Leadership Advertisement

The Board of Trustees for the Seattle Colleges invites applications and nominations for the position of Chancellor. The board seeks an innovative leader who will bring knowledge of higher education issues, sound management principles, and collegiality to the position as the district’s chief executive officer.

The Chancellor reports to the Board of Trustees. The salary range is $232,493 to $321,062 annually.

With a budget of over $150 million, Seattle Colleges is organized into a unified academic enterprise serving metropolitan Seattle and surrounding communities. The district comprises Seattle Central College, North Seattle College, South Seattle College, five specialty centers, and the District Office. A richly diverse student population pursues study in more than 130 academic, workforce education, and training programs in eight areas of study leading to certificates and degrees. Seattle Colleges is the largest community college district in Washington state. The applicant will be expected to support the higher education needs of 35,000 to 45,000 students. They are guided by a dedicated, talented faculty and staff numbering 2,078. The colleges are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Seattle Colleges strives to be an anti-racist, anti-bias institution. The selected candidate will embrace the mission of Seattle Colleges: “As an open-access learning institution, Seattle Colleges prepares each student for success in life and work, fostering a diverse, engaged, and dynamic community.” Its values addressing accessibility; collaboration; diversity, inclusion, and equity; fiscal sustainability; growth and engagement; innovation; and integrity require a committed, energetic leadership presence. It will be critical for the new leader to address stability and growth for classroom engagement and restored campus-based learning in a unique post-pandemic environment.

CHARACTERISTICS

As the leading champion and voice of Seattle Colleges, the next Chancellor will be a genuine, inspirational, collaborative, and transparent communicator. The Chancellor must be a bold, forward-thinking servant leader. The selected candidate also will be a thoughtful, entrepreneurial administrator, exhibiting collaborative skills and the ability to unify constituencies to advance the Seattle Colleges collectively and individually. The Chancellor will be committed fully to delivering exceptional learning opportunities and educational services. Additional and necessary attributes include the following:

• Students-first focus and priority in all areas of student life, support, success, and wellness;
• Success in clearly addressing justice, diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in policies, procedures, and practices;
• Experience with fiscal management, revenue diversification, creative allocation, and resource generation, including fundraising;
• Knowledge of enrollment management strategies with creative views to support growth, access, retention, and success;
• Approachable, innovative, and empowering style for students and faculty/staff alike, valuing the tenets of shared governance;
• Background in and appreciation for a union environment, labor, and the collective bargaining process;
• Capacity to attract, supervise, and develop an outstanding diverse leadership team and administrative staff;
• Team thinker, team builder, and team player, inspiring trust, credibility, and confidence with stakeholders;
• Strategic planning experience and commitment to the current strategic plan and the Board of Trustees’ vision, mission, goals, values, and policies;
• Ability to establish and enhance collaborations and partnerships with stakeholder groups, including the state legislature; city, county, and tribal leaders; K-12 and statewide institutions of higher education; business; and industry;
• Competence in the broad higher education technology ecosystem;
• High emotional intelligence with strong spoken, written, listening, and interpersonal skills and an open-door, open-mind style;
• Capacity to manage dynamics and decision-making demands of a big, complex organization in an urban setting;
• Documented experience across the mission areas of comprehensive community colleges:  career and technical education, liberal arts transfer programs, adult and continuing education, and workforce development;
• Higher education management experience (required) teaching in higher education (preferred); and
• Earned doctorate or terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education (not required but preferred).

NOMINATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

The Board of Trustees and Chancellor Search Committee will identify a candidate who embraces the power of continuity with change and fosters a culture of community throughout the Seattle Colleges. For best consideration, nominations and applications should be received by May 26, 2023. The application must include a letter of interest addressing the characteristics described (not more than three pages); a current résumé (or curriculum vitae); and the names of five professional references with each person's position, office or home address, e-mail address, and telephone numbers. References will not be contacted without prior authorization. Nominations and applications should be sent electronically (MS Word or PDF format) to seattlecollegeschancellor@agbsearch.com. Seattle Colleges anticipates welcoming the new chancellor by or before September 2023.

The search is being assisted by James McCormick and Janice Fitzgerald, Senior Executive Search Consultants, AGB Search, jim.mccormick@agbsearch.com, 651-238-5188, janice.fitzgerald@agbsearch.com, 717-580-0663. Additional information may be found at Active Searches | AGB Search.

Seattle Colleges is charged with adopting and implementing the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges Vision Statement: Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice in service to our diverse communities.

Seattle Colleges is committed to the concept and practice of equal opportunity for all its students, employees, and applicants in education, employment, services and contracts, and does not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity, color, age, national origin, religion, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, veteran or disabled veteran status, political affiliation or belief, citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States, or presence of any physical, sensory, or mental disability.