Vice Provost For Global Engagement

Creighton University is a Jesuit, Catholic higher education institution that forms compassionate and curious leaders by enriching the intellectual, social, and spiritual aspects of students’ lives. Global engagement is a fundamental aspect of the University's strategic plan, including providing education abroad, fostering international research opportunities, developing strategic partnerships, and providing critical international student and scholar services. The Vice Provost for Global Engagement (VPGE) will serve as the institution’s Senior International Officer on the Provost’s leadership team, located on the University’s Omaha campus. The University seeks an innovative and transformative VPGE who can support its Jesuit mission and advance future Global Engagement efforts with vision and passion. The Office of the Provost oversees each aspect of the educational experience for all Creighton students, including all collegiate deans as well as Vice Provosts for student life, student success, enrollment management, learning and assessment, research and scholarship, faculty and academic affairs, libraries, and Global Engagement. The VPGE will be responsible for leadership of the Office of Global Engagement, where they will develop campus-wide Global Engagement, enhance comprehensive internationalization, and deepen and expand strategic partnerships. This includes animating the Institute for Latin American Concerns (ILAC) engagement in the Dominican Republic, fostering the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in curricular and co-curricular programming, and creating innovative opportunities and programs for students and scholars at home and abroad. They will work collaboratively with Study Abroad, Academic Service-Learning, Creighton’s Global Initiative, International Student and Scholar Services, Global Scholars Program, IIELI, and the Office of Sustainable Programs

Key Opportunity

This enthusiastic senior international officer, with ten direct reports and 22 staff members, will empower Creighton University to reach the next level of Global Engagement through collaboration and service to the international community. Creighton’s leadership under President the Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, and Provost Mardell Wilson deeply supports the university's vision and mission. Uniquely, the Office of Global Engagement also includes a university-wide focus on sustainability and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

Position Responsibilities

Reporting directly to Provost Mardell Wilson, Ed.D., and partnering closely with President the Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, S.J., Ph.D., the Vice Provost for Global Engagement will oversee:

Strategic Planning

•  Lead the University’s planning and implementation of a comprehensive internationalization plan. 
•  Provide strategic direction and active stewardship of financial and human resources. 
•  Align a comprehensive approach to Global Engagement with Creighton’s academic priorities, research contribution, and Jesuit mission.

Leadership and Management

• Oversee the Center for Global Engagement, supervising ten direct reports and a staff of 22, managing budgets, and developing resources to fulfill the Global Engagement strategic plan. 
• Optimize human and financial resources to achieve comprehensive internationalization goals. 
•  In collaboration with University Relations, strengthen existing revenue sources and seek to identify and foster new sources of commitment to Global Engagement. 
• Develop robust assessment programs and processes to inform and enhance strategic international education. 
• Develop and strengthen communication by mapping global assets and data, demonstrating the breadth and depth of the university’s Global Engagement. 
• Work collaboratively with the administration and faculty of the nine colleges and schools and be a resource regarding Global Engagement and sustainability for all campus stakeholders. 
• Provide oversight to monitoring duty of care, risk, and crisis management protocols affecting Creighton students, faculty, and staff international travel.

International Students and Scholars

• Lead an international enrollment strategy in collaboration with Enrollment Management to increase the number of international undergraduate students worldwide.
• Working in collaboration with Enrollment Management to provide direction and support for international enrollment management processes, including recruitment, retention, and success. 
• Provide oversight and leadership for attracting and supporting international scholars. 
• Foster and promote the Intensive English Language Institute (IELI) programming.

Education Abroad

• Animate the mutually beneficial partnership of the Institute for Latin American Concerns (ILAC) in the Dominican Republic.
• Administer the policy and subsequent procedures for designing and executing Faculty-Led Academic Programs (FLPA). 
• Develop budgets, systems, and processes to bolster student participation in study abroad programs. 
• In collaboration with the leadership of the schools and colleges, engage actively with faculty and external global partners, networks, and professional associations to continuously enhance study abroad programming.
• Partnering with the leadership and key stakeholders in the schools and colleges to review the current education abroad portfolio and, as necessary, develop new, innovative, and entrepreneurial programs reflecting Creighton’s curriculum.

International and Local Partnerships

• Support and enhance a portfolio of international partnerships that reflects the university's global research, students’ Global Engagement, and Jesuit mission. 
• Create interdisciplinary, regionally focused partnerships based on the Institute for Latin American Concerns (ILAC) partnership with Centro de Educación para la Salud Integral (CESI) in the Dominican Republic, reflecting Creighton’s presence in Latin America and along the border. 
• Support the development of international research opportunities. 
• Support university commitment to Global Engagement at the local level, forging community partnerships that contribute to the philosophy of sustainable community capacity-building. 
• Oversee efforts that intentionally connect academic courses with local and global community partners to enhance academic learning, meet community-identified needs, and foster civic perspectives through engagement and reflection. 
• Foster and enhance Creighton’s engagement with the Jesuit Worldwide Learning program.

Sustainability

• Engage faculty, students, and staff through the Office of Sustainability Programs to enhance curricular and co-curricular programming and research. 
• Identify creative ways of linking sustainability programming with global and local engagement promoting the Sustainable Creighton Initiative as evidenced by Creighton University’s silver STARS rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Qualifications

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

Education 

• Ph.D. or terminal degree in international education, development studies, or a related field.

Leadership and Management

• Ten or more years of significant higher education administrative experience.
• Significant engagement with and contributions to an academic institution’s leadership team. 
• Demonstrated success supervising professional staff and collaborating with peers and faculty to advance institutional strategic goals. 
• Budgetary acumen and sound fiscal management experience.
• Fundraising and stewardship experience.
•  Extensive understanding of global risk management protocols and U.S. immigration policies. 
• Effective interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary collegiality with faculty from diverse disciplines. 

Linguistic and Intercultural 

• Multilingual with strong cross-cultural skills with an ability to establish rapport and maintain professional relationships and cross-cultural diplomacy in English and another language, preferably Spanish. 

Other 

• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in an academic learning environment committed to excellence. 
• Ability to travel internationally to engage partners, donors, alumni, students, and programming globally.

Preferred Skills, Knowledge, and Experience

Subject Matter Familiarity

•  Awareness of global health challenges and initiatives, including public health policies and strategies for improving healthcare access worldwide. 
•  Knowledgeable of sustainability in a local and global context.
•  Understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

Leadership and Management

• Ability to support and motivate staff and faculty to foster collaboration and sustainable partnerships across diverse internal and external stakeholders. 
• Strong analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills. 
• Ability to address conflicting demands, prioritize tasks and functions, and make data-informed decisions. 
• Demonstrates an entrepreneurial spirit.

International Education

• Experience working with diverse international higher education institutions. 
• Demonstrated familiarity with U.S. immigration processes and visa policies. 
• Versed in risk and crisis management protocols and processes.

Application Procedures

Applications should include a resume and a cover letter of no more than two pages. The cover letter should address why the applicant is interested in the position, how their professional experience fits the needs of Creighton University, and how they would foster and promote Global Engagement as articulated in Creighton’s strategic plan.

Applications will only be accepted electronically via this link until 5:00 PM (U.S. Eastern time) on April 17, 2024. An application consists of a CV and a cover letter that outlines how an applicant meets the qualifications and why they are applying for this position at Creighton University. Applications submitted by email will not be accepted.

All inquiries, nominations, and expressions of interest will be held in confidence and should be submitted to the search consultants through search@gatewayinternational.org 

You can learn more about Creighton University’s commitment to attracting, developing, rewarding, and retaining a diverse faculty and staff that is welcoming and supportive of all and reflects our Jesuit Catholic mission and values.

AAP/EEO Statement

Creighton University is committed to providing a safe, non-discriminatory educational and employment environment. The University admits qualified students, hires qualified employees, and accepts patients for treatment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, national origin, age, disability, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or other status protected by law. Its education and employment policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other programs and activities are administered without unlawful discrimination.

Disclosure Statement 

This description describes the general nature of the work to be performed and does not include an exhaustive list of all required duties, skills, or abilities. Regular, reliable attendance is an essential function. All employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and perform any other job-related duties as requested by their supervisor. Employees may also be required to work in excess of normal working hours as workloads and seasonal activities necessitate. A complete description is available in the Human Resources office. Creighton University reserves the right to modify duties, responsibilities, and activities at any time, with or without notice.

Search Firm

Creighton University has retained Gateway Executive Search to facilitate this search. Gateway Executive Search provides executive search services to institutions and organizations seeking highly professional and skilled practitioners. Executive search consultants are professional international educators with extensive networks to identify and recruit diverse talent. Leading this search are:

Terence Miller, J.D. (he/him) Senior Search Consultant tmiller@gatewayinternational.org 

Jenny Samaan, Ph.D. (she/her) Senior Search Consultant jsamaan@gatewayinternational.org

Meredith McQuaid, J.D. (she/her) Advisory Search Consultant mmcquaid@gatewayinternational.org 

Angie Johnson (she/her) Talent Acquisition Coordinator ajohnson@gatewayinternational.org