Dean of Occupational Programs

The Dean is responsible for promoting academic, administrative, and fiscal leadership in  accordance with Kirtland Community College’s Strategic Plan and for exercising holistic  judgment when executing the duties of this position. The Dean supervises both full-time and part-time faculty in Occupational Programs (Automation & Controls,  Automotive, Cardiac Sonography, Cosmetology, Cybersecurity, Electrician,, HVAC, Information Technology, Surgical Technology, Welding, & Wood Science), and supervises the Director of the Police Academy/CJ. As such, the Dean is responsible for leading  curriculum development, program assessment and evaluation, grant supervision,  budget planning and monitoring, faculty recruitment, supervision, and evaluation. 

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES*

• Collaborate with faculty and staff to assess and improve learning at the program level, produce reports as needed to demonstrate progress made toward achievement of learning and designing, collecting, and evaluating data related to learning. 
• Support faculty and staff through open communication and professional development.
  • Hear ideas and concerns with an open mind. 
  • Communicate directly, honestly, and respectfully regarding achievements and challenges. 
  • Provide recommendations for professional development. 
  • Provide timely performance evaluation. 
  • Collaborate with faculty and staff on professional development opportunities for both full-time and part-time employees. 
• Ensure the academic integrity of the Occupational programs by upholding professional and accreditation standards.
  • Collaborate with faculty on curriculum development ensuring that standards are maintained for course objectives, course content, examinations, and grading. 
  • Collaborate with faculty on program review. 
  • Ensure faculty develop assessment methods that will demonstrate student learning both at the course and program levels. 
  • Provide recommendations to ensure that instructional facilities, equipment,  and supplies are appropriate and in a suitable, safe place for use in occupational programs.  
  • Work with faculty to resolve student complaints at the lowest level possible. 
  • Collaborate with faculty to maintain accreditation of their programs. Maintain standards required by all accrediting agencies, including but not limited to, AWS, AES, , Higher Learning Commission, and any other governing agencies. 
• Develop with faculty and staff necessary reports and submit by deadlines.
• Select, supervise, evaluate, and develop faculty and staff.
  • Analyze data and provide a rationale for new positions or replacement positions. 
  • Develop faculty and staff by helping them to maximize their contribution to the organization and to grow professionally. 
  • Take corrective action when performance needs improvement. 
  • Build and maintain partnerships among faculty, staff, administration, and community members. 
  • Develop advisory boards that can provide relevant feedback for program improvements.
    • Collaborate with community members and advisory board to assess program needs. 
    • Hold advisory board meetings at least once a year, preferably twice a year. 
  • Participate with administration, faculty, and staff in campus and college-wide planning. 
  • Investigate opportunities for dual enrollment and/or develop articulation agreements with K-12 partners. 
  • Coordinate with the Director of Workforce Development to provide technical training for area employers. 
• Formulate strategic objectives for each department.
  • Facilitate faculty discussions to develop strategic objectives in keeping with the college strategic plan. 
  • Recommend program improvements as needed. 
  • Encourage innovation in the development of departmental objectives and projects. 
• Participate actively in the work of the college.
  • Maintain a visible presence within the college and community.
  • Work collaboratively with other managers across the organization. Serve as a member of committees as needed. 
  • Facilitate the promotion and marketing of programs and courses by working with the Marketing Department and Webmaster.  
  • Participate in the counseling and disciplinary process as outlined in the student handbook and Kirtland’s academic appeal policies and procedures. 
  • Conduct oneself as a spokesperson for the College, as a member of the  Academic leadership team, and as the leader of and advocate for the  Occupational Programs. 
• Oversee the administrative tasks associated with this position.
  • Prepare and administer the department budgets while maintaining fiscal integrity. 
  • Develop a schedule that meets student needs determining when and where classes will be offered.
  • Collaborate with Human Resources to recruit, document, and hire part-time faculty as needed. 
  • Support adoption, acquisition, and implementation of appropriate new technologies. 
  • Participate in seeking, developing, and managing external grants that promote strategic learning objectives. 
• Provide all documentation necessary for Perkins grant on an annual basis. 
• Act as lead for Carl D. Perkins Grant Program
  • Prioritize Perkins requests, submit applications per the State’s deadline and revise applications as needed. 
  • Oversee Perkins spending per program guidelines
  • Communicate with the Director of Finance for submission of financial reports.
  • Ensure all reports are submitted in a timely manner 
  • Apply for Perkins Local Leadership Funds as available
  • Stay current on Perkins changes and regulations. 
• Make sure scheduled PROE reports are completed.
  • Provide data as needed on existing programs. 
  • Hold meetings with faculty and staff on a regular basis making sure that standards for the programs are maintained. 
• Performs other related duties as assigned. 

SUPERVISION – Works under the supervision of the Vice President of Instructional Services.

ATTENDANCE – Individuals in this position are expected to be generally present and/or available for college business or instructional purposes when and as required by contract, policy, or reasonable direction of the college administration. This individual will work both at the Grayling campus and the MTEC campus in Gaylord.  

WORKING CONDITIONS – Conditions are those of a typical college administrative  office and classroom. Individuals in this position must be able to work effectively with  individuals of diverse personalities and outlooks, and varied skills and abilities. A high  level of performance in all job dimensions is essential. In the classroom, the person in  this position must be cognizant of student’s understanding and progress, able to  communicate effectively with students and associated professionals, and able to  operate technical equipment in a modern classroom or online environment. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in an Occupational Program area, Educational Administration, or related degree.  
• A minimum of two (2) years of work experience in an occupational area other than teaching.  
• A minimum of three (3) years of teaching experience at the college level. 
• A strong understanding of the value of occupational education and a commitment to support and develop those programs.  
• A strong understanding of the value of a well-rounded education both for transfer and to provide skills to support occupational degrees.  
• A minimum of two years of increasing leadership experience. 
• A commitment to and understanding of the mission of community college education both in the occupations and liberal arts. 
• Budget experience that encompasses the management of resources and the reconciliation of competing needs in excess of available resources.
• Demonstrated project planning and management, time management, and priority setting skills. Ability to work successfully in a high stress environment, handling multiple tasks and projects simultaneously. Demonstrated history of on-time delivery of projects; project coordination; and anticipation of issues. • Good interpersonal skills, including listening, with demonstrated ability to work with diverse groups of people. Must have the ability to work as a team member,  foster a cooperative work environment, and maintain effective relationships.

JOB DIMENSIONS – Knowledge of work, delegation, planning and organization, impact, performance results, persuasiveness, self-reliance, negotiation, attention to detail, work standards, sensitivity, stress tolerance, technical/professional self-development, initiative, judgment, analysis, commitment to the college, teamwork, decisiveness, informal communication, written communication, dependability, influence, and presentations.

An equal opportunity employer

* This job description is intended to describe the type and level of work being performed by a person in this position. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities required by a person so classified.

12/23