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Subject Matter Expert | Leadership Essentials Certificate

Call for Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) | Leadership Essentials Certificate

The Higher Education Leadership Certificate Initiative is a multi-level leadership development program designed to support academic and administrative leaders as they shape institutional direction, steward strategic resources, and guide transformation across the university.

The program consists of three scaffolded certificates — Essentials, Growth, and Excellence — each comprising eight distinct courses that integrate leadership and business skills for a higher education context. The initiative is grounded in the university’s strategic priorities and aims to cultivate core competencies in academic and administrative leadership, institutional governance, strategic decision-making, and inclusive excellence.

The Leadership Essentials Certificate is designed for early-career professionals and emerging leaders. Eight micro-credential courses build the foundational skills needed for effective engagement in teaching, research, service, and operations. Courses in the Leadership Essentials Certificate will be self-directed and asynchronous.

Program Description

The Leadership Essentials Certificate is designed for early-career professionals, faculty, and staff working in higher education who are ready to grow their influence, effectiveness, and self-awareness as emerging leaders. This program provides a strong foundation in the practical and interpersonal dimensions of leadership across academic and administrative contexts.

Participants will explore how universities function, how to communicate and collaborate across roles, and how to contribute meaningfully to institutional goals. Through courses focused on ethical decision-making, personal effectiveness, digital literacy, teamwork, and wellness, learners will build the mindset and skills to lead themselves and contribute with confidence, clarity, and care. This certificate helps learners build awareness of how equity, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and reconciliation shape higher education. Participants will gain foundational tools to contribute to inclusive environments, respect diverse perspectives, and engage thoughtfully with reconciliation commitments in their daily work and interactions.

The certificate emphasizes leadership agility—balancing strategic awareness, operational execution, and personal adaptability. Learn to navigate complex systems, manage risk, and drive improvement through collaboration, data, and reflection.

Upon successful completion of the program, participants will be able to:

  • Analyze and plan academic or operational initiatives to ensure alignment with institutional goals, community needs, and stakeholder expectations.
  • Apply emotional, cultural, and relational intelligence frameworks to leadership scenarios that involve communication, feedback, and collaboration.
  • Use systems-thinking tools to map relationships among programs, processes, and institutional priorities when making leadership decisions.
  • Interpret and apply data and evaluation results to inform planning, assess impact, and identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Develop basic resource and budget plans that reflect efficiency, accessibility, and equity considerations.
  • Design strategies for leading teams and committees that promote accountability, trust, and psychological safety.
  • Propose approaches for applying equity, inclusion, accessibility, and reconciliation principles within people leadership, program management, and change processes.
  • Compose and adapt professional communications that influence, inform, or engage diverse internal and external stakeholders.

Courses

  1. Foundations of University Leadership
  2. Ethics, Integrity and Decision-Making in Higher Education
  3. Leading Self: Time, Energy and Professional Boundaries
  4. Communication and Collaboration in Higher Education
  5. Digital Foundations for Higher Education Professionals
  6. Wellness, Mental Health and Psychological Safety
  7. Navigating Change and Ambiguity in Higher Education
  8. Introduction to Project and Process Thinking

Experience & Qualifications

We are currently seeking SMEs with experience in areas such as:

  • Academic strategy, institutional planning, and governance
  • Higher education leadership and organizational change
  • Labour relations, faculty affairs, and institutional culture
  • Financial stewardship, enterprise budgeting, and resource allocation
  • Data governance, evidence-informed decision-making, and institutional research
  • Digital transformation, technology strategy, and AI policy in higher education
  • Stakeholder engagement, government relations, and reputation management
  • Equity, inclusion, decolonization, accessibility, and reconciliation in leadership practice

Required Qualifications

  • Master’s degree or combination of education and relevant experience
  • Professional leadership experience (5+ years) in higher education or related sectors, with demonstrated impact at the department or institutional level, in academic, administrative or senior operational roles
  • Proven experience in curriculum or course development, with preference given to those who have developed online, self-directed learning programs
  • Strong record of teaching, training, or facilitation for adult or professional learners
  • Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across disciplines and institutional units to meet project milestones

Compensation and Engagement

SMEs will be engaged as independent contractors. Each engagement includes structured planning, development of in-person and synchronous activities, design of applied case studies and assessments, review of the CourseLink site (for supplementary asynchronous elements), and collaborative development with the design team. The estimated range of effort is 30–40 hours. This should be considered a guideline, as actual time may vary depending on course scope, content complexity, the developer’s prior experience with course development, institutional timelines, technology requirements, and the level of collaboration required.

Note: Developments would commence from Summer 2026 through Summer 2027.

To Apply

Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your subject matter expertise and relevant experience by January 31, 2026 for full consideration. Applications may continue to be accepted after this date until suitable candidates are identified. Please include the course(s) in which you wish to develop in your application.

Lisa Blenkinsop, Program Manager, Global Initiatives, School of Continuing Studies
Email: lblenkin@uoguelph.ca