Assistant Vice President for Workforce Innovation and External Relations

About the Office of Workforce Innovation and External Relations

The Office of Workforce Innovation and External Relations (OWIER) was launched by SUNY Oswego's President Peter O. Nwosu in the fall of 2023 to serve as a front door into SUNY Oswego for industry, nonprofit, public, private, and community partners to connect with institutional assets.

Partnerships formed through OWIER relationships generate economic and social benefits for the region that align with SUNY Oswego's priorities and vision and contribute to the long-term, sustainable vitality of the university and the Central New York region.

OWIER Pillars of Focus

Workforce Innovation and Upward Mobility

• Contribute to the economic development of the region while advancing SUNY Oswego's Vision 4040 and institutional priorities and goals.
• Connect industry needs and university resources by cultivating and sustaining strategic partnerships that lead to joint grant proposals and funded programs.
• Help inform the creation of non-credit and credit-bearing programs based on current and future high-demand industry trends.

Government and Legislative Affairs

• Lead institution-wide legislative affairs strategy.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for elected officials and their staff seeking connection to the university.
• Represent SUNY Oswego and contribute to county, regional, and state committees and boards.

Community-Serving High-Impact Programs and Resources

• Direct and coordinate the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Oswego County and leverage the experience of adults 55+ to strengthen community and foster civic engagement.
• Support the continued success and growth of community-serving programs such as the SUNY Oswego Hometown University Internship.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the university to support engagement with community partners and community-serving initiatives.

Posting Date: June 5, 2026

Review Date: Review of candidates will begin on June 8th, 2026, and the search will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start time is July 1st, 2026

Salary: $153,000-180,000, commensurate with experience, plus full New York State benefits package.

AVP Role and Responsibilities

The Assistant Vice President for Workforce Innovation and External Relations is a senior leader who reports directly to the President and serves as a member of SUNY Oswego's President's Cabinet and President's Council. AVP contributes to executive-level decision-making, institutional strategy, enrollment strategy, external engagement, and regional impact efforts.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Serve as a member of the President's Cabinet, President's Council, and other leadership groups as requested by the President, contributing to executive-level decision-making, institutional strategy, enrollment, and external engagement efforts.
• Direct institutional government relations strategy, serving as primary liaison to local, state, and federal stakeholders; influence policy, funding, and advocacy efforts that advance university and regional priorities.
• Build and lead cross-sector partnerships by aligning public, private, nonprofit, industry, and community organizations to support regional workforce strategy tied to SUNY Oswego and external partners' broader economic development efforts.
• Oversee operations, strategy, and a six-figure budget, including program design, stakeholder engagement, grant compliance, assessment, and execution across multi-county initiatives.
• Serve as Principal Investigator or senior institutional leader on SUNY Oswego grants managed by OWIER, and maintain compliance, coordination, communication, tracking, assessment, and reporting for assigned local, state, and federal grant-funded projects and awards.
• Partner closely with SUNY Oswego vice presidents, deans, faculty, SUNY Research Foundation Office of Research and Sponsored Programs staff, and industry and community members to apply for, secure, and maintain significant local, state, and federal grants.
• Represent SUNY Oswego on external advisory boards, councils, and committees to promote collaboration and communication with the external community.
• Serve as SUNY Oswego's liaison to SUNY System Administration's Office of Governmental and External Relations, coordinating advocacy, communications, and strategic engagement efforts.
• Serve as liaison to SUNY Oswego's University Council, coordinating communications, supporting council engagement and governance activities, and facilitating participation in the Association of College Trustees (ACT) and other SUNY-related council initiatives.
• Possess a comprehensive understanding of the institution's mission, goals, and existing resources and work collaboratively with relevant team members to envision and identify new opportunities that advance the institution and contribute to the common good.
• Maintain regular office presence at SUNY Oswego at Syracuse and SUNY Oswego's Office of Workforce Innovation and External Relations in Oswego to ensure impact in both Onondaga and Oswego counties.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• 10+ years of related professional experience.
• Successful track record of securing and managing state and/or federal grants.
• Highly adept at developing and maintaining close collaborative partnerships that lead to awarded grants and desired impacts.
• Demonstrated leadership skills focused on building relationships to accomplish organizational mission and goals.
• Excellent analytical, written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Comprehensive understanding of the current Central New York and New York State workforce market and emerging labor needs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field at the time of appointment.
• Demonstrated success leading workforce development and community-advancing initiatives in a public comprehensive university environment.
• Experience partnering with Marketing and Communications to align brand, messaging, and advertising with OWIER communication strategy.
• Evidence of effective cross-divisional collaboration with Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Administration and Finance, University Advancement, Research and Sponsored Programs, Extended Learning, Career Services, and Office of Experiential Learning to attract and secure dollars and other resources for the advancement of the university.
• Experience with government relations, legislative advocacy, public policy engagement, or public-sector partnership development.
• Demonstrated ability to steward grant-funded projects, budgets, assessment, compliance, and external reporting in a complex public institution.