About UMass Amherst
The Commonwealth’s flagship, land grant university is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. UMass Amherst is home to 1,800 faculty and 4,500 staff members. Its 32,000 students enroll across 12 colleges and schools that offer 110 undergraduate, 80 master’s and 48 doctoral programs. The university has a $1.7 billion budget and secures $250 million in annual research expenditures across its academic units and 60 research centers and institutes. UMass Amherst consistently ranks among the best in the nation, landing at #26 among public, and #58 among all, national universities on the 2025 US News & World Report rankings.
About the Position
The executive vice provost (EVP) supports and advises the provost & senior vice chancellor for academic affairs (provost) in strategically leading and managing all aspects of the university’s academic mission. The EVP closely collaborates with senior vice provosts and vice provosts, other senior campus administrative leaders, and the provost’s chief of staff to align activities, efforts, and resources toward the provost’s guiding vision. Leveraging directions and priorities outlined in UMass Amherst’s new strategic plan, For the Common Good: 2024–2034, the EVP leads efforts to create a cohesive, collaborative academic leadership group to realize the university’s vision for inclusive excellence, distinction, and impact in teaching, research and creative activity, and service.
The EVP reports directly to the provost and is a member of the Provost Leadership Team and Leadership Council. The EVP:
- Has primary responsibility for leading and coordinating the provost’s team efforts in all matters related to faculty appointment, promotion, tenure, and/or retention efforts.
- Leads and/or coordinates strategic initiatives, serving as the “connective tissue” among various academic affairs efforts and those involving multiple units and/or offices.
- Assists the provost in developing and implementing academic priorities, plans, and policies, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities.
- Links the provost to senior leaders across campus and within the UMass System, ensuring that the provost’s voice, priorities, and goals are effectively communicated.
- Serves as the provost’s representative on relevant councils and campus committees and other meetings as directed.
- Leads and/or drives special initiatives as assigned.
Qualifications
The successful candidate for the EVP position will:
- Be an accomplished scholar with a distinctive academic record of teaching, research, and service that warrants appointment as a tenured, full professor. Experience with leading federal and/or other externally funded grants is highly preferred.
- Have an established and significant record of administrative leadership at a research university including, at least, 5 years as department chair, assistant dean, and/or associate dean, or closely related leadership roles. Knowledge of and experience at UMass Amherst is a significant asset.
- Possess excellent interpersonal, collaborative, communication, and relational skills for effectively working with colleagues and partners, as well as navigating and influencing varied, diverse stakeholders in a complex, highly visible, and fast-paced environment.
- Have sound judgement and a demonstrated ability to set strategic agendas and priorities, as well as plan, organize, coordinate, and direct multiple initiatives and efforts to their timely and successful conclusion.
Work and Salary Information
This is a full-time position, located in Amherst, MA. The compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience.
Instructions to Applicants
The position is open to both external and internal candidates. To apply, please submit a cover letter addressing the position’s primary responsibilities, an updated vita, and the names and contact information of four references.
Nominations and inquiries can be directed to Jo Allen-Oleet, provost chief of staff, at jallenoleet@umass.edu.
For full consideration, application materials should be submitted by 5:00 PM ET on November 29, 2024. Review of applications will start on December 2, 2024, and the position will remain open until filled.
UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.