Assistant Dean for Workforce Development - Adult and Continuing Education

Job ID: 32581

Location: LaGuardia Community College

Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Regular/Temporary: Regular

POSITION DETAILS

Founded in 1971 in Long Island City, Queens, LaGuardia Community College is one of seven community colleges of the City University of New York (CUNY). LaGuardia offers more than sixty associate degree programs and more than fifty workforce training, ESOL, GED, and pre-college programs. In 2023, LaGuardia served approximately 24,000 students. More than one-third of LaGuardia’s degree-seeking students are born outside the United States; they come from 136 countries and speak 43 heritage languages. Sixty percent are first-generation college students. 

Virtually all LaGuardia students are ethnic minorities (89 percent), 58 percent are women, 27 percent are over the age of 25. Forty-six percent of associate degree students are Hispanic. Upon graduation most students transfer to four-year colleges, typically in CUNY, to complete their baccalaureate degrees. Graduates of career programs such as Nursing, Computer Technology, and Veterinary Technology enter the workforce. LaGuardia ranked fifth among U.S. community colleges in economic mobility – moving low-income students into the middle class and beyond – in studies by Stanford University (2017) and the Brookings Institution (2020). Please visit www.laguardia.edu to learn more.

Reporting to the Vice President for Adult and Continuing Education (ACE), the Assistant Dean for Workforce Development serves as the senior administrative leader responsible for the strategic direction, operational management, fiscal oversight, resource development, and continued growth of LaGuardia Community College's workforce development enterprise.
As a key member of the ACE senior leadership team, the Assistant Dean provides executive leadership for tuition-based and grant-funded vocational training programs, contract training, incumbent worker upskilling, and industry partnerships that serve thousands of students, workers, and employers annually. The position is responsible for advancing the College's workforce mission by developing responsive, industry-aligned training pathways that promote economic mobility while addressing the workforce needs of employers throughout Queens and the NYC region.

A critical responsibility of this position is securing the financial resources necessary to grow the College's workforce development portfolio. Working closely with the Vice President, the Assistant Dean will identify, cultivate, and secure new funding opportunities from federal, state, city, corporate, philanthropic, and employer-based sources; develop competitive grant proposals; establish strategic funding partnerships; and expand revenue-generating workforce initiatives that advance both institutional priorities and community impact.

The Assistant Dean oversees a comprehensive portfolio of workforce programs spanning healthcare, construction, green jobs, technology, cybersecurity, safety training, and other high-demand occupations. The position will lead LaGuardia’s expansion into new sectors, including hospitality, culinary arts, gaming, transportation, logistics, and additional industries aligned with labor market demand.

The Assistant Dean provides leadership and supervision for approximately twenty-five full-time professional staff and oversees a complex portfolio of public and private funding sources, grants, contracts, and revenue-generating workforce initiatives. The position serves as a principal representative of the College with employers, government agencies, workforce development organizations, labor unions, community-based organizations, industry associations, philanthropic partners, and prospective funding organizations.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Initiate, lead, manage, and assess the non-degree vocational training programs of the Division of Adult and Continuing Education.
• Lead fundraising and resource development for workforce development programs and student support.
• Initiate and manage partnerships with employers and employer intermediaries, such as unions.
• Oversee financial planning, budget development and oversight, forecasting, financial reporting and compliance.
• Oversee program enrollment, marketing, and communications.
• Establish operational goals, performance metrics, accountability systems, and continuous improvement strategies to ensure student success and organizational effectiveness.
• Participate as a member of the ACE senior leadership team and contribute to divisional, institutional, and University-wide initiatives.
• Expand revenue-generating contract training, customized training, and workforce development initiatives that support both community impact and long-term financial sustainability.
• Ensure compliance with all contractual obligations, performance requirements, reporting standards, audit expectations, and funding agency regulations.
• Provide leadership and oversight for workforce programs supported through federal, state, local, philanthropic, and employer-based funding streams.
• Maintain expertise in workforce development policies and funding mechanisms, including the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Workforce Training Assistance Program (Workforce TAP), Workforce Pell, Perkins, and NYS DOL apprenticeship programs.
• Lead institutional efforts to expand Workforce Pell-eligible pathways and support implementation of Workforce Pell financial aid opportunities.
• Monitor workforce development policy, legislative priorities, labor market trends, and emerging funding opportunities to support strategic growth and innovation.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships with organizations including the NYC Department of Small Business Services, New York State Department of Labor, economic development agencies, labor unions, community-based organizations, industry leaders, trade associations, philanthropic organizations, and corporate partners.
• Provide leadership, supervision, coaching, mentoring, and performance management for workforce development directors, managers, and professional staff.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing, and student-centered organizational culture.

QUALIFICATIONS

This position is in CUNY's Executive Compensation Plan. All executive positions require a minimum of a Bachelor's degree and eight years' related experience.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master's degree.
• Ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience in workforce development, continuing education, higher education administration, economic development, public administration, or related fields.
• Demonstrated track record of fundraising success and partnership cultivation.
• Experience managing programs supported by federal, state, city, corporate, philanthropic, and/or employer-based sources.
• Knowledge of workforce development systems, including WIOA, Workforce TAP, Workforce Pell initiatives, apprenticeship models, employer engagement strategies, labor market intelligence, and public workforce funding streams.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, organizational, fiscal management, grant writing, fundraising, and relationship-building skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission of LaGuardia Community College and advancing educational opportunity, workforce development, and economic mobility for the residents of Queens and New York City.
• Experience supporting large-scale federally funded workforce, education, or economic development initiatives and working collaboratively with executive leadership to advance strategic institutional priorities.

Demonstrated ability to lead effectively within a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment while managing multiple priorities and complex stakeholder relationships.
Knowledge of NYC labor market, key industries and employers, labor market conditions and trends.

CUNY TITLE

Assistant Dean

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

$75,710 - $166,976

Salary commensurate with education and experience.

CUNY's benefits contribute significantly to total compensation, supporting health and wellness, financial well-being, and professional development. We offer a range of health plans, competitive retirement/pension benefits and savings plans, tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study and generous paid time off. Our staff also benefits from the extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on our campuses and the opportunity to participate in a lively, diverse academic community in one of the greatest cities in the world.

HOW TO APPLY

Visit www.cuny.edu, access the employment page, log in or create a new user account, and search for this vacancy using the Job ID or Title. Select "Apply Now" and provide the requested information. 

Candidates must attach a resume, cover letter, and three professional references (name, title, organization, and contact information).

CLOSING DATE

September 9th, 2026 (Extended)

JOB SEARCH CATEGORY

CUNY Job Posting: Executive

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CUNY encourages people with disabilities, minorities, veterans and women to apply. At CUNY, Italian Americans are also included among our protected groups. Applicants and employees will not be discriminated against on the basis of any legally protected category, including sexual orientation or gender identity. EEO/AA/Vet/Disability Employer.