McDermott + Bull has been engaged to lead the search for the Dean, Faculty of Science at Thompson Rivers University. This search will be led by McDermott + Bull Principal Alex Verdecchia and Senior Consultant Christiana Chan.
Thompson Rivers University campuses are on the ancestral lands of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc (Kamloops campus) and the T’exelc (Williams Lake campus) within Secwepemcúl̓ecw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc.
Located in the heart of British Columbia’s southern interior, Thompson Rivers University (TRU) is a dynamic hub for post-secondary education, research, and innovation. With its main campuses in Kamloops and Williams Lake, as well as five regional centres, TRU serves a diverse student population through a broad range of academic, professional, and trades programs. Recognized as a leader in distance and online education, the university is distinguished by its commitment to accessibility, innovation, and student-centered learning.
TRU is entering a new chapter with a forward-looking vision that has generated significant momentum across the university community. Central to this evolution is the university’s reaffirmed identity as a dual-purpose institution, intentionally balancing its commitment to broad access with an ambitious agenda for research intensification. This evolving mission reflects TRU’s longstanding values of inclusion and opportunity while positioning the university to expand its scholarly impact, foster innovation, and address regional and global challenges through research, teaching, and community engagement.
Reporting to the Provost and Vice-President Academic, the Dean, Faculty of Science serves as the Faculty’s chief academic and administrative leader, providing strategic direction across teaching, research, and service. The Dean will lead the Faculty in advancing its strategic priorities, strengthening research excellence, fostering respectful engagement with Indigenous communities, and supporting innovation, sustainability, and student success. Working collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, and university leadership, the Dean will help shape the Faculty’s continued growth while advancing Thompson Rivers University’s mission and vision.
The successful candidate will possess an earned doctoral degree, or equivalent, along with significant senior academic leadership experience, preferably at the level of department chair, school director, dean, or an equivalent leadership role. They will bring a distinguished record of research and scholarship, demonstrated administrative and strategic leadership experience within a complex university environment, and a deep understanding of the Canadian post-secondary landscape across both research and teaching.
Thompson Rivers University is strongly committed to hiring based on merit while fostering diversity of thought within its community. Applications are welcomed from individuals who will contribute to the continued diversification of the university, including, but not limited to, women, Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, persons with disabilities, and individuals of all sexual orientations and gender identities. While all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
To submit your CV and letter of introduction for consideration, in confidence, please visit https://mbexec.com/tru-dfs. For more information, please contact Christiana Chan at cchan@mbexec.com or Alex Verdecchia at averdecchia@mbexec.com.