State Fair Community College is seeking to fill the position of President with an exemplary person who is dedicated to student success and strengthening the communities the college serves. The President will serve as Chief Executive Officer of SFCC and is responsible to a publicly elected Board of Trustees. The President is responsible for working closely with the Executive Leadership Team to ensure sound fiscal responsibility; create external and internal partnerships among stakeholders; establish and follow institutional policies approved by the Board of Trustees; and develop strategic and operating plans in support of SFCC’s mission, vision and values.
Opportunities and Challenges
The President has strategic and day-to-day operational responsibility for the College, and is the face and the voice of SFCC. The next President of State Fair Community College will be an inspirational, transparent, and visionary leader who is committed to building trust and addressing the following opportunities and challenges:
Academic Excellence and Enrollment
- Enrollment Strategy and Student Success: Assess and align college operations to implement strategies that increase enrollment, retention, and completion amidst a changing student landscape.
- Expand Academic and Workforce Opportunities: Ensure the continued quality and growth of academic and workforce offerings, curriculum, and pedagogy.
Community Engagement and Outreach
- Community Integration and Outreach: Integrate SFCC into the life of its communities, enhancing its image and reputation, and positioning it as a valuable resource for education, community, and economic development.
Economic, Community and Workforce Development
- Economic Development Alignment: Collaborate with local economic development leaders by aligning degree, certificate and workforce programs with in-demand jobs, ensuring the College supports the regional workforce needs.
- Community Support and Engagement: Understand the history and culture of the rural communities, mobilizing the College to support unemployed and underemployed individuals.
Resource Development
- Government Relationships: Advocate for increased and sustained funding from local, state, and federal entities.
- Institutional Financial Support: Increase funding through strategic partnerships, community outreach, grant sourcing, and innovative fundraising initiatives.
Shared Governance
- Shared Governance and Collaboration: Continue to foster SFCC’s active commitment to shared governance, culture of care, and a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere for all employees and students.
Marketing and Visibility
- Marketing: Actively and effectively promote the College and engage in community outreach to increase visibility and enhance SFCC’s reputation.
Characteristics and Skill Sets of the President
- Visionary Leadership: Have experience with guiding a college into the future with a learner-centered focus and clear strategic direction.
- Mission-Driven Advocate: Demonstrate a deep passion for the community college mission, advocating for learner-centered initiatives and addressing the unique challenges faced by disadvantaged populations throughout a large and rural service area.
- Effective and Transparent Communication: Exhibit excellent writing, listening, and oral communication skills, fostering consensus among internal and external stakeholders, and serving as the public face of the institution.
- Inclusive Governance: Value working with a shared governance model and serve as a transparent, equitable, and trustworthy leader, ensuring collaborative decision-making processes.
- Student Experience: Demonstrate a commitment to positive student experiences through student life and athletic programs with an emphasis on inclusivity and belonging.
- Strategic Enrollment Management: Implement effective strategies to increase enrollment and improve retention and completion rates.
- Financial Oversight: Demonstrate strong financial acumen with experience managing complex multi-year budgeting and understand challenges of an aging infrastructure.
- Resource Development: Build relationships to generate revenue from multiple sources through foundations, alumni, and fundraising initiatives.
- Human Resource Development: Cultivate high-quality organizational management and operational structures that recruit, retain, and develop talented employees. Actively encourage and promote employee engagement in community activities and organizations.
- Partnership Development: Create and strengthen strategic partnerships, working closely with business and industry partners to enhance economic impact. Work closely with K-12 school systems and regional higher education partners to build educational pathways for SFCC’s students.
- Innovative and Integrate Technology: Support innovative processes to align technology with the needs of students, employees, and programs to enhance college operations and the student experience.
- Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize data to inform and support strategic decisions with the senior administrative team, ensuring that choices are evidence-based and aligned with institutional goals.
- Board Relations: Understand the need for and value a strong relationship with a governing board.
- Visible and Engaged Leadership: Maintain a visible presence, regularly connecting with employees and students, demonstrating effective delegation skills, and cultivating a culture that boosts morale, productivity, efficiency, and satisfaction.
- Cultural Appreciation and Community Engagement: Value and appreciate the unique nature and culture of rural Appalachia, actively engaging with and supporting the local communities.
- Team-Focused: Be an authentic, approachable, and humble leader with high integrity who ensures all voices are heard and continuously fosters a collaborative work environment.
Minimum Qualifications
- An earned master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university is required; an earned doctorate is preferred.
- A minimum of four years of progressively responsible, senior-level, full-time administrative experience in higher education, an applicable institution, government agency, or industry is required. Experience at the level of president, chancellor, vice president, or equivalent is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the mission and role of public two-year institutions, particularly their role in community economic development, workforce development, and student success.
- Proven experience interpreting organizational needs, programs, and activities to employees, community organizations and agencies, area school systems, and legislative bodies, including providing training and services for business and industry.
- Demonstrated experience in budgeting, financial stewardship, resource allocation, and institutional planning.
- Proven ability to work effectively with a governing board, including transparent communication, policy implementation, and respect for collaborative leadership.
Educational Philosophy
- Demonstrated commitment to the community college mission of providing accessible, high-quality education.
- Commitment to the professional development and continuous improvement of faculty and staff.
- A student-centered approach that prioritizes learning, student development, measurable outcomes, and clear communication of student progress.
- Commitment to offering programs aligned with current and emerging workforce and industry needs.
- Demonstrated knowledge of academic transfer programs and the ability to collaborate effectively with four-year institutions.
- Demonstrated knowledge of career and technical education programs and the ability to partner with business and industry.
Personal Characteristics
- Demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of diverse community needs, including rural populations.
- Strong oral and written communication skills.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively as a team member with faculty, staff, students, community, and governing boards.
- Demonstrated leadership with strong decision-making, discernment, and accountability; combines a visionary, innovative, and collaborative approach with the ability to effectively lead and coordinate a complex organization.
- Ability to project a positive and professional public image for the institution.
- Proven record of integrity, ethical decision-making, and professionalism.
