Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Director, Career Pathways Statewide Initiative

• Title: Director, Career Pathways Statewide Initiative
• Category: Management
• FLSA: Exempt
• Grade: M

Job Summary

Under direction of the Associate Vice President, leads a collaboration of Oregon community colleges to implement the Career Pathways program. Provides leadership, advocacy, and research to cultivate strategy on building and sustaining Career Pathways statewide.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

1. Identifies, advocates, and coordinates a response to potential funding opportunities to advance Career Pathways in Oregon, including working with key stakeholders for sustainable funding, as well as opportunities for braided funding.
2. Leads Oregon Pathways Alliance by guiding strategic direction and work plan, promoting peer learning, strategic impact, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. Facilitates and/or participates in workgroups to address policy and practice implications and innovations.
3. Collaborates on the development, implementation, and monitoring of Career Pathways grant contracts and amendments with 17 community colleges. Maintains effective records and documentation for grant contracts and deliverables.
4. Develops statewide action plan for Career Pathways advancing the community college systemic framework working with state agencies, (i.e. HECC, DHS, Oregon Employment Department), local Workforce Development Boards, K-12, universities, community-based organizations and other WIOA partner agencies.  Aligns career pathways efforts with local and state sector strategies
5. Provides presentations to regional, statewide, and national groups on Career Pathways, credentialing, and student success.  Serves as liaison for Oregon for national career pathway and stackable credential efforts.
6. Serves as a liaison between assigned programs, external agencies, and the institution, which includes students, staff, faculty, and administration; represents Career Pathways at a variety of meetings, public events, training sessions, on committees, and/or other related events; establishes and maintains positive collaborative relationships with community groups and establishments.
7. Develops reports and presentations that share Career Pathways impact information with diverse stakeholders and partner agencies.
8. Establishes and sustains effective working relationships with community college groups (i.e. Oregon college presidents, Oregon instructional administrators, Oregon adult basic skills directors, career & technical ed deans, student services administrators including financial aid directors), workforce, K-12, and university partners.
9. Collaborates with HECC Research Director and staff to conduct ongoing research for career pathways. Facilitates local evaluation plan related to career pathways including pertinent data.
10. Analyzes and evaluates data, policies, procedures, statutes, and proposed legislation for career pathways, student success, and student persistence and completion. Prioritizes and shares this information with appropriate audiences.
11. Provides technical assistance through a combination of webinars, face-to-face trainings, and onsite monitoring visits to assure successful grant applications, reporting, compliance, deliverables, and outcomes.
12. Prepares and administers budget, including grant budgets; prepares cost estimates for budget recommendations; submits justifications for budget items; monitors and controls expenditures. Serves as a liaison to provide information on available resources, programs, and/or services.
13. May supervise academic and/or administrative professionals, paraprofessionals, technical/support, and/or classified staff. May hire, evaluate, train, discipline and recommend dismissal of staff as necessary.
14. Positions in this classification may perform all or some of the responsibilities above and all position perform other related duties as assigned.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

Work is generally performed in an office environment, with frequent interruptions and irregularities in the work schedule. Frequent reaching, sitting, walking, and standing may be required. No special coordination beyond that used for normal mobility and handling of everyday objects and materials is needed to perform the job. Frequent travel requires ability to drive and possession of current Driver License.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in administration, adult education, organizational development, or related field.  Five years of management experience, or complex program management/program coordination experience related to educational pathways and/or workforce development.  Must have a valid driver’s license for operation of a motor vehicle in Oregon and possess an acceptable driving record.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of systemic change and collaboration;
• Principles and practices of communities of practice and facilitation;
• Project management principles and practices;
• Grant/contract development and administration;
• Budget administration principles and fiscal policies;
• Federal and state postsecondary education and workforce policy;
• Reporting of data and outcomes;
• Public relations marketing, and strategic planning principles;
• Principles of data analysis;
• Group dynamics and problem-solving principles;
• Awareness of workforce and employment needs throughout Oregon;
• Understanding of workforce development system structure, procedures, practices, trends.

Skills in:

• Developing and maintaining web sites;
• Developing and implementing digital information services;
• Providing technical support;
• Communicating technical information to a non-technical audience;
• Managing databases;
• Working with diverse academic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds of community college students and staff;
• Utilizing computer technology used for communication, data gathering and reporting;
• Communicating effectively through oral and written mediums.

Ability to:

• Effectively present complex policy and practice information to multiple audiences;
• Facilitate productive meetings that result in peer learning and advancing collective progress toward goals;

• Work with diverse academic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds of community college students and staff;

• Establish and maintain enduring relationship across multiple organizations and sectors, advocate for resources while maintaining strong partnerships;

• Analyze data, as well as communicate data results with diverse stakeholder groups;
• Develop and oversee contracts including scope of work, outcomes, and budget;
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with other states, federal agencies, national organization, and related professional associations;
• Conduct environmental scans to identify promising practices;
• Negotiate and monitor multiple contracts and contract amendments;
• Manage multiple projects and priorities;
• Focus on outcomes and accountability;
• Write and edit reports, memos, and informational documents;
• Maintain effective records and documentation for grant contracts and deliverables.

Reviewed: 12/2018

• New: 7/2017