Lead Co-Director – Call for Nominations and Self-Nominations

16 December 2022

The Centre for Oral History and Digital Storytelling / Centre d’Histoire Orale et de Récits Numérisés (COHDS/CHORN – storytelling.concordia.ca) explores the connections between oral history, digital media, and the arts, with a strong history of providing access to, and analysis of the audiovisual oral history record. As a centre of production by way of a wide array of media, COHDS shares its findings with diverse audiences, both within and beyond academia. COHDS serves as a point of convergence for collaborative and interdisciplinary research, teaching, and publishing among faculty and students at Concordia, as well as community- based projects operating at the local, national, and international levels. Community-grounded researchers and artists are an integral part of our community of practice. We regularly collaborate with individuals, groups, and institutions outside Concordia. Sharing authority is at the core of our research ethics.

Concordia University officially recognized COHDS as a university-wide research unit in 2010, and renewed this status in 2018. Since 2018, COHDS also includes the Acts of Listening Lab (ALLab). COHDS adheres to Concordia University’s Procedures for Research Units and Infrastructure Platforms. The day-to-day functioning of COHDS is overseen by the Lead Co-Director in association with the Centre’s Coordinator and Community Facilitator. COHDS’s Administrative Board, made up of elected faculty, student, and community representatives, helps to maintain COHDS’s community-university balance, while playing a key role in guiding the Centre’s strategic directions.

COHDS is seeking a Lead Co-Director for a 3-year term, starting on July 1, 2023. The successful candidate will work in collaboration with the Second Co-Director, the Centre’s Coordinator and Community Facilitator, the COHDS Administrative Board, students, and staff members.

Description of the Lead Co-Director Position

The Co-Director must be a full-time faculty member at Concordia University and a Core Affiliate of the COHDS Research Unit. See our governance structure for a description of core membership.

Collectively, the two Co-Directors form the appointed head of COHDS as a University- recognized Research Unit. Accountable to the OVPRGS on matters pertaining to the activities of the unit, and working as needed with the appropriate Associate Deans of Research, the Co-Directors are administratively responsible for the Research Unit and exercise general supervision over its operations. The Co-Directors are responsible for the scientific direction and administration of the Research Unit.

In addition, the Co-Directors oversee: the coordination of the unit’s activities including student training, outreach, and special events; communications both within the unit and externally to partner institutions, external members, funding agencies, and the community; staff operations of the unit; the unit’s conformity to relevant Collective Agreements and policies in effect within the University; the implementation and consolidation of EDI principles within the management and operations of the Centre; the budget of the unit and the submission of annual and other university- mandated reporting, such as materials required for the renewal of institutional recognition. The Co-Directors also work in collaboration with the Director of the ALLab to organize events and to share resources.

Although any faculty affiliate of COHDS may locate their research activities at the Centre, theCo-Directors are expected to engage in long-term planning regarding external and internal funding opportunities that could benefit the unit.

In addition, the Lead Co-Director is automatically the Chair of the Administrative Board and as such is expected to organize regular Board meetings (approximately 2 per term, fall and winter) as well as lead, in conjunction with the Coordinator and Community Facilitator, the Annual General Assembly (fall term). In recognition of the Lead Co-Director’s administrative responsibilities, the position carries with it a 3-credit teaching remission per year that can be used in either the fall or winter term, as per the Lead Co-Director’s preference. The Lead Co-Director also has office space within COHDS (shared with two staff members), with its own, dedicated computer workstation.

Profile of the ideal Candidate

While the Centre has a primary administrative position (the Coordinator) and a Second Co-Director, the main responsibilities involved in directing COHDS belong to the Lead Co-Director. The Lead Co-Director will therefore ideally be able to demonstrate:

  • a history of involvement with, and commitment to, COHDS;
  • the capacity to provide strategic direction and leadership;
  • knowledge and expertise in relevant research and research-creation methodologies;
  • interest and active participation in transdisciplinary research and partnerships, and / or community-engaged practices;
  • the ability to work collaboratively with and, where necessary, guide COHDS staff;
  • the capacity to be the “face” of COHDS for the university and for COHDS’s broader community of practice.

Applications should be submitted by email to the Chair of the Search Committee, Sébastien Caquard (sebastien.caquard@concordia.ca) by Jan. 20, 2023. The nomination package must include a cover letter explaining the nominee’s interest in, and previous experience relevant to, this role, as well as their most recent academic CV (free format). Self-nominations are very welcome.

COHDS Lead co-director call for nominations deadline extended