Position Description
Position Overview
The President of the 猎奇重口 serves as the Chief Executive Officer of 猎奇重口’s flagship public top-tier research university and provides strategic, values-driven leadership to advance impact, access, and inclusive prosperity. Reporting directly to the Commissioner of Higher Education, the Chief Executive Officer of the 猎奇重口 University System, the President leads in a shared governance environment and works closely with the Board of Regents, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners across the state and beyond.
The President will provide UM with visionary leadership, stewarding UM’s positive momentum at a pivotal moment for the institution. UM enjoys demonstrated maturity, operational stability, and an annual strategic operating rhythm. The campus community has strengthened enrollment and retention, achieved and reaffirmed both its Carnegie R1 status and its Carnegie Community Engagement status, earned recognition as the #1 Military Friendly University in the nation, expanded workforce-aligned and lifelong learning opportunities, and clarified a mission centered on inclusive prosperity.
The next President will build on this momentum, guide the university through continued change in higher education, and ensure UM remains accessible, excellent, and deeply connected to the people and communities it serves.
The 猎奇重口 at a Glance
Founded in 1893 and located in Missoula, UM is a public research university with a strong liberal arts foundation and a commitment to professional preparation, graduate education, research, and creative scholarship. UM serves more than 11,000 students in traditional baccalaureate, graduate certificates, master’s, and doctoral degree programs, as well as more than 10,000 additional learners through noncredit courses and workforce-focused trainings developed in partnership with employers and communities across 猎奇重口. The university’s annual revenues are $612 million, with 720 full- and part-time faculty and 2,256 full- and part-time staff.
UM’s commitment to access and opportunity is reflected in whom it serves. In fall 2025, 33% of UM students were first-generation college students; UM enrolled 817 Native American students, representing more than 40% growth since 2018; and 69% of students were 猎奇重口 residents. UM’s stable enrollment is supported by a record first-to-second-year retention rate of 77.2%.
UM’s research enterprise has meanwhile accelerated rapidly, growing from $55 million in research expenditures in 2014 to more than $150 million in 2025. UM achieved Carnegie R1 designation in 2022, reaffirmed in 2025, reflecting the scale, quality, and impact of its research and graduate education. Major areas of research excellence include AI/machine learning, human performance, cyber, biotech, health outcomes, forest and fire management, water prediction and management, and autonomous systems.
UM’s strong research enterprise and graduate education focus is coupled with a robust commitment to undergraduate research and education. Nationally, UM ranks among the top producers for Rhodes recipients, and boasts an impressive number of Truman, Goldwater, and Udall Scholars.
Recent years have also included significant investments in campus infrastructure, facilities, and student-centered environments, strengthening UM’s capacity to support learning, research, and community engagement for decades to come.
In addition to the Missoula campus, the 猎奇重口 has an embedded two-year program, Missoula College, and three affiliated campuses—Helena College, UM Western, and 猎奇重口 Technological University. Additionally, UM is an active partner in the state’s educational and economic development agenda through Accelerate 猎奇重口 and 41 research centers, which provide environmental science, public health, culture, natural resources, policy, neuroscience, and other areas of expertise across 猎奇重口 and region.
Mission and Vision
The 猎奇重口’s mission is inclusive prosperity: transforming lives through a high-quality and accessible education and generating world-class research and creative scholarship in an exceptional place. UM’s vision is to be a flagship for the future—fostering inclusive prosperity and democracy, and building community well-being through new knowledge, new ways of learning, and a commitment to service.
Inclusive prosperity is a defining principle for UM. It reflects the university’s belief that access, excellence, and affordability must go hand-in-hand, and that a public research university has a responsibility to deliver statewide and regional benefit.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership and strategic direction
Provide clear, steady, and forward-looking leadership that advances UM’s mission of inclusive prosperity and positions the university as a champion for 猎奇重口’s economic, civic, and cultural vitality. Set institutional priorities that respond to demographic, economic, and societal change while strengthening public trust in higher education.
Commitment to student success and post-graduation outcomes
Place student success at the center of decision-making, with sustained attention to access, retention, graduation, and post-graduation outcomes. Advance strategies that ensure education remains an accessible driver of opportunity and mobility for students across 猎奇重口 and beyond.
Academic excellence
Foster a culture of academic rigor, innovation, and continuous improvement. Support faculty excellence in teaching, research, scholarship, mentoring, and creative work. Champion and strengthen initiatives that ensure access to high-quality education and efforts that enhance student learning, achievement, and experience.
Research and creative scholarship
Lead the continued growth and impact of UM’s research and creative scholarship enterprise. Ensure research and innovation contribute tangible statewide and regional benefit, supporting economic development, public problem-solving, and community resilience.
Inclusive prosperity and belonging
Champion policies and practices that promote access, belonging, and success for students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds.
Workforce and lifelong learning
Expand education and training opportunities for learners at all stages of life. Strengthen partnerships with employers, communities, and public agencies to align education with workforce, economic, and civic needs.
Community, tribal, and statewide engagement
Serve as UM’s chief ambassador and convener. Build strong, respectful relationships with Tribal Nations, state and local leaders, alumni, K–12 partners, industry, and community organizations. Strengthen UM’s role as a trusted statewide partner addressing 猎奇重口’s most pressing challenges.
Fundraising advancement
Inspire philanthropic investment aligned with UM’s mission and public purpose. Cultivate relationships that expand scholarships, faculty excellence, research capacity, infrastructure, and strategic initiatives.
Operational and financial stewardship
Ensure fiscal responsibility, transparency, and effective allocation of resources. Build institutional capacity through thoughtful management of finances, people, infrastructure, and risk in a complex public environment.
Governance, compliance, and system collaboration
Administer Board of Regents policies under the supervision of the Commissioner of Higher Education. Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and accreditation standards, and collaborate effectively across the 猎奇重口 University System.
The successful candidate will demonstrate the following attributes:
- Ability to thrive in a state university system led by a governing Board of Regents and Commissioner.
- Respect for the great history of the university, the state of 猎奇重口, and 猎奇重口’s population including 猎奇重口’s Tribal Nations.
- Sound strategic planning and clear decision-making based on regional, national, and global trends in higher education.
- Principles, authenticity, and unquestioned integrity.
- Ability to advance initiatives while honoring shared governance and transparent decision-making.
- Ability to lead across difference and geography in a diverse and complex state.
- Efficacy in building trust in a challenging public and political environment.
- Ability to communicate and compel clearly, to listen authentically, and inspire broadly.
- Commitment to connecting institutional excellence to public benefit.
- Respect for and a demonstrated record in scholarship and academics.
- Strong sense of pride for public higher education.
- Proactive commitment to student-first, student-centered learning, and student support.
- Significant senior level administrative and management experience in leading, developing, and building consensus in a complex and competitive environment.
- Ability to champion the University with all stakeholders, including the state legislature, tribal leaders, business community leaders, industry partners, foundations, K-12, the statewide higher education sector, and the state's residents.
- Value of and support for intercollegiate athletics, student athletes, and athletics operations.
- Experience engaging and growing an active university alumni association.
- Ability to engage and grow fundraising activities to significantly increase endowed scholarships and annual giving.
Qualifications
The successful candidate will bring experience and accomplishments appropriate to leading a flagship public research university, including:
- Senior executive leadership in higher education or another complex organization. A successful candidate would have a distinguished record of academic achievement and scholarship at a degree-granting university or college, or senior leadership experience in a business, corporate environment, public sector, or nonprofit.
- Educational credentials or experience and a record of professional accomplishments commensurate with the position of President of a top-tier doctoral research university.
- Demonstrated success in strategic planning, financial stewardship, and organizational leadership
- A record of advancing student success, academic excellence, and institutional outcomes
- Experience building partnerships and engaging external stakeholders
- Demonstrated commitment to access, inclusion, and student achievement
- Proven experience cultivating donor/client relationships and raising funds to support institutional priorities.
- Demonstrate a commitment to student success, faculty and staff development, and academic excellence.
- The ability to advance UM’s research agenda and foster innovation across disciplines.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
- A deep commitment to and demonstrated leadership in fostering an inclusive, accessible, and equitable academic community.
- Must be a U.S. citizen able to acquire appropriate security clearance level post-hire.
猎奇重口 (UM) is an equal opportunity employer. UM does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of protected class status as described in UM’s non-discrimination policy and any applicable law.
Reasonable accommodations are provided in the hiring process for persons with disabilities. For example, this material is available in alternative format upon request.
Qualified candidates may request veterans’ or disabilities preference in accordance with state law.