Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives

About the role

The Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives will serve as a central integrator within McMaster University’s Financial Affairs portfolio. Reporting to the AVP & Chief Financial Officer, this senior leader will shape and deliver multi‑year strategic projects that support the university’s academic, research, and operational missions.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the planning, execution, and monitoring of multi‑year strategic initiatives across the university.
• Strengthen project and governance frameworks to ensure alignment with institutional priorities.
• Support enterprise‑wide transformation through disciplined project management and change leadership.
• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, synthesising data and providing actionable insights.
• Translate strategic objectives into measurable outcomes and decision‑support tools.
• Champion equity, diversity, and inclusion as core organisational values.

Required profile

• Proven experience leading multi‑faceted strategic priorities in a complex organization.
• Passion for innovation, continuous improvement, and problem‑solving.
• Advanced strategic thinking and strong analytical abilities.
• Robust project‑management discipline and governance acumen.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with a wide variety of stakeholders.

Required skills