OPPORTUNITY PROFILE - President Search

President Search

 

The Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee invite applications for the position of President of Northern Caribbean University (NCU). 

 

NCU is a private, liberal arts institution owned and operated by the Jamaica Union Conference (JAMU) and the Atlantic Caribbean Union (ATCU) of Seventh-day Adventists.

 

In addition to its main campus in Mandeville, Jamaica, NCU operates campuses in Kingston, Montego Bay and St. Ann. The university comprises four colleges and one school, offering 30 under-graduate majors, seven master’s and five doctoral programmes in a spiritually wholesome and aesthetically pleasing atmosphere. Its enrolment averages 4,300 students from over 30 countries. 

 

NCU has a strong institutional commitment to Christian education, and its policies, programmes, and activities comply with requirements of the Adventist Accrediting Association.  The university is also compliant with University Council of Jamaica, the Joint Committee for Tertiary Education in Jamaica, the Association of Caribbean Tertiary Institutions, the Joint Board of Teacher Education, the Nursing Council of Jamaica, the Dental Council of Jamaica, and the Council of Professions Supplementary to Medicine, among other accrediting bodies.

Northern Caribbean University has a history of granting access, transforming lives and making a difference. Its graduates can be found in strategic positions throughout the world and contribute to the strong image of the NCU brand. 

 

 

The Position

 

The President of Northern Caribbean University serves as the Chief Executive Officer having and exercising overall leadership for the institution. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the president is expected to formulate, articulate and advance a compelling vision consistent with the vision and provide strategic leadership in developing long-term initiatives to accomplish the mission of NCU. The President of Northern Caribbean University serves as the institutional, academic, moral and spiritual leader of the school community.

 

A Special Opportunity

The university invites applications from academicians with proven team building skills, and strong administrative and management experience in leadership of a large tertiary level institution. He or she should be a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and a believer in the philosophy of Christian education.

 

The candidate should be in excellent physical health.

 

Key Responsibilities

SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP

The next president should

•  ensure, as a foremost criterion, that the institution stays true to its mission of “quality Christ-centred education achieved through academic excellence, social interaction, spiritual and physical development and a strong work ethic, thereby fitting each student for committed professional service to country and to God.”
• be a spiritually strong Christian, displaying Christ-centered servant leadership that integrates faith and learning.
• be known as a person of unsullied character and as one who has earned respect for trustworthiness, integrity, service, and respect for others.
   
  FUNDRAISING/ENROLMENT LEADERSHIP

•  possess demonstrable ability in developing affiliations and alliances to achieve significant contributions to the university.
• be at the forefront of the fundraising initiatives of the institution while also ensuring that the Department of Development is staffed, equipped, and fully attuned to accomplishing fundraising success.
• sustain a growth curve in enrolment.
   
   
  INSTITUTIONAL LEADERSHIP

• have proven leadership skills, financial acumen, and strategic planning abilities to administer effectively the resources of NCU and to ensure financial health.
• be an influencer who has infectious enthusiasm. The ability to engage and stimulate confidence from all constituencies in the NCU community is important.
• build, lead, and motivate the team, inspire enthusiasm, cast the vision, and drive new initiatives appropriate for NCU.
• understand and lead financial planning with senior staff and be equipped to work through the complexities of university education financing in all its forms.
  ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP

• have a deep commitment to academic excellence and a level of personal accomplishment in scholarship that reflects this commitment.
• foster and communicate the meaningful integration of faith and learning in the lives and work of students and educators.
  Key Characteristics of the Ideal President

• Christian Faith – The successful candidate will have a solid, visible relationship with Christ, evidenced by a heart for God and love for God’s children. The president must lead with unwavering devotion to the Christian principles upon which the university was founded.
• Fundraising Ability – NCU’s next president will be gifted at raising needed funds by developing relationships with major donors and foundations and effectively leading the fundraising team.
• Decision Making – As the ultimate spiritual, academic, and institutional leader of the school, this person will be well informed and confident in making decisions that impact a broad constituency. The next president must have the skills and experience to manage effectively a dedicated faculty, administration and staff.
• Relational Capacity – The president will have an engaging, empathetic personality, genuinely fascinated by and caring about all the constituent groups of the university. The president will need to possess good interpersonal skills to maintain internal relationships with the administration, faculty and students, as well as external relationships with community leaders, area churches, board members, parent/higher organizations, donors, parents, and alumni.
• Visionary/Mission-Driven Leadership –NCU’s next president will be a transformational leader who will embrace and advance the school’s mission and be able to communicate enthusiastically the vision to others. This leader will be able to “see possibilities” for the university and develop a vision and plan of action that the Northern Caribbean University community will embrace.

Key Qualifications of the Ideal President

 

• An earned doctorate
• A published record of scholarly achievement
• A track record of achievement in higher education leadership demonstrated through successful progression to senior-level administration
• A demonstrable commitment to student success.

 

Future Priorities for the Next President

Successful leadership in this position will be assessed by how well the president drives institutional excellence, meets the expectations of the board, and responds to input of faculty, administration and other constituent groups.

The following are the key expectations of the next president as derived from a recent community-wide survey:

• Strengthen the spiritual development of the community
• Sustain and remain true to the principles of the founding fathers
• Develop a clear vision and strategic plan for the school, growing and building the team necessary for that vision
• Advance the internal morale and climate at NCU, nurturing unity among members of faulty, staff and administration
• Align and restructure existing academic programmes, strategically adding majors in line with the university’s goals and market demand
• Move decisively to accelerate and/or enhance the growth, reputation, and global reach of NCU
• Build relationships with community leaders and business leaders that can be mutually beneficial for all
• Move the university toward becoming a high research activity institution

 

As a Seventh-day Adventist institution, NCU gives preference to qualified individuals who are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in regular standing.

A complete application should include a letter of interest addressing how the candidate’s experiences correlate with the position’s requirements; a vision statement of what NCU will look like under his or her leadership in five years; and a current curriculum vitae. 

 

This package should be forwarded in confidence to: presidentsearch@ncu.edu.jm

 

Process of Candidacy

After reading this Opportunity Profile, if you sense the gifts and experience God has given, you are a good initial match for Northern Caribbean University, we invite you to begin the inquiry process. All candidate information and conversations are handled confidentially. You can contact Dr. Bertram Melbourne, Chair of the Search Committee, at any stage of the process for more information and to ask questions. (Contact information is provided below.)

Please provide the following documents and responses for review:

• A current résumé or CV.
• Responses to the following:
1. A brief biography, including your encounter and walk with the Lord.
2. A letter of interest addressing how the candidate’s experiences correlate with the position’s requirements
3. What is it about this position that attracts you at this particular time in your life?
4. Using what you have learned about Northern Caribbean University from the website, this Opportunity Profile, and any other research you chose to conduct a vision statement of what NCU will look like under your leadership in five years
• Provide the names and contact information (telephone numbers and e-mail addresses) for five references who know you and your career well enough to comment on your suitability for the presidency of Northern Caribbean University.

Submit this information in Microsoft Word (.doc) format to:
Dr. Bertram Melbourne

presidentsearch@ncu.edu.jm
Phone: (240) 499-5601

In the subject line of the email, please write “NCU - President”