Apply:

2026-05-25

McGill University hires on the basis of merit and is strongly committed to equity and diversity within its community. We welcome applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated groups to self-identify. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, accessibilityrequest.hr@mcgill.ca.