Dr. Heather Murchison

Dr. Heather Murchison is an experienced leader in public service strategy and organizational change.

In her current role as Vice-Provost (Institutional Planning and Analysis) and Strategic Advisor to the President, she advises and supports strategic initiatives, institutional planning, decision-making, policy formation, and the development and tracking of key performance indicators and institutional metrics.

Throughout her career, Heather has led numerous strategic initiatives focused on long-term planning, forecasting and modelling at national, provincial, regional and local levels to better enable public sector agencies to respond to evolving demands and societal change. Through these initiatives Heather has worked with varied stakeholder groups to develop informed solutions for lasting change.

Prior to joining Lakehead University, Heather led major transformation initiatives in her role as Director, Health System Development and Integration at the North West Local Health Integration Network and as a management consultant with a focus on public sector strategy for Deloitte and Accenture in Canada and the United Kingdom. During her tenure at Accenture, Heather participated in a year-long secondment to Accenture's Research Institute for Public Service Value.

Heather holds two Honours Bachelor degrees from Lakehead University, a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the University of Exeter and a PhD in Government from the London School of Economics.

Position Overview

Reporting to the President and Vice-Chancellor, the Strategic Advisor to the President is responsible for advising the President on strategic initiatives and planning activities to achieve the priorities with which the President has been charged, including the continued implementation and monitoring of the University's Strategic Plan.

The Strategic Advisor to the President will anticipate trends, risks and opportunities in the higher education sector and across the broader political environment, and provide trusted advice to inform decision making within the President's Office.

The Strategic Advisor to the President works with members of the Executive Team, the Senior Management Team, faculty and staff across the institution, with a focus on informing, developing and planning transformational initiatives that advance the University's mission.