President and Chief Executive Officer

Position Title : President and Chief Executive Officer

The experience expected from applicants, as well as additional skills and qualifications needed for this job are listed below.

Location : Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Employment Type : Regular Full-Time, Exempt

Job Open Date : 7 / 3 / 2024

Job Close Date : This position will remain open until filled.

• Purpose : Reporting to the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges, the President and Chief Executive Officer is responsible for representing and promoting the community colleges in state, national, and international venues;
• providing leadership and information to promote the continued growth of the community colleges; assisting in defining and establishing the objectives and policies of the Commission;
• and planning, organizing, directing and coordinating the staff, programs, and activities of the Commission within the established policies to assure that the purpose and objectives are met;

and administering the affairs of the Commission.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Be irrevocably committed to the access and success agenda of community college education.
• Understand the legislative process and have demonstrated political perception and experience in relationship-building with legislators.
• Demonstrate understanding of research and assessment for the purpose of making data-supported decisions.
• Demonstrate the ability to work effectively with a diverse population.
• Demonstrate the ability to navigate through legal, financial, and policy frameworks to accomplish required tasks.
• Understand the functioning of the Department of Education and other state agencies.
• Demonstrate the ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Demonstrate the ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and delegate work appropriately.
• Demonstrate the ability to maintain professionalism and confidentiality while carrying out all job responsibilities.
• Demonstrate the ability to handle sensitive and difficult situations with tact and diplomacy.
• Demonstrate the ability to adapt to a constantly changing environment with multi-faceted duties.
• Demonstrate excellent oral and written communications skills, as well as organizational, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrate strong leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and several years of executive-level management experience. Experience in the field of higher education, supervision, advocacy, lobbying, grant development, and fundraising.

Proven successes with legislative processes. Experience with and managing budgets and financial reports. Demonstrated success in communication regularly with various senior-level executives.

PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS

Doctorate or professional degree. Demonstrated experience leading advocacy efforts in a bi-partisan manner. Higher education senior executive level experience or a similar role.

Association management experience. Demonstrated experience fostering results measured legislative success.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

Ability to perform the essential responsibilities / functions of this position, including but not limited to : Solid English language reading and writing skills to read information, understand and respond to inquiries, and prepare letters and reports.

Solid mathematical and accounting skills necessary to compute budgets and financial reports. Ability to travel extensively and to attend all required meetings.

Duties & Responsibilities :

• Implement and guide the organization’s collaborative vision, mission, and overall direction by representing the voice of community colleges in Pennsylvania, visibly promoting their agenda and creating / fostering an alignment with higher education systems / sectors.
• Maintain relationships with appropriate state governmental entities, to ensure responsiveness to community college recommendations, needs and goals.
• Create an evidence-based culture to guide the work of the Commission.
• Develop, implement, and continuously evaluate the Commission’s strategic advocacy plan at the local, state, national and international levels.
• Establish and maintain a working relationship with the Commission lobbyist to ensure that advocacy activity is appropriate, reviewed, tracked, and communicated to commission members.
• Support and develop the operating budget request and capital funding program for member colleges.
• Provide executive oversight to ongoing efforts to seek and submit statewide grants and proposals to develop and provide educational programs, workshops, etc.

for the presidents and trustees.

• Implement a public relations and communications program to promote Pennsylvania’s community colleges to the state legislature.
• Develop and implement a program of research necessary to analyze issues, provide an information base for decision-making, promote the student success agenda, and respond to requests for information about community colleges.
• Establish and maintain the liaisons necessary to monitor legislative developments, inform the colleges of these developments, and work with the colleges to develop organized efforts on legislative issues.
• Continuously monitor, evaluate, and report on the progress of the PACCC.
• Cultivate a strong and transparent working relationship with the Board of Directors.
• Represent the interests of the community colleges at the state, national, and international levels and maintain liaisons necessary at the state, national, and international levels to provide information and service to the colleges.
• Provide service to individual colleges on issues and questions affecting the total sector of community colleges.
• Recommend to the Board of Directors all employment-related decisions including, but not limited to, recruitment, employment, separation, and general staff supervision.
• Participate in the formulation and recommendations of policies for approval by the Board of Directors.
• Lead, with the elected officers’ official meetings of the Commission, the Council of Presidents, and Board of Directors.
• Attend, as appropriate and necessary, the meetings of other committees and / or affinity groups.
• Oversee the planning and implementation and / or contracting for special projects with appropriate approvals or by established policies.
• Oversee the secretarial function of the Commission, including the maintenance and security of all official minutes, legal and historic documents, and other records.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors, as directed by the Chair and Vice Chair.

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