Whatcom Community College is seeking a Vice President for Instruction to serve as the lead academic officer for the institution. The Vice President for Instruction provides strategic and equity-driven instructional leadership that supports the institution’s priorities in collaboration with President’s Cabinet, the faculty, and other dedicated professionals.

The Vice President plans, implements, coordinates, and evaluates the College’s instructional programs and services to meet the needs of students and the community. The Vice President is a key contributor and implementer of policy, strategic planning, and budget.

The Vice President for Instruction exhibits the dynamic leadership qualities of inclusion, innovation, and collaboration.

This position reports directly to the college president.

The candidate will demonstrate successful experience in:

• Implementing institutional strategies and policies that result in improved student achievement, based on a commitment to equity and inclusion that promotes student access and success.
• Planning and decision-making based on:
  • Data and institutional and environmental research; and
  • Feedback from faculty and staff.
• Creating and maintaining a work environment characterized by collegiality, collaboration and inclusiveness for all students, faculty, and staff.
• Building effective teams through leaders who demonstrate strong communication, interpersonal skills, transparent decision-making, and the use of current technology.
• Modeling and leading diversity, equity, and inclusion practices in the College’s curricular offerings and instructional culture.

Student Learning, Success, and Equity

• Fosters open and inclusive communication among administration, faculty, staff, and students on matters related to Instruction.
• Informs actions that inspire college culture focused on improving student enrollment, retention and outcomes.
• Leads and supports efforts to develop evidence-based and culturally responsive approaches to teaching.
• Advances innovative instructional offerings and services in response to the needs of students and the broader community,
• Ensures a high-quality instructional program for student learning that is assessed and modified for continuous improvement.
• Recommends, develops, and implements instructional policies, procedures, and practices, which foster and promote student learning.

Leadership and Management

• Provides leadership in the design, development, and delivery of a comprehensive, efficient, and high-quality suite of instructional programs and services.
• Works with faculty and instructional administrators to develop an annual schedule of classes, which meet the educational needs of students within assigned budget and staffing parameters.
• Leads efforts for the effective recruitment, selection, retention, development, growth, support, and evaluation of faculty for the purpose of consistently improving instruction.
• Develops, monitors, and administers the instructional budget in conjunction with college-wide planning processes and with the assistance of instructional administrators.
• Ensures an effective and capable instructional administrative staff through culturally responsive training, development, and evaluation.
• Collaborates with union leadership to address issues related to instructional priorities; and to implement the union agreements.
• Provides leadership for the development and implementation of grants and contracts.
• Designs and supports organizational structures and governance including staff and faculty reporting structures, committees, department chairs assignment and other governance systems that support a student-centered environment.
• Represents the priorities of Instruction as a member of Cabinet.

Institutional Representation

• Develops, fosters and promotes new opportunities for educational partnerships with public and private sector entities.
• Engages with internal and external community stakeholders to ensure relevancy of instructional programs and services.
• Represents the College at the Washington Association of Community and Technical College’s (WACTC) Instruction Commission and other local, state and national organizations.
• Serves in a critical role with accreditation; and may serve as the accreditation liaison officer (ALO) for the College.
• Supports college activities and special events through attendance and/or participation.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree; plus.
• Three years of administrative experience with progressive leadership responsibility; and
• Three years of teaching experience in a post-secondary educational setting.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered for the position.
• Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and application of equity-minded leadership.
• Demonstrated skills in effective communication including written and verbal communications.
• Demonstration of an effective and collegial style of collaborating with individuals of diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• Experience managing multimillion-dollar budgets.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Doctorate degree OR equivalent experience and training in higher education administration.
• Five years of teaching experience in higher education, preferably in a community college.
• Three years of administrative experience in higher education.
• Three years of experience in organizations with grant development and administration.
• Leadership in designing and implementing initiatives and strategies related to outcomes assessment, staff and program evaluation, institutional effectiveness, and accreditation.
• Evidence of successful collaboration with faculty unions including union negotiations experience.

Salary and Appointment:

• This is a full-time Administrative/Exempt position. Exempt from Washington State civil service law with an annual salary based on a range of $145,000.00 – $160,000.00.

Benefit Package:

• The position comes with a full benefit package, including health, dental, life, long-term disability insurance and a retirement plan.
• Accrues 8 hours per month of sick leave and 14.67 hours per month vacation leave.

*Additionally, as a Washington State, public higher education institution, WCC offers the following:

• Whatcom Community College is a qualified employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF). If you work for the College full time, have had Direct Loans and are on an eligible repayment plan, you are eligible to apply.
• Full-time employees are eligible to apply and participate in the Whatcom Community College Employee Tuition Program, which provides a tuition waiver for available and eligible WCC courses.
• Full-time employees may qualify for Washington State Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) benefit.

Start Date:

• As soon as can be arranged with successful candidate.

Application Due Date:

• For guaranteed consideration, application packets should be received by Monday, January 8th, 2024 at 5:00 pm. Position open until filled.