Senior Advisor, Transformation and Culture
McGill University · Education Building · $92,150–$115,190 (stated in the posting)
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Position Summary
Reporting directly to the Dean, the Senior Advisor, Transformation and Culture provides senior professional leadership for selected cross-Faculty initiatives that advance the Faculty’s strategic priorities, strengthen organizational culture, and improve institutional effectiveness.
The role operates across academic and administrative environments to translate strategic priorities into practical implementation plans, lead and facilitate change, improve alignment, and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and service excellence. The incumbent also leads the restructuring of Faculty communications, including external outreach, constituency engagement through targeted campaigns and space development initiatives, and internal communications.
The incumbent acts as a senior advisor and strategic partner to Faculty leaders, managers, and central University stakeholders to advance major initiatives. The role also works in ongoing collaboration with the Office of the Provost and the Horizon McGill offices to ensure alignment between Faculty-level transformation priorities and broader institutional change initiatives.
Strategic planning, implementation and project leadership
- Lead communications strategy and restructuring, aligning outreach, engagement campaigns, space development, and internal communications with Faculty priorities.
- Ensure the translation of Faculty strategic priorities into actionable implementation plans, including timelines, milestones, and accountability mechanisms.
- Advance the execution of the Faculty’s strategic plan across key priority areas.
- Oversee cross-functional initiatives and the implementation of cross-unit initiatives related to academic programming, student experience, accreditation, and service delivery to ensure alignment across academic leadership, administrative services, and central University stakeholders.
- Support alignment between Faculty implementation priorities and relevant University-wide transformation and continuous improvement initiatives, including those advanced through Horizon McGill.
- Establish and maintain implementation frameworks, tools, and reporting mechanisms to support decision-making and track progress of key initiatives.
- Monitor implementation progress, identify risks and issues, and adjust approaches to ensure timely and effective delivery of initiatives.
- Advance initiatives that strengthen the Faculty’s public presence and institutional coherence.
- Oversee implementation planning related to staff development, engagement, recruitment, and culture-building.
Transformation, culture, and change management
- Lead changes to communications and shared spaces that strengthen constituency engagement, collaboration, and belonging.
- Develop and implement change management approaches to support the adoption of new ways of working across the Faculty with institutional OD practices.
- Collaborate and align proactively with the Organizational Development team to ensure that Faculty initiatives, change strategies, and implementation approaches are consistent with the institutional HR, OD vision and standards.
- Contribute to institutional knowledge sharing and change-management practices by collaborating, as appropriate, with central offices, communities of practice, and Horizon McGill-related initiatives.
- Lead stakeholder engagement processes to ensure alignment, clarity of expectations, and adoption of change initiatives.
- Assess organizational readiness, climate, and impact of change initiatives, and provide insights to inform leadership decisions.
Institutional effectiveness and service improvement
- Restructure and manage external and internal communications roles, visual identity and public image rehaul, workflows, and channels for identity consistency and quality maintenance. Manage the improvement of information sharing across the Faculty.
- Oversee the review and improvement of key processes and services to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and service quality.
- Identify and implement improvements to workflows, roles, and accountabilities across units to strengthen coordination and operational effectiveness.
- Ensure cross-functional alignment and resource consideration in the implementation of improvement initiatives.
- Establish tools and practices that support consistency, knowledge management, and effective handling of complex initiatives.
Dean-level advisory support
- Advise the Dean on communication needs across the Faculty, public image related matters, as well as internal restructuring of workflows across all Faculty units.
- Provide strategic advice to Dean on matters related to transformation, culture, and organizational effectiveness.
- Prepare decision-support materials to inform senior leadership discussions and governance processes and make recommendations.
- Represent the Dean in internal and external forums to advance Faculty priorities.
Qualifications and Experience
- Master’s degree required in education, higher education, public administration, organizational development, business administration, human resources, interdisciplinary studies, or another related or interdisciplinary field.
- Demonstrated experience leading communications strategy, including practical experience graphic design, social media content and web design development, and visual identity creation and management.
- Substantial progressively responsible experience in strategic implementation, organizational transformation, institutional effectiveness, change management, or a related area in a complex organization.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and to work effectively with senior leaders, academic administrators, professional staff, and multiple stakeholder groups.
- Experience in process improvement, service redesign, consultation, organizational analysis, and the use of evidence to support institutional decision-making.
- Prior experience in organizational transformation in the domain of higher education is an asset.
- Excellent judgment, discretion, relationship-building ability, and capacity to manage sensitive issues with diplomacy and professionalism.
- Exceptional oral and written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear briefings, reports, presentations, and implementation materials for varied audiences.
- Full bilingual proficiency in English and French is essential, including the ability to advise, facilitate, write, and present in both languages.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, respectful engagement, and culturally responsive institutional practice.
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
- One (1) day 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 # (qualifier) on a scale of 0-4.
For a definition of our language proficiency levels, please click here.
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MPEX-HRM3F - Organizational Development & Talent Management - Senior Professional/ManagerHours per Week:
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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.