"Director for Upward Bound"

Description

Join the CBC team and help us transform students’ lives!

CBC is committed to our vision to be the educational home that transforms students' lives through economic and social mobility. We are one of eight Hispanic-Serving Institutions in Washington state with Hispanic students representing just under half of our student population. As such, CBC is committed to discovering and enacting innovative ways to intentionally serve Hispanic students while serving all. We center equity in all that we do and seek to attract and retain engaged individuals committed to helping all students be successful in accomplishing their goals.

CBC places a high value on the ability to communicate effectively across cultures, to implement culturally responsive teaching strategies, and model intercultural empathy. Experience in serving Hispanic students is not merely a preference — it is valued at Columbia Basin College. Advanced intercultural knowledge and skills among our faculty is essential to the success of our students and our institution as a whole.

El CBC está comprometido con nuestra visión de ser el hogar educativo que transforma las vidas de los estudiantes a través de la movilización económica y social. Somos una de ocho Instituciones al Servicio de los hispanos en el estado de Washington y los estudiantes hispanos representan un poco menos de la mitad de nuestra población estudiantil. Como tal, CBC se compromete a descubrir y crear formas innovadoras para servir intencionalmente a los estudiantes hispanos, mientras que al mismo tiempo sirve a todos los demás. Nos enfocamos en la equidad en todo lo que hacemos y buscamos atraer y retener individuos que se comprometan en ayudar a todos los estudiantes a tener éxito en el logro de sus metas.

El CBC le da un enorme valor a la habilidad de comunicarse efectivamente a través de culturas, para implementar estrategias de enseñanza culturalmente responsivas, y modelar empatía intercultural. La experiencia en servir a los estudiantes hispanos no es simplemente una preferencia, sino que es algo que se valora en el Columbia Basin College. El conocimiento y las aptitudes interculturales avanzadas entre nuestros profesores son esenciales para el éxito de nuestros estudiantes y de nuestra institución en su totalidad.

Find out more about our diverse and vibrant community! Visit Tri-Cities Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Benton-Franklin Trends

Here’s how you will support our mission
The Director for Upward Bound (UB) plays a crucial role in supporting the mission, vision, and values of Columbia Basin College. By managing the UB grant, supervising staff, authorizing expenditures, and accomplishing program objectives, the Director ensures that low-income, first-generation high school students successfully pursue post-secondary education and graduate, aligning with the college's mission of inspiring and supporting students in an environment of academic excellence. The Director's work contributes to the college's vision of transforming lives through economic and social mobility and strengthening communities. Developing policies, conducting annual reports, and monitoring the budget reflect a commitment to a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.

This position reports to the Vice President for Student Services.

The salary range for this position is $68,079-$75,253.

This position is receiving applications until January 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST. The College will conduct initial interviews with selected candidates via Zoom and will conduct on-campus interviews with finalists.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, direction, coordination and budget development for the Upward Bound program;
• Develop, manage, implement and evaluate overall program plans, policies and procedures consistent with federal and institutional guidelines;
• Recruit, select, train, direct and evaluate full-time program staff and summer part-time instructors and staff;
• Develop and administer operational budget according to federal and institutional policies, authorizing all expenditures;
• Prepare status, fiscal and technical reports for CBC and required annual performance reports for the Department of Education;
• Recruit, screen and select program participants in cooperation with full-time staff and assigned schools;
• Conduct regular meetings with full-time staff to ensure compliance with program regulations and objectives;
• Develop the Upward Bound grant proposal in accordance with the Department of Education requirements;
• Establish and maintain contacts with community agencies to ensure networking, community support, awareness of our program, and access to services for UB students/families;
• Attend National and Regional training on Legislation and Regulation requirements of this federal grant;
• Have knowledge of financial guidelines under federal regulations which govern Upward Bound under allowable and unallowable costs; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Education, Education Administration, Educational Guidance, Counseling, Public Administration or other related field from an institutionally accredited college or university;
• One (1) year of experience in designing, managing, or implementing Upward Bound or similar Federal grant projects;
• Progressively responsible admin/programmatic experience providing academic support services;
• Knowledge of program administration, personnel management, fiscal accountability, budgeting, report writing, and project evaluation; and
• Sensitivity and experience working with low-income, potential first-generation, and ethnically diverse high school students;

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Education, Education Administration, Educational Guidance, Counseling, Public Administration or other related field from an institutionally accredited college or university;
• Three (3) years of experience in designing, managing, or implementing Upward Bound or similar Federal grant projects;
• Experience in Upward Bound/TRIO-like programs in a high school or higher education environment; and
• Bilingual in Spanish and English.

Competencies:

Project Management: Manage projects by focusing attention on key priorities; evaluate approaches, determine feasibility, and adjust plan as needed; develop plans, coordinate projects and teams; communicate changes and progress; complete projects on time and on budget; perform well without direct supervision; do complex work independently; follow tasks through to completion;

Quality Management: Set clear quality requirements; measure key outcomes; improve processes, products, and services;

Leadership: Lead through influence, rather than authority, and take ownership and accountability for the area of responsibility and decisions made; demonstrate confidence within area of expertise – promote a cooperative work environment; ability to appropriately apply leadership techniques to motivate, develop and guide employees;

Conceptual Thinking: Have the ability to understand a situation or problem by identifying patterns or connections, and addressing key underlying issues; use past professional or technical training and experience, creativity, inductive reasoning, and intuitive processes to find potential solutions or valuable alternatives that may not be obviously related or easily identified; think “outside the box”;

Student Centered: Attention, interest, activities and efforts are centered upon the best interest of students; create and support an environment that enables learners to achieve their personal, academic, and professional goals; provide courteous and helpful responses to all customers, whether they be students, general public or employees from another department;

Accountability: Accountable for own actions, decisions, errors, mistakes and/or failures to act when appropriate; accept responsibility when given, understand what duties employee is responsible for and can be counted upon to carry out those responsibilities;

“Shared Commitments”/Teamwork: Demonstrate a willingness to work with, and help others in completing job assignments, the ability to accept constructive criticism, and to cooperate with fellow employees and supervisors; demonstrate alignment with the "Shared Commitments" culture, (e.g., treat each other with dignity and respect, hold each other accountable, celebrate each person’s contributions); and

Support for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Reflecting CBC’s mission, vision and values, support initiatives that expand the human qualities that differentiate our workplace and educational setting. Demonstrate and advocate an understanding of differences, open mindedness, compassion, sensitivity and interest in differing viewpoints given the diverse population and show a deep commitment to the involvement of colleagues, students and community members to student experience and success honoring freedom of expression as fundamental to personal, professional and organizational growth.

Terms of Employment

Columbia Basin College is unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of employment visas (e.g., H-1B) at this time. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer without sponsorship.

This is a twelve (12) month per year, full-time, overtime exempt position. The standard work hours will be Monday through Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; however, work hours may vary due to work demands and some evening and weekend work may be required.

CBC offers excellent medical/dental insurance, life insurance, long-term disability, paid leave, retirement plans, and a variety of benefit options. Please view the “Benefits” tab for comprehensive benefits information.

Successful candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Provide proof of lawful permanent residency or other appropriate work authorization as required by the Immigration Reform Control Act of 1986.
• Disclose any substantiated findings or any ongoing investigations related to sexual misconduct as required by RCW28B.112.080.
• Pass a criminal background check. Note: information learned during the criminal background check will not necessarily preclude employment but may be a factor in eligibility for the position.
• Verify education at the time of hire.
• Maintain an alcohol-free and drug-free workplace during employment.

Other Job Elements

The working conditions listed below represent those that must be met by an incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with qualified disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, bend, kneel, stoop, communicate, reach and manipulate objects. The position requires mobility including having the ability to move materials on a regular basis such as files, books, office equipment, etc. and travel between buildings on campus. Manual dexterity and coordination are required to operate equipment such as computer keyboard, calculator, and standard office equipment. Occasional need for travel.

Work Conditions

Work environment includes office and other settings as appropriate. The noise level in the work area is typical of most office environments with telephones, personal interruptions, and background noises.

If you have questions or need assistance during the application or search process, please contact the recruiter for this position, Cris Salazar Headley, at csalazarheadley@columbiabasin.edu or (509) 542-4833.