Executive Dean, Student Wellbeing & Belonging

People Strategy, Equity, and Culture

Title: Executive Dean, Student Wellbeing & Belonging
Grade: P
Type: Exempt

The Opportunity

The Executive Dean of Student Belonging & Wellbeing will lead the College charge to ensure access, opportunity and belonging for the College’s diverse student body. This leader is positioned to tell the student story–especially for those communities historically underserved by education and other social systems–and to elevate and expand systems and programming that mitigates and/or eliminates barriers to student success.

Summary

The Executive Dean of Student Belonging & Wellbeing reports to the Vice President of Student Affairs and serves as a key member of the academic and student affairs senior leaders team. The position provides strategic and operational oversight for the direction, development and implementation of programming and services that support student wellbeing and success such as mental health counseling, racial and social justice programming, basic needs support, community resources and referral, support for survivors of interpersonal violence, and new/continuing student engagement. The role is accountable for multiple identity-based resource and support services centers across the College, as well many grant and partner-based programs and projects. The position partners closely with other student and academic affairs leaders, as well community-based organizations and agencies, to ensure robust and aligned networks of support that positively impact equitable student success.

Key Responsibilities

Oversee and Administer the following College functions: Counseling Services & Student Wellness, Women’s Resource Centers & Services, Outreach & Advocacy Project, Queer Resource Centers & Services, Community Resources, Multicultural Centers & Services, DREAMer Center, and Veterans Centers & Services.
Work closely with senior Academic and Student Affairs leaders to establish and continuously improve institutional strategy and structure for student inclusion, belonging and wellbeing– within and outside the classroom–along the student journey to goal completion.
Create the conditions for the division to establish and maintain productive relationships with internal College partners and external community partners to advance collaborative and innovative programming and resources for students.
Co-lead College strategic priority efforts to improve equitable student success outcomes.
Serve as a key College representative and advocate–externally and internally–related to student wellness, access to basic needs resources, trauma-informed practice, identity development, access and opportunity for communities of color, access and opportunity for low income communities, and inclusive/culturally responsive curriculum and services.

Essential Functions

Collaborative Leadership

Execute management activities that include strategic planning and decision-making, personnel management, budget and resource management, and assessment and continuous improvement of the division’s functional areas.
Serve as a key member of the senior Academic & Student Affairs leaders team, collaborating with senior leadership to set direction and establish priorities for the College’s future.
Create and maintain collaborative and productive relationships across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and administrative/systems services, in order to effectively plan and manage systems and programming in division.
Supervise management, academic professionals, classified staff, technical/support, and/or student staff; evaluate and provide guidance and support regarding professional development plans and goals for assigned areas of responsibility in accordance with good management practices, district policies, and collective bargaining agreements.
Provide leadership for College-wide strategic initiative execution (e.g., various Strategic Plan priority projects).

Student Life & Engagement Strategy

Establish and maintain internal partnerships with colleagues across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Community/Government Relations, the College Foundation, People Strategy, Equity & Culture, Administrative Services, and others in order to create and sustain effective and innovative programming and resources for historically underserved and marginalized students/communities.
Develop and strengthen relationships with external human services agencies, community-based organizations, and K-20 education partners; serve as a College lead administrative contact for partnerships involving access to federal benefits, community resources, mental health services, affordable housing, food security, counseling/social service program internship opportunities, and other related support and services.
Partner closely with the People Strategy, Equity and Culture division and other key stakeholders to assess student belonging and wellbeing and co-develop College wide belonging, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion strategy and action plan.
Conduct ongoing needs assessment and gap analysis related to effectiveness and efficiency of student belonging and wellbeing systems, programming and services; direct continuous process and outcomes improvement activities.

Administration

Ensure institutional compliance and high ethical standards are maintained related to federal/state/College regulations, policies, and guidance in areas of mental health counseling, civil rights protections, diversity/equity mandates, and culturally responsive practices.
Develop, oversee, analyze, and make budget decisions in alignment with College strategic plan, values and priorities. Forecast funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies. Approve expenditures and implement budgetary adjustments as appropriate.
Assume institutional authority for grants, contracts and technology portfolio that directly supports student belonging and wellbeing and programming.
Analyze need for and oversee development and execution of policies, administrative procedures, and practices related to assigned areas; responsible for working with appropriate shared governance bodies.
Respond to inquiries from College departments, other educational institutions, the community, and/or external agencies.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Advance the College’s DEI effort in recruiting and retaining students characterized by a rich diversity of cultural, racial, economic, ideological, and social identities, and encourage a campus culture that values difference and supports inclusion.
Conduct regular evaluations of policies and processes to identify opportunities for continuous improvement with an application of a lens of equity and inclusivity.
Create and maintain an inclusive culture that facilitates attracting, equipping, motivating and leading a diverse team of student belonging and wellbeing professionals committed to excellent service to students, team members, and community stakeholders.
Support, implement and promote advancement of the district’s equity goals and assists in the hiring of a staff that reflects the diversity of the district. Participate in and support activities that enhance equity-minded recruiting, hiring, and employee retention practices.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree and eight (8) years progressively responsible professional experience related to area of assignment. Four (4) years of higher education management/supervisory experience. A master’s degree can substitute for two (2) years of progressive experience.

Required Competencies

Equitable Student Success Focus: Make decisions that support a student-first culture.
Strategic Planning: Develop a vision for the future and create a culture in which long-range goals can be achieved.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion: Demonstrated growth in cultural competence; awareness of societal and structural inequities; and proven experience in effectively establishing relationships and positive communications with students and other constituents across multiple dimensions of diversity.
Change Catalyst: Ability to encourage others to seek opportunities for different and innovative approaches when addressing problems and opportunities.
Communication: Ability to communicate effectively with many types of individuals and the ability to write clearly and persuasively.
Decisive: Ability to make quick decisions while keeping policy and regulations at the forefront of all decisions.
Team Motivation: Ability to influence and mobilize a group of individuals to work toward a common goal and positively represent the mission of PCC.

Preferred Qualifications

A master’s degree is strongly preferred.
Demonstrated ability to navigate complex organizational systems and dynamics and provide cross-functional and collaborative leadership to support program, policy and procedure development.
Knowledge of principles, theories, and best practices related to student development, racial/social identity development, systems of student support, trauma-informed practice, human-centered design, equity/diversity/inclusion practices in higher education.
Demonstrated success in planning, developing, and implementing comprehensive student belonging and wellbeing initiatives and services, focused on underrepresented and historically marginalized communities and students.
Skill in evaluating research and data to identify potential solutions, resolve problems, and provide information.
Ability to apply independent judgment to interpretation and application of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.

Working Environment

Work environment includes frequent disruptions and changes in priorities. Work is generally performed in an office environment with frequent interruptions and irregularities in the work schedule. Working hours may vary and occasional evening or weekend work is required. Frequent travel to other locations is required. No special coordination beyond that used for normal mobility and handling of everyday objects and materials is needed to perform the job satisfactorily.

Updated 3/9/2023