Executive Director at Joint Base Lewis McChord

The mission of Pierce College is to create quality educational opportunities for a diverse community of learners to thrive in an evolving world.  

The Executive Director of Pierce College at Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) provides executive leadership and vision for our Military Education Programs located at JBLM – including learning, student success, and support functions – in order to advance the institution's mission, with intentional focus on advancing Black and Brown student excellence and building an anti-racist institution.

Reporting to the President of Pierce College Fort Steilacoom, the Executive Director is responsible for ensuring support and care for military/military-affiliated students, families, and partners. Working collaboratively, the Executive Director demonstrates sound judgment and leadership with the knowledge and skills necessary to: develop and manage equitable access through strategic enrollment efforts; explore and develop partnerships with local and national military installations and colleges/universities; supervise a talented and committed team; manage and oversee all elements of program operations including budget development and monitoring; maintain compliance with federal regulations related to military students; actively engage in military-related events and local and national partnerships; and assess the success of the program operations in advancing Pierce College’s equity-centered mission to create quality educational opportunities for a diverse community of learners to thrive in an evolving world. This position requires regular and consistent attendance.

About the District:

Pierce College is a high-performing, mission-driven, data-informed, student-focused district committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. For 55 years, Pierce College has developed a national reputation for academic excellence and support services to ensure student success. The district is proud of the many awards and recognitions it has received. Pierce College is an Achieving the Dream Leader College of Distinction and was the 2017 recipient of their prestigious Leah Meyer Austin Award, given for measurable improvements in student outcomes.

Named as a Top 5 Finalist and a Rising Star for the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, Pierce College Fort Steilacoom was recognized for exceptional achievements in student learning, certificate and degree completion while in community college and after transferring to a four-year institution, employment and earnings rates after graduation, and access for and success of minority and low-income students. Pierce College District was named as a Top 10 finalist for the 2021 Aspen Prize and a Top 25 for 2023. Pierce is also one of 30 original AACC Guided Pathways colleges and one of first five College Spark Washington pathways colleges. We have bold goals to have all students on a career pathway to increase completion rates for all students and to close achievement gaps by 2027.

Want a feel for our District? Take a peek with aerial campus views! 

Pierce College Fort Steilacoom 

Located on a beautiful 140-acre site adjacent to a 340-acre community, recreational park, and Waughop Lake.

Pierce College Puyallup

Located on an expansive site with 125-acres of wooded land with beautiful hideaways.

Pierce College at JBLM 

Located at the Joint Base Lewis-McChord military sites, serving many of our military and active-duty families that are serving our country.

Our colleges enjoy a strong presence in the communities in which they serve and participate in numerous partnerships with business, community, government, and educational organizations.   

The Executive Director position will perform their duties while actively supporting Pierce College's integrated institutional values and core themes in the advancement of Military Education Programs including, but not limited to:  

Integrated Institutional and Program Core

• Actively advance Pierce College's active commitments to equity, diversity, inclusion, and antiracism to advance Black and Brown student excellence and provide access, opportunity, and success for our diverse community of learners.
• Contribute to an engaged and supportive team to advance equitable opportunities and partnership. 
• Participate in committees and task forces to ensure collaboration on removing barriers and promoting access, opportunity, and success. 
• Other duties as assigned to support the mission, goals, and objectives of the college. 

Leadership and Supervision:

• Provide leadership and supervision for Pierce College at JBLM, including approximately 25 full-time staff and faculty and 70 part-time faculty and staff.
• Champion professional learning and foster an equitable and accountable culture that cultivates innovation, community care, and academic excellence.
• Provide overall program personnel supervision including recruitment, training, evaluation, scheduling, and accountability.
• Ensure delivery of in-class and online educational programs plus a full array of student enrollment and advising services to over 8,500 military-affiliated enrollments per year. 
• Actively support, engage in, and advance Pierce College's equity, diversity, and belonging efforts in order to provide access, support, and success for our diverse community of learners.

Strategic Planning and Budget:

• Responsible for setting the vision and developing an innovative, entrepreneurial program strategy with viable cost structures.
• Identify new business and revenue-generating opportunities, and supports new initiatives to increase equitable access and enrollments and improve delivery of services and educational programs.
• Create new partnerships and agreements with military-affiliated education, transition, and veterans’ organizations, businesses, institutions, and agencies.
• Develop and manage program budget and expenditures of over $8 million.

Outreach and Recruitment:

• Work collaboratively with Marketing and Communications to develop marketing strategies and recruiting activities for new military-affiliated students.
• Oversee associated contracts; hosts visits to Pierce College at JBLM and supports on- and off-campus events and projects relating to military-affiliated populations.
• Represent Pierce College's military-affiliated educational programs within the Pierce College District, community, and nationally with Department of Defense (DoD) personnel, professional organizations, the WA State Board of Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), commissions and other agencies; attends community meetings and boards. 
• Foster relationships with host education centers.

Administration:

• Oversee and actively works to maintain compliance with college, state, federal, and DoD policies, procedures, and regulations, including host Education Center and DoD memorandums of understanding,
• Keep Pierce College District and staff informed of changes in policies and procedures.

Council and Committee Work:

• Serves and represents military-affiliated students through engagement in District teams, committees, and councils as appropriate or assigned.

Contribution to Community:

• Responds to requests and actively engages in community activities as a representative of Pierce College.

Required Education:

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent education/experience.

Required Experience:

• Five (5) years of progressive leadership responsibilities administering educational programs.
• Three (3) years of experience in supervision and management or equivalent experience. 
• Demonstrated ability to lead others in a constructive and inclusive manner while building sustainable, collaborative relationships. 

Special Requirements: 

• The successful candidate must consent to and pass a criminal background check after a conditional offer of employment. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability to perform in this position.
• As a condition of employment, the successful candidate must have the ability to obtain and maintain access to Department of Defense facilities (including but not limited to JBLM).
• Must possess a valid Washington State Driver's License upon hire.
• Must obtain reliable vehicle and/or transportation. 
• Must maintain vehicle registration, vehicle insurance, and driver's license to use vehicle on the military installation.

Terms of Employment:

This is a full-time administrative - exempt position. The anticipated start date for this position is September 16, 2024. The primary work location will be at Pierce College at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) campus. Occasional travel to Pierce College campuses an/or other sites may occur. Standard work hours are between 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, however, hours will vary with occasional evening and weekend hours required. This position may be approved for occasional telework. This position requires regular and consistent attendance.

Salary & Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $127,027.00 to $157,162.00 annually; new hires typically start at $132,320.00.

For more information and to apply, please visit: https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/piercedist/jobs/4554162/executive-director-pierce-college-at-joint-base-lewis-mcchord?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs