The Dean of Workforce Pathways is an administrative position responsible for providing leadership and operational oversight to 14 workforce departments offering 27 AAS and BAS degrees that serve approximately 3200 credit seeking students annually (approximately 22 % of the total Highline College student population). The role aligns educational offerings with regional and state economic needs and is responsible for ensuring programs meet state and federal guidelines. The position is also…
responsible for writing and overseeing all state and federal workforce grants, year-end reporting, and lending the process to develop and write the bi-annual Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment.
The Dean for Workforce Pathways collaborates with the Dean of Workforce Partnerships & Extended Learning and the Associate Dean of Workforce Pathways in leading a team of seven workforce focused staff. The position supervises seven staff members including the Program Manager of Workforce Pathways, the Director of Nursing, the Program Manager for HOST, three faculty administrative assistants, and an Instruction and classroom support technician for the Nursing program. The position reports directly to the Vice President of Academic Affairs and works collaboratively within the department, across the college, and with external stakeholders.
This is a full-time exempt, at will position. Leadership & Planning
- Provide leadership and administrative oversight for the college's workforce programs to ensure consistency with current and future needs of the students, community, and industry partners;
- Collaborate with the Dean of Workforce Partnerships & Extended Learning and Associate Dean of Workforce Pathways on developing an annual strategic plan for the workforce department, ensuring the plan aligns with both the division's and the college's strategic planning priorities;
- Participate in Academic Affairs leadership groups and committees, college wide councils, and state, community, and workforce boards;
- Advocate for workforce faculty and students with Academic Affairs and Student Services leadership;
- Foster a culture of student-centered improvement.
Management & Operations
- Maintain compliance with federal, regional, and state guidelines for workforce programs including:
- Ensures that all faculty are appropriately certified and have developed professional improvement plans;
- Maintains effective advisory committees;
- Manages program revisions and new program development;
- Manages program review/program improvement processes;
- Assesses program level outcomes;
- Implements Comprehensive Local Needs Assessment;
- Provides oversight for all workforce related grants and funding allocations, and ensures they are strategically aligned with division and college priorities and managed to comply with all state and federal guidelines.
- Serve as key college liaison with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) regarding workforce programs, policy, and funding;
- Assure that workforce program curricula are updated regularly and recorded accurately in accordance with the college's current curriculum management processes and includes strategies for incorporating IBEST, work based learning, linked learning communities, and College Success strategies;
- Actively support program coordinators with the following:
- Manage advising loads for workforce faculty;
- Assist with external accreditation processes;
- Budget and equipment management;
- Review current industry needs to ensure curriculum remains relevant.
- Ensure workforce processes are clearly explained and readily accessible to workforce faculty;
- Collaborate with the Dean of Workforce Partnerships & Extended Learning and Director of Continuing Education to develop non-credit to credit pathways;
- Create predictable, student-centered instructional schedules;
- Collaborate with Dean of Workforce Partnerships & Extended Learning to convene regularly scheduled workforce pathways team meetings.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Master's degree; AND
- Two or more years of college-level experience teaching in a workforce program; AND
- Prior workforce administrative or leadership experience in a post-secondary institution. This may include experience as an administrator or as a program, department or division lead faculty member.
Desired Qualifications:
- Experience with college wide strategic planning and integrating workforce priorities into the college wide planning process;
- Budget and grant management experience, ideally workforce grant management;
- Ability to evaluate instructional activities (e.g. programs, courses, and projects);
- Experience coaching and mentoring faculty and other assigned personnel;
- Experience working collaboratively with local and regional workforce, educational and industry partners to develop and maintain innovative programs in response to changing economic needs;
- Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, faculty, staff and community partners.
Posting will remain open until filled. Priority consideration for applications received by April 12, 2026.
Posted: 13-Mar-26
Location: Highline College 2400 S 240th St Des Moines
Categories: Staff/Administrative
Internal Number: 5269087