We’re putting out the call for a strange and rare creature not known to most places.
A friendly creature, always happy to help, who haunts the night walks of campus.
Are you the next Vice Chancellor of Wizard Academy?
If the following words play sweet songs of destiny to your ears, you are that rare and wonderful being.
You can be important or you can make a difference.
We’re betting you’d rather make a difference.
Wizard Academy exists as a refuge to the small business owner and entrepreneur. A place to take shelter from gale and ice. A haven for gathering their wits and topping off on encouragement. A bastion of inspiration before stepping back out into the storm.
Their brief respite on campus can make all the difference for their businesses and their families. For their employees and their employees’ families. Your friendly face, always happy to help, is at the center of it all.
You’ll have a hand in making a positive difference in the lives of thousands of people. Strangers who you’ll probably never meet will glow in warm smile because of your role here.
You can be important or you can make a difference.
As the Vice Chancellor of Wizard Academy, you’re the grease in the axle, the cartilage in the knee. You keep everything running smoothly; and that’s no small task.
How’s your hat collection?
Because as the VC you wear many different hats.
Subject but not limited to:
- Advertiser
- Bartender
- Camp counsellor
- Cook
- Copy writer
- Dishwasher
- Encourager
- Entertainer
- Historian
- Host
- Housekeeper
- Human resources
- Instructor
- Janitor
- Maintenance
- Motivational speaker
- Philosopher
- Public relations
- Scheduler
- Social Media
- Tour guide
- Waiter
- Website editor
- Xylophone player
A to X. If it’s needed for the running of this school then at some point it’ll be on your plate.
But don’t worry if you can’t do all the things listed above. First, you probably have other talents and skills that are valuable. Second, there’s a wealth of world class people around this school who’ll teach you anything that’s needed or that you’d like to learn.
The important thing is that you’re chronically curious and humble enough to be taught.
A bit like Westley in the Princess Bride, welcome to the ship of the Dread Pirate Roberts. At first, you’ll say, “Goodnight. I’ll most likely die in the morning.” But you won’t die. Instead, you’ll pick up bits of skill and knowledge here and there until someday, you yourself will don the mantle of Dread Pirate Roberts.
You can be important or you can make a difference.
Being the Vice Chancellor is a bit like being a parent.
You work so hard behind the scenes. Long days. Late nights. A lot of unseen jobs that need to be done. And sometimes at the end of the day you are tired. But you’re also happy. You’ll have that satisfied, full feeling that comes from actually making a difference in the lives of others.
For example, part of the job is giving tours of campus to new students the night before class. One evening after walking everyone around, showing them the different pieces of art, architecture and their significance, you end the tour in the lecture room of the Tower. You’ve decided to conclude by explaining the three legs of every important journey.
As you’re describing the second leg, the longest and most arduous of the legs, you notice the students’ eyes are locked on you. As if you were a prophet, you’re describing their pain points and struggles. They’re in awe and wonder that they’ve found a place that understands them; you understand what they’re going through and how hard it is. Most of all, you understand how important it is that they keep going and not give up.
And then you tell them about the third leg of the journey they’re on. The part they haven’t reached yet but that ends in hope and a promise of better things to come.
When you conclude the group of students surprise you by bursting into spontaneous applause. Some of them are wiping tears from the corners of their eyes and thanking you because it’s been so long since anyone gave them hope.
You say goodnight and send them back down to their student rooms in Engelbrecht. As you’re standing in the Tower and closing the door behind them, you’re beaming and you’ve got a little extra spring in your step. And that’s good. Because now you’re rolling your sleeves up and grabbing the mop and bucket. The Tower still needs mopping before class, and it’s up to you make sure it gets done.
Here’s another example. You sit in every class because that’s what the Vice Chancellor does. You’re making sure everyone is enjoying themselves and has what they need while getting to listen to the greatest teachers of business and communication of our time. From the students’ perspective, you’re getting to sit at the front of the room and pour wine every now and then. What they don’t see is that, when you stepped out of class for those fifteen minutes it was because you were cleaning and touching up the restrooms in between breaks.
You can be important or you can make a difference.
This position isn’t for you if you need a structured schedule, micro-management, or someone to tell you what to do every day. After orientation, you’ll be setting your own weekly schedule and then following through to make sure everything is getting done. Productive freedom.
Vice Chancellor isn’t for you if you don’t want to get paid to day drink. You’ll be opening up bottles of wine at 8:30 in the morning on class days and leading whiskey tastings after dinner. This isn’t an issue because you know how to participate with the students while self-regulating.
Speaking of self-regulating, this job isn’t for you if you must air your personal opinions to students. You, of course, have your opinions but you know when is and is not an appropriate time to share them because you’re good at putting people at ease and creating a peaceful environment.
Wizard Academy is a refuge for all people, and as VC you’re the public face of the Academy. You know how to talk to and interact with people of all cultural, ethnic, sexual, and social backgrounds. You make everyone feel welcome and safe. That can include diffusing situations between students from time-to-time.
Vice Chancellor definitely isn’t for you if you can’t pivot on short notice. Sometimes the whole plan gets changed at the last minute. But you can handle that just fine because you innovate. You’re a problem solver. And while you prefer to have a structure in place, you’re not afraid to break it if opportunity presents itself.
You can be important or you can make a difference.
If you put a higher priority on making a difference, you’ll find a happy home here.
And here’s the thing. When you make a difference, you are important.
You’ll be important to our alumni, their families, and every life touched by the concentric ripples of your touch.
And most of all, you’ll be important to your Wizard Academy family.
We’re a small team and every member’s contributions are known and make a difference.
You make an important difference.
Full-time salaried position. Must live within commuting distance of Wizard Academy. Nontraditional work schedule. Some early mornings. Some late nights. Some early morning to late nights. And some short days.
Click HERE to submit an application.
– Zac Smith, VC
