Dean of Instruction

The Dean of Instruction supports the Vice President for Academic Services (VPAS) in leading academic divisions, faculty development, and student learning initiatives ensuring instructional quality, innovation, and alignment with institutional goals. Collaborating with faculty, division chairs and administrators, the Dean supports curriculum development while leading student learning assessment, and faculty recruitment, evaluation, and development to foster a high-performing academic environment. The Dean provides strategic leadership in Guided Pathways, and academic innovation to enhance teaching and learning. The role also supports budget planning, resources and grant allocation, and compliance. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strategic leadership, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making to advance educational excellence and effectiveness.

Essential Job Functions:

Academic Leadership & Program Development

1. Provide strategic leadership in the development, implementation, and assessment of academic programs, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and Guided Pathways initiatives.
2. Lead division chairs and faculty in curriculum development and reform, integrating Guided Pathways, Competency Based Education (CBE), Prior Learning, Course and Laker Learning Competencies assessments to improve student learning and institutional effectiveness.
3. Facilitate academic innovation by incorporating appropriate instructional technology, data-driven decision-making, and best practices in pedagogy to strengthen teaching and learning outcomes.

Faculty Supervision & Development

1. Assist the VPAS in hiring, supervising, and evaluating faculty, division chairs, and academic services staff, to ensure professional excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a culture of assessment and continuous improvement.
2. Work collaboratively with faculty to identify and address instructional challenges, promote best practices, and encourage innovation in teaching and assessment.
3. Provide leadership, guidance, and performance oversight to the Instructional Designer and LMS Manager in supporting the development and implementation of faculty development programs, workshops, and resources that enhance teaching and learning effectiveness.

Strategic Planning & Assessment

1. Support division chairs in developing and executing data-driven academic strategies that enhance student retention, persistence, and completion while ensuring alignment with institutional and Guided Pathways goals.
2. Assist the VPAS in overseeing assessment and accreditation efforts by collaborating with faculty, academic leadership, and institutional research team to evaluate student learning, strengthen program effectiveness.

Budget & Resource Management

1. Support division chairs in budget planning and allocation for faculty development, assessment, and future academic initiatives.
2. Oversee the efficient allocation and utilization of instructional resources, including educational equipment, technology, materials, and library/media acquisitions, while ensuring compliance with institutional financial policies.

Collaboration with Internal & External Stakeholders

1. Work collaboratively with faculty, deans from academic services, student services, workforce solutions to develop and implement initiatives that enhance programming, student success and academic quality, and institutional effectiveness in meeting career and workforce needs.
2. Engage with external stakeholders, including industry partners, advisory committees, and community organizations, to align academic programs with emerging educational trends and adult education opportunities.
3. Expand partnership programs with District 517 high schools to strengthen pathways from high school to college and enhance dual credit opportunities by ensuring faculty and academic divisions have the support needed to offer high-quality instruction.

Compliance, Policies, & Academic Standards

1. Provides recommendations to the VPAS ensuring that all academic personnel transactions, including hiring, tenure review, promotions, and reappointments, comply with college policies and contractual agreements.
2. Assist to maintain compliance with state, federal, and accreditation requirements, ensuring academic programs meet regulatory and reporting obligations.
3. Assist in the development, enforcement and improvement of academic policies and processes, ensuring they align with institutional goals and best practices in higher education.
4. Ensure division faculty and staff are well-informed about college initiatives, local, state and national educational trends, and policy updates affecting academic programs.
5. Serve on college committees, taskforces, councils and teams as needed or assigned.
6. Perform all other duties as assigned.

Education Requirements:

• Masters degree required; Doctorate preferred

• Minimum of three to five years of teaching experience and progressive administrative experience in higher education, preferably at a community college.

• Experience in teaching, curriculum development, academic assessment, faculty supervision, and policy implementation. Knowledge of tenure processes, collective bargaining agreements (CBA), and faculty evaluation standards. Knowledge of state and federal regulations affecting community college operations and academic compliance

• Strong interpersonal, leadership, and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to innovate and collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders, advance student learning outcomes through standards and assessment-driven improvement, and provide strategic direction in academic services, including planning, budgeting, and faculty support, to create a student-centered learning environment, good written and oral skills.

• Project a professional image as required by the nature of the position. Ability to travel both within and outside the college district and to work extended hours