Vice-president, Francophonie and external and community relations

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Location: Ottawa

Purpose of search: new position

About the University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa is a unique educational institution with a distinct identity, rooted in an outstanding ecosystem.

It is the only bilingual research-intensive university in Canada, the largest French-English bilingual university in the world and an institution open to the languages and knowledge of Indigenous peoples and the entire world. These three elements allow it to provide students and employees with an environment that is linguistically, culturally and academically open and diverse.

Among the five top universities in Canada for research intensity, the University of Ottawa is a key centre of power, leadership and change in the heart of a G7 capital, and, in a bilingual city, at the intersection of scholarship, business and policy. It is just steps away from Canada’s most important democratic institutions. It benefits from a worldwide network of ambassadors, internationally-renowned hospitals and national research agencies, a major arts sector and a flourishing business community. It has a presence in Kanata North, the country’s largest tech park, where its campus continues to grow.

This crossroads of scholarship, business and politics is the motor that drives its 50,000 students and over 6,000 professors and administrative staff to constantly aim higher, to spur innovation and transform society. In total, professors and researchers attract over $500 million in research funding annually.

Purpose

The vice-presidency, Francophonie and external and community relations, reflects the vision of a university rooted in the community, meeting the latter’s needs and deriving the benefits.

The University builds on its unique identity and outstanding ecosystem to offer its students a world-class education, maintain its research intensity and make a transformational impact.

Reporting to the president and vice-chancellor, the vice-presidency, Francophonie and external and community relations has two essential components.

The first is promoting Francophone culture, growing the relationships with the diverse Francophone communities and strengthening the University’s leadership in terms of the Francophonie. The latter is historically rooted on both sides of the Ottawa River, in French Ontario as much as in Québec, and has an extended reach to the Francophone minority communities in the rest of Canada, as well as to international Francophone organizations.

The Vice-President’s mandate will include implementing a Francophonie-related vision and action plan along with the community.

The second component deals with external and community relations. This includes the relationships with Francophone partners, but it goes beyond this to include relations with government – municipal, provincial and federal – and with community groups and public- and private-sector partners in the National Capital Region and, more broadly, in Ontario and the rest of Canada.

Key responsibilities

The new Vice-President will work with the various stakeholders to identify potential new strategic partnerships and facilitate the implementation of initiatives to enrich our teaching and research, to raise the University’s profile, but also to best meet the needs of the society in which we live. The incumbent will thus be expected to create synergies with University leadership and all academic and administrative units. These synergies will lead to innovative projects, initiatives, policies and programs that will heighten the University’s reputation and positioning locally, provincially nationally and internationally.

As well, this vice-presidency will help strengthen uOttawa’s leadership within the Francophonie, enhance its links with Francophone minority communities across Canada as well in Quebec and abroad and raise the University’s profile beyond the campus. It will also be an opportunity to act on its commitment to an inclusive, bold university deeply rooted in and committed to the Francophonie and the community.

Target candidate profile

The vice-president, Francophonie and external and community relations, will have proven management expertise in complex settings, as well as a keen understanding of the diversity of Francophone communities in Ontario and across Canada. The vice-president will be comfortable with the workings of strategic positioning, reputation management, and government and community relations, and able to motivate through compelling narratives. This person will excel in establishing lasting and productive partnerships will a wide range of interested parties. Through the ability to inspire, persuade and motivate people, the incumbent will help strengthen the University community’s cohesion and support an institution responsive to its milieu.

Driven by a deep commitment towards a diverse Francophonie and the University’s mission, the incumbent will be appreciated for diplomacy, good judgment and unimpeachable integrity. Guided by a strategic, equity-seeking approach, this person will contribute to the growth of an inclusive, caring and welcoming workplace, where respect and recognition are an essential foundation. Finally, with advanced skills in communication in both official languages and in interpersonal relations, the incumbent will know how to navigate the institutional and political complexities of the university environment with sensitivity, and to cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with governments, community partners and the broader community.
 
A committed, inclusive workplace

The University of Ottawa is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. As an institution, it is passionate about its people and dedicated to employment equity. It fosters a culture of respect, collaboration and inclusion, where teamwork, innovation and creativity fuel its quest for excellence in both teaching and research.

The University of Ottawa and Boyden will strive to offer applicants a barrier-free process and do whatever is possible to meet their individual needs. Accommodations are thus available on request. A request for accommodation will not affect a person’s candidacy. If you are selected to participate in the recruitment process, please email Marie-Hélène Gaudreault at [email protected] to inform her of the types of accommodations you might need to ensure you can participate equitably.

To apply

Interested persons are invited to email their CV and all other relevant documents to [email protected] by Friday, February 6, 2026, indicating the position title in the subject line of your message.

We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Our recruiters review all applications and always make the final hiring decision. On occasion, we may use AI-assisted tools to help review applications.

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