Brettschneider Executive Search Tapped by William Paterson University to Find Next Provost
November 2, 2026 – New York City-based Brettschneider Executive Search has been retained by William Paterson University (WP) to lead in its search for a provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Reporting to president Richard J. Helldobler, the provost will serve as chief academic officer and as a visible, collaborative partner to the president, cabinet, deans, and faculty governance bodies. The provost oversees the deans of four colleges: the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences; the Cotsakos College of Business; the College of Education; and the College of Science and Health, which includes the School of Nursing.
The provost also oversees the David and Lorraine Cheng Library, the Honors College, the College of Adult and Professional Studies, WP Online, Institutional Effectiveness, the Center for Teaching Excellence, the Office of Sponsored Programs, and the Office of Transfer Programs and Special Sessions. The provost will lead the academic alignment of the University’s emerging strategic plan and set clear goals and KPIs across the academic division.
The best candidates will be experienced, collaborative, strategic leaders with an earned doctorate and a teaching, research, and service record that is commensurate with the rank of full professor. They will bring at least five to 10 years of successful experience in higher education leadership at the dean level or above.
In addition, they will also have a record of program development leading to enrollment growth, student success initiatives that increased retention, work with shared governance bodies, and fiscal management that includes budget reduction, reallocation, and strategic investment for growth. Experience in a collective bargaining environment, with adult learners, with universal design in curriculum, and with developing corporate partnerships leading to internship and employment opportunities is preferred.
William Paterson University is a public university in Wayne, NJ, serving more than 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students across four academic colleges. Founded in 1855, the university offers a broad range of degree and certificate programs in areas including business, education, science and health, and the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Located about 20 miles from New York City, William Paterson is designated as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution and Minority-Serving Institution and has nearly 95,000 alumni.
Brettschneider Executive Search places high-performing presidents, vice presidents, CFOs and COOs at organizations across a wide variety of sectors. The firm’s team of senior partners are fully dedicated to collaborating with candidates and clients throughout the entirety of the search process. The firm invests in a president-level certified leadership coach for each placement for six months following the start date.
Related: Brettschneider Executive Search Recruits Executive Director for the Carter Burden Network
Kim Brettschneider is the founder and CEO of the firm. She conducts leadership searches across healthcare, higher education and non-profit sectors. Her team identifies transformational executive leaders using a highly communicative, efficient and tailored approach. Before starting the firm, Ms. Brettschneider oversaw higher education, academic medicine, children’s hospital, and non-profit searches at a top 15 global executive recruitment firm. She has partnered to place 200 C-suite leaders throughout her career.
Wilmington University Search
Brettschneider was also recently retained by Wilmington University (WilmU) to lead in its search for an inaugural senior vice president of advancement to lead the University’s next phase of philanthropic growth. Reporting to WilmU president LaVerne Harmon, the SVP will partner closely with the president, board and University leaders to advance the University’s strategic priorities.
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Supervising the existing team, the inaugural SVP will cultivate broader constituent engagement, external philanthropic partnerships and long-term institutional support. Early initiatives from the SVP may include establishing a board development committee and charter to help strengthen philanthropic engagement at the governance level and build the infrastructure needed for long-term advancement success. This role calls for a trusted expert to assess and build the University’s future advancement structure and identify practical ways to strengthen fundraising support.
Wilmington University is a private, non-profit university headquartered in New Castle, Delaware, that offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs through campus-based, online, and hybrid formats. Founded in 1968 as Wilmington College, the institution serves more than 18,000 students across multiple locations in Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland, with a strong focus on working adults, career advancement, and flexible learning options.
Related: Brettschneider Executive Search Completes Search for Western Colorado University
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
