Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Program Dean

Class: Management | Exempt status: Exempt | Grade: N

Under the Direction of management, the Program Dean is responsible for direct oversight of College-wide educational disciplines, programs and services within one or more of the College’s integrated academic, career, and workforce programs. The position oversees and leads multiple instructional disciplines, programs and services to provide strong holistic learning opportunities and equitable educational/career student outcomes; emphasizes excellence in teaching and learning; promotes culturally responsive curriculum and program development; engages with industry/workforce; and supports full and part-time faculty and academic affairs staff to ensure equitable opportunity and academic goal attainment for students. The incumbent serves as a key College contact for both internal College partners to ensure alignment of curriculum to community needs.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

1. Provides operational leadership in support of assigned academic programs, including accountability for alignment with institutional vision/priorities at the program-level; exercises leadership in achieving optimal organizational efficiency and effectiveness, including providing leadership in enacting initiatives to improve work processes, enhance systems and staff performance.
2. Implements culturally responsive and inclusive academic programs and operations that center on historically underserved and marginalized communities; accountable for using data to make recommendations on flexible service delivery modalities that support access and equitable student outcomes.
3. Provides oversight and accountability to assigned programs as it relates to teaching excellence, student outcomes, and support for full and part-time faculty; partners with academic leadership to ensure alignment across programs and services. Sets expectations around instructional quality in alignment with the Academic & Career Pathway and established standards, College procedures, and mission.
4. Implements and assesses program innovation and growth for alignment of curriculum to community and workforce needs for credit, non-credit, training, and academic non-credit programming.
5. Builds and maintains collaborative and productive relationships with external partners (e.g., business, industry, workforce, higher education institutions, K12) connected to assigned programs; analyzes, assess, and recommends institutional participation and ensures program-level compliance as appropriate.
6. Supervises management, faculty, academic professionals, classified staff, technical/support, and/or student staff. Mentors, coaches, provides guidance and support regarding professional development plans and goals for managers, faculty, and staff in assigned areas of responsibility in accordance with good management practices, College policies, and collective bargaining agreements. Hires, evaluates, trains, disciplines and recommends dismissal of staff as necessary.
7. Ensures institutional compliance internally and externally with federal/state/College regulations, policies, and guidance related to programs and services in their area, and all related accreditation standards. Evaluates and communicates the impact of potential legal or regulatory changes on the College.
8. Creates and maintains collaborative and productive partnerships across Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, administrative/systems services, and shared governance to integrate institutional effectiveness, planning efforts and holistic student support; implements College-wide strategic initiatives within assigned programs (e.g., Strategic Plan, Guided Pathways, Equity & Inclusion Plan, Advising Redesign, Pathways to Opportunity, YESS, etc.).
9. Conducts ongoing needs assessment and gap analysis related to teaching excellence, program effectiveness, accountability for student outcomes, and support for full and part-time faculty within the assigned programs; recommends and implements modification of programming for continuous process and outcomes improvement.
10. Develops, oversees, analyzes, and makes budget decisions in alignment with College strategic plan, values, and priorities at the program level. Forecasts funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies in their programs. Approves expenditures and implements budgetary adjustments as appropriate. Directly oversees grants, contracts and technology that support programs in the assigned area.
11. Supports, implements, and promotes advancement of the district’s equity goals and assists in the hiring of a staff that reflects the diversity of the district. Participates in and supports activities that enhance equity-minded recruiting, hiring, and employee retention practices.
12. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Work 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.

Minimum Qualifications

Master’s Degree and five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience related to the area of assignment, providing program/project management or program/project coordination. Three (3) years of management experience, including employee supervision, in higher education or in an industry related to the area of assignment.

Program Specific Minimum Qualifications

Program Deans in Aerospace and Transportation, and Building and Environmental Technologies and Trades:

Bachelor’s degree and seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience related to the area of assignment,  providing program /project management or program /project coordination.  Three (3) years of management experience, including employee supervision, in higher education or in an industry related to the area of assignment.

Or;

Master’s Degree and five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience related to the area of assignment, providing program/project management or program/project coordination. Three (3) years of management experience, including employee supervision, in higher education or in an industry related to the area of assignment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Various modalities, methods and best practices in teaching and learning, including culturally responsive and inclusive pedagogy and practices;
• Program development, budgeting, and management;
• Policy and procedure development and administration;
• Public administration and higher education principles and practices;
• Applicable local, state and federal laws, codes, rules, and regulations;
• Health, safety and emergency preparation, business and operational continuity, and response.

Skills in:

• Strategic leadership, management, support and advocacy;
• Coaching faculty/staff in instructional best practices;
• Building, developing, and maintaining effective teams;
• Planning, implementing, improving, and evaluating programs, policies, procedures, and financials;
• Evaluating research to identify potential solutions, resolve problems, and provide information;
• Utilizing data and assessment outcomes for communication and making continuous improvements for programs and services;
• Managing change and sensitive topics;
• Speaking in public;
• Managing multiple priorities simultaneously.

Ability to:

• Drive systemic change for racial and social equity and justice;
• Communicate and execute a vision for student-centered (flexible, multimodal) delivery of instruction and services through oral and written mediums;
• Manage and mediate healthy conflict and sensitive topics;
• Counsel, direct, and facilitate professional development of employees while motivating them toward goal achievement;
• Apply independent judgment to interpretation and application of rules, regulations, policies, and procedures;
• Manage urgent situations and crises appropriately.

Revised: 4/2022; 1/2022
New: 4/2021

Portland Community College is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or any other protected class.