Vice President of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations
Northern Essex Community College

Job Info

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Category:: Executive
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Department:: Lawrence Campus - 4002
Locations:: Lawrence, MA
Posted:: Oct 23, 2024
Closes:: Open Until Filled
Type:: Full-time
Ref. No.:: 316828
Position ID:: 182375

Job Description:

POSITION: Full-Time Vice President of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations (Vice President): Lawrence Campus and Community Relations; Lawrence Campus (45 Franklin Street); 37.5 hours per week, Non-Unit Professional Position

SUMMARY: Reporting to the President, and in close collaboration with other college leaders, the Lawrence Campus and Community Relations Council, and the Lawrence Partnership, the Vice President of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations (VP LCCR) plays a crucial role in fostering student success, cultivating a vibrant campus community, and developing strong strategic partnerships.

Northern Essex Community College (NECC) has two campuses, a self-contained, suburban campus in a pastoral setting in Haverhill, and an urban campus with unique needs distributed among businesses and residences in downtown Lawrence. Through planned construction, renovation, and collaboration, the college's Lawrence campus has grown considerably over the past decade, and is now adjusting to new, post-COVID patterns of enrollment and in-person, remote, and hybrid course and support service offerings.

NECC is New England's first federally recognized Hispanic Serving Institution. Half of our students are Hispanic, largely from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, as well as Cuba, Mexico, and countries in Central and South America. The City of Lawrence is a "Gateway City" in Massachusetts, a post-industrial city with tremendous infrastructure, history and culture, home today to a large immigrant population that is more than 80% Hispanic.

The Vice President will be an accomplished leader who speaks fluent Spanish and has extensive experience in education and/or community development. This role requires someone with excellent communication and project management skills, collaborative ability, an entrepreneurial mindset, and a pragmatic approach to improving student success outcomes.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Student Success:

Like many Gateway Cities in Massachusetts, the City of Lawrence has lower than average family incomes and rates of educational attainment. The Vice President of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations will be an effective leader, convener, and collaborator with people, organizations, funding partners, government agencies, and others both on- and off-campus, driving improved educational and economic outcomes.

A Vibrant Campus Community:

In collaboration with other college leaders and the Lawrence Campus and Community Relations Council, the Vice President of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations will ensure a safe, inclusive campus environment that makes effective, efficient use of resources, and supports student engagement and success.

Immigrant Support Services and International Relations:

Lawrence, Massachusetts has been known since its founding as the "Immigrant City," and to this day has a large proportion of foreign-born and second-generation residents. NECC is home to the award winning "PIES Latinos de NECC," a collaboration to improve the process of validating foreign-earned educational credentials. The college also provides a considerable range of ESL and ESOL programming, and maintains several strategic partnerships with colleges, universities, and other organizations in other countries, especially in the Dominican Republic, where we also arrange for an annual "cultural immersion trip" for college faculty and staff. The Vice President of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations will be a culturally competent leader capable of building on these programs and accomplishments with the goal of increased educational attainment and improved economic vitality in the city.

Policy Development and Advocacy:

NECC has played a leading role in the creation of important statewide student success policies, programs, and legislation, including the creation of the Massachusetts community college SUCCESS program; passage of the recent Tuition Equity bill extending in-state tuition and financial aid to qualified undocumented students; higher education policy reforms and new program opportunities for police education and training; improvements in policies supporting FAFSA completion, and more. The Vice President of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations will work with the President, other college leaders, and community partners to actively engage in advocacy efforts to shape policies and programs that improve student success, with a particular emphasis on the integration and well-being of immigrants and refugees.

Other Duties:

The Vice President of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations will:

• Serve as a member of the President's Executive Team and provide leadership, expertise, and collaboration in support of the college's strategic goals and initiatives.
• Plan, develop and administer the annual budget for the Office of Lawrence Campus and Community Relations.
• Participate in Cabinet and other senior leadership meetings and provide information, counsel or recommendations as appropriate.
• Lead or participate in college and/or statewide committees, initiatives, teams or ad hoc groups and be accountable for timely completion of assignments.
• Collaborate with executive leadership to define the organization's long-term mission and goals and identify ways to support the mission through talent management and employee engagement strategies.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the President or their designee.

Requirements:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• A bachelor's degree.
• At least seven years of progressively responsible leadership experience.
• Fluency in both English and Spanish.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.
• Experience in planning and implementing key strategic initiatives in a complex organization.
• Ability to exercise a considerable degree of independent judgment and action.
• Well organized, flexible, and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Advanced degree.
• Higher education experience.
• Experience managing in a collective bargaining environment.
• Experience with international program coordination and/or partnership development.

**Please note: This is a full-time, in person position, with an office on Northern Essex Community College's Lawrence campus. While the college offers some limited remote work opportunity, regular campus presence is expected for this visible, vital leadership role.

BACKGROUND CHECK: Candidates will be required to pass a CORI and SORI check as a condition of employment.

Additional Information:

SALARY: Anticipated starting salary commensurate with experience with complete fringe benefit package including competitive health insurance, dental insurance, basic life insurance, long-term disability insurance, paid sick, vacation and personal leave, educational benefits for employee/spouse/dependents, and excellent retirement benefits.

ANTICIPATED START DATE: ASAP

Application Instructions:

TO APPLY: To be considered for this position click on the "Apply Now" button, you will be prompted to set up a new account or login to an existing account. You will be able to upload the following required documents for consideration:

• Cover Letter, describing your qualifications and/or how you may be best suited for the role
• Resume/CV

Review of applications will begin on November 12th and will continue until the position is filled.

**Please note that finalist candidates will be asked to provide contact information for three (3) professional references, including current supervisor (or at least two previous supervisors)

DEADLINE: Open until filled

Northern Essex Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statues and college policies. The College prohibits sexual harassment, including sexual violence. Inquiries or complaints concerning discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or sexual violence shall be referred to the College's Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Coordinator, Elizabete Trelegan (Assistant Director of Human Resources, B-219,978-556-3928/ etrelegan@necc.mass.edu), the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission or the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. Northern Essex Community College will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

Prospective employees are encouraged to review the College's Annual Security Report (ASR), in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, which can be found on the disclosure page of the College's website at: http://www.necc.mass.edu/clery

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