<p>Unit: Office of the Provost</p> <p>Department: Office of the Provost</p> <p>Executive Summary</p> <p>Reporting to the president, the Executive Vice President and Provost (Provost) serves as the university's chief academic officer with oversight of the core university functions, including academic affairs, faculty affairs, student affairs, strategic enrollment management, and student success. The provost is the second-ranking executive officer at VCU and serves as the president's partner in the articulation and execution of a compelling vision that builds on a history of excellence and access in higher education and further propels VCU's upward trajectory of impactful, interdisciplinary research and innovation.</p> <p>The provost partners closely with the president, the senior vice president for Finance and Administration and CFO, the senior vice president for Health Sciences and CEO of the VCU Health System, and other executive officers of the university in formulating the goals, priorities, and policies of the institution. They will be a compelling leader ready to meet VCU's aspirations, lead our exceptional academic leadership team, and champion success and opportunity as a catalyst for institutional excellence and societal progress. The provost works closely with the deans of VCU's 17 colleges, schools, and libraries to oversee and support their objectives and operations related to faculty affairs, research, scholarship, and teaching, and facilitates collaborative efforts between the schools to support institutional priorities. Additionally, the provost oversees the vice president for strategic enrollment management and student success, the vice president for student affairs, the senior vice provost for academic affairs, the senior vice provost for faculty affairs, the senior vice provost for academic administration and operations, the vice provost for global initiatives, the vice provost for innovation and strategic design, the associate vice provost for institutional research and decision support, the vice provost for community engagement and the executive assistant to the provost.</p> <p>Located in the capital city of Richmond, Virginia, VCU was founded in 1838 as the medical department of Hampden-Sydney College; it became the Medical College of Virginia just shy of two decades later and merged with the Richmond Professional Institute in 1968 to create its current identity as a top 50 National Science Foundation public research university and health system. VCU provides unparalleled access for its students while producing ground-breaking research across all its disciplines. With a record $560 million in sponsored research funding in FY2025, VCU is a member of and oversees national research consortia while also providing an exceptional undergraduate experience with a commitment to access. VCU has a total enrollment of more than 29,000 students and is currently experiencing annual growth. It employs more than 26,000 faculty and staff across its college campus and health system.</p> <p>The most successful candidates will have the skills and experiences that enable them to provide innovative and collaborative leadership to advance an engaged and rising university whose core mission is to serve, along with its academic health sciences center, as one national urban public research institution committed to the success and well-being of its students, patients, faculty, staff, and community. The ideal candidate will be a highly accomplished academic leader, hold an earned terminal degree, and bring a distinguished academic record that merits appointment as a tenured full professor at VCU. In addition, the individual must have significant administrative experience appropriate to the size and complexity of VCU. Preferably, candidates will have an understanding of the health sciences in a large academic medical center.</p> <p>Opportunities and Expectations for Leadership</p> <p>Serve as a voice for the university</p> <p>As the second-ranking official and chief academic officer of VCU, the provost will represent the president in his absence and, in doing so, represent a united vision for VCU. The provost will engage the campus community in a clear and thoughtful manner that empowers faculty, staff, and students to fulfill the core mission of student success and to achieve the strategic goals that position VCU as the premier urban public research university. The office will have oversight for the collection and analysis of academic and institutional data and must always deliver an evidence-based message to all constituents in advancing institutional priorities. The provost should be someone who is respected and followed by all of VCU's academic programs, schools, and colleges under the VCU Board of Visitors and the president.</p> <p>The provost will stay abreast of issues relating to the Commonwealth of Virginia and higher education as they impact the institution and disseminate that information as appropriate. In addition, the provost will be present and engage in crisis and reputation management, addressing institutional challenges and clearly communicating those challenges and resolutions to both the campus community and external constituents.</p> <p>The provost will continue to foster the upward trajectory of VCU as a national public research university and will work with the faculty and other leaders to lift the university's academic quality, needed research, and student success, along with the success of faculty and staff. The provost will be expected to lead VCU in fulfilling the principles and best practices expected of an education, research, and innovation leader.</p> <p>Promote a culture of shared governance</p> <p>The provost must have a commitment to shared governance and be a consistent and vocal advocate for the faculty, tapping into its great potential to advance research, creative endeavors, teaching, mentoring, and service. This person will work to promote a culture of transparency and collaboration across all constituencies by building consensus and trust in policy decisions that will advance institutional priorities. A civil and respectful leader, the provost will offer decisive management after seeking input and valuing contributions from the campus community and will communicate a clear sense of direction, then advocate for and empower community members to advance priorities and the larger vision and goals of VCU.</p> <p>Foster an academic community that supports all</p> <p>VCU takes pride in its access mission, which is designed to provide an outstanding and transformational education through blind admission to the university. The institution has evolved to reflect the large, urban center it calls home and the increasing complexity of the world. With a focus on excellence and opportunity, the provost will lead efforts to attract and retain students, faculty, and staff and will cultivate a supportive environment that enables and promotes all student success and full engagement in the academic enterprise. The provost must have also demonstrated executing thoughtful strategies that will recruit, retain, and develop faculty and staff at VCU with a focus on our academic and research mission.</p> <p>Support and grow funded research</p> <p>Enhancing the university's reach, impact, and productivity in research, scholarship, innovative and creative activity, and outreach across the disciplines, with a particular focus on expanding VCU's funded research portfolio, will be an important area of focus for the provost. Over the past six years, sponsored research funding has increased by 81%. The provost will continue to lead this trajectory as VCU establishes itself as the premier urban, public research university in the country. This principled and disciplined leader will bring a holistic view of the research funding landscape and present a research program strategy that positions VCU for success in the identification of funding opportunities and receipt of awards. The provost will be an important partner to the vice president of research and innovation and deans to promote the VCU research agenda.</p> <p>Optimize resources</p> <p>The provost is expected to wisely and creatively allocate resources to achieve the academic mission of the university while also helping to develop additional resources to further the mission. In addition to strategically managing the academic budget for the institution, they will actively engage with the senior vice president for finance and administration and CFO in university-wide budget discussions and decisions, and participate fully in fundraising and donor relations. They will work to create an environment where innovation and excellence are priorities in resource allocation. In addition, the provost will drive discussions surrounding financial barriers that impact student access and persistence and work to ensure resources are available to support students in overcoming these barriers.</p> <p>Inspire the deans and academic leadership</p> <p>The provost will serve as a cooperative and supportive partner and leader for the university's deans in further integrating their efforts and encouraging synergies and partnerships across disciplines, schools, and colleges - while also allowing each academic unit appropriate autonomy to create compelling opportunities and define success at the highest standards expected of research universities. The provost will clearly outline the integrated role the deans play in advancing the institutional agenda and define clear goals surrounding enrollments, fundraising, and curriculum that will contribute to the larger university's success. A strong leader, the provost will expect and hold high standards for research activity in all academic units, supporting and hiring faculty who are conscientiously fulfilling all aspects of our public research mission. They will be comfortable with leveraging data to make informed decisions that will drive student success. They will ensure alignment between the academic units and the university by providing consultative and transparent leadership and mentoring to the deans on educational, organizational, resource management, fundraising, and leadership agendas. In partnership with the deans, the provost will ensure learning and research infrastructure is in place to support the academic initiatives and priorities of VCU.</p> <p>Focus on students</p> <p>The provost must bring a student-centric approach to their work and ensure all decisions are made with consideration given to student engagement, success, and persistence. Addressing the unique barriers to student retention and graduation will be essential in increasing overall student outcomes. They will ensure students have opportunities for learning, participation, and leadership both in and out of the classroom. They must model civility, professionalism, and respect when addressing campus issues and crises. The provost must proceed directly, communicate clearly, and work with partners to guide conversations and seek a resolution in balancing campus safety and the First Amendment. Integrating innovation and creativity, including new technologies, to strengthen learning opportunities and outcomes will be important as VCU expands delivery options. The provost must provide direction and leadership support for the division of student affairs and the division of strategic enrollment management and student success, which are tasked with supporting the academic mission of the university.</p> <p>Professional Qualifications and Personal Qualities</p> <p>The ideal candidate will be a highly accomplished academic leader, hold a terminal degree, and bring a distinguished academic record that merits appointment as a tenured full professor at VCU. In addition, the individual must have significant administrative experience appropriate to the size and complexity of VCU.</p> <p>The ideal candidate should possess extensive experience in providing successful academic leadership within institutions that would prepare them for this key position in a university of VCU's complex mission, size, and scale, preferably including an understanding of the health sciences in a large academic medical center.</p> <p>Additionally, the successful candidate will possess many of these skills and attributes needed to be an effective provost at VCU:</p> <p>Knowledge of the research/teaching environment in an urban public research university will require:</p> <p>The ability to work closely and collaboratively with the president, senior administration, deans, faculty, staff, students, community partners, donors, and the Board of Visitors;</p> <p>Experience in working collaboratively to work closely and collaboratively with the president, senior administration, deans, faculty, staff, students, community partners, donors, and the Board of Visitors;</p> <p>Experience in working collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students in an environment of shared governance;</p> <p>Exceptional budgetary and financial management skills, including awareness of the near-term interdependencies and long-term implications of financial decisions in a large, complex organization;</p> <p>The ability to guide and assist deans and department chairs in managing and structuring their organizational resources to function effectively, including in the selective hiring of tenure/tenure track faculty;</p> <p>Advanced skills in managing grievances, complaints, and crises;</p> <p>Experience managing staff and administrative budgets; and</p> <p>A commitment to accountability through clear and relevant metrics.</p> <p>Experience in higher education and a vision for the future of urban public research universities will require a deep commitment to and demonstrated experience in the following:</p> <p>Excellence in faculty and staff hiring, retention, and development, including the successful, selective hiring of tenure and tenure-track faculty positions and promotions to those who will advance the research mission of the university;</p> <p>Increasing research, creativity, and innovation in all disciplines;</p> <p>Creating admissions programs that are grounded in access and educational excellence;</p> <p>Improving graduation rates;</p> <p>Increasing internship opportunities and workforce training for all students;</p> <p>Furthering access and opportunity for all individuals across the organization and an understanding of how to advance these priorities;</p> <p>Leveraging the research, innovation, and creativity created by the university to serve the larger community, state, nation, and world; and</p> <p>Experience in partnering with alumni around engagement and philanthropy.</p> <p>Personal skills and values that result in effective leadership at VCU will require:</p> <p>Unwavering personal integrity and accountability;</p> <p>A sense of responsibility and urgency to complete tasks that advance the institution;</p> <p>A collaborative approach to working with staff, faculty, students, and fellow senior administrators that treats everyone as a respected partner;</p> <p>A strong set of communication skills that leads to effective interactions both inside and outside the university;</p> <p>A dedication to being part of the VCU and Richmond communities;</p> <p>A deep commitment to the importance of VCU to the commonwealth of Virginia and the importance of the urban public research university to the nation and larger world; and</p> <p>A commitment to and appreciation of transparency, open communication, integrity, and trust-building.</p> <p>Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from all backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU.</p> <p>Procedure for Candidacy</p> <p>All applications, nominations, and inquiries are invited. Applications should include, as separate documents, a CV or resume and a letter of interest addressing the themes in this profile. WittKieffer is assisting Virginia Commonwealth University in this search. For fullest consideration, candidate materials should be received by February 9, 2026. Application materials should be submitted using WittKieffer's candidate portal. Nominations and inquiries can be directed to: Zachary A. Smith, Ph.D., Sandra Chu, and Julia Bradley VCUProvost@wittkieffer.com</p> <p>Salary Range: Commensurate with experience</p> <p>FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt</p> <p>Hours per Week: 40</p> <p>Restricted Position: No</p> <p>Benefits: All full-time university staff are eligible for VCU's robust benefits package that includes comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefits, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more.</p>