Dean and Chief Executive Officer
Dean and Chief Executive Officer
Position Description
Great Falls College-Montana State University
Campus Profile: Great Falls College MSU is a comprehensive two-year college located on a beautiful 20-acre campus serving the educational and workforce needs of Cascade County and Northcentral Montana. Accredited by the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities, Great Falls College MSU is part of the Montana University System and one of the four campuses affiliated with Montana State University (MSU).
As a comprehensive two-year college, Great Falls College MSU offers credit and non-credit workforce and community enrichment, customized training, and contract courses. The college constantly evaluates its educational offerings to provide challenging, high-demand programs leading to Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees and terminal Associate of Applied Science degrees. One-year certificates and professional certifications are also offered.
Currently, Great Falls College MSU academic offerings include courses and programs in health sciences, trades, computer technology and accounting, with a robust offering of online classes and programs. Many students take advantage of transfer opportunities and, in collaboration with local k-12 institutions, the college offers dual enrollment courses to high school students.
The core values of Great Falls College MSU are:
• Quality education
• Student-centeredness
• Responsiveness to community and industry needs
With approximately 130 FTE faculty and staff, Great Falls College MSU, serves over 1,000 students a year in the heart of Montana. The college has three state-of-the-art science labs, a simulated hospital, an expansive library and resource center, and an Industrial Trades building. An 11,000-square-foot addition to Great Falls College MSU’s dental clinic will provide dental hygiene and dental assisting students, patients, faculty and staff with a state-of-the-art space that also will allow the only dental hygiene program in the state to admit 25 students each year.
Great Falls College MSU works with community partners to provide early learning opportunities for children of students and the community through a preschool learning center. A one-stop Student Central area and a remodeled bookstore further enhances support to students.
MSU Northern, another accredited campus affiliated with Montana State University, has established a satellite campus located at Great Falls College MSU, offering four-year and graduate degrees. Working together, both campuses strengthen the academic offerings in the region. MSU Northern and Great Falls College MSU have a reputation for high-quality educational programming delivered with a student-centered philosophy.
With easy access to outstanding outdoor opportunities, including the 60-mile River’s Edge Trail on the Missouri River, the city of Great Falls is the county seat of Cascade County in Northcentral Montana.
Position Priorities. The Dean & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for providing effective leadership for all aspects of the operation of the Great Falls College MSU and the promotion of the academic excellence of higher education programs on campus.
The Dean & CEO exercises broad responsibilities for all aspects of the academic, financial, student and administrative dimensions of institutional operations, initiatives, and outcomes. Major priorities for the next Dean & CEO include:
- Strengthening enrollment, retention, and timely completion in all areas of operation, including transfer, dual enrollment, and workforce training programs;
- Engaging in sound fiscal management of the institution, leading the planning, assessment, and budgeting processes with an eye toward operational efficiency, developing new revenue streams, and establishing rational, clear methods for prioritizing the most essential academic and administrative programs;
- Maintaining an open, collaborative, community-oriented leadership style that takes into consideration different constituent groups to set priorities, allocate resources, and address critical infrastructure and facility needs;
- Enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusivity throughout Great Falls College MSU;
- Building upon already strong ties with business and industry leaders and expanding the role of Great Falls College MSU as a primary driver of workforce and economic development in Northcentral Montana;
- Prioritizing meaningful collaboration with other entities in the Montana State University affiliation, particularly other two-year institutions and nearby Montana State University Northern;
- Expanding collaboration and engagement with Great Falls Public Schools and other regional school districts to develop new K-12 partnerships and dual enrollment opportunities;
- Building new resources for Great Falls College MSU through fundraising, public/private partnerships, and other entrepreneurial programs;
- Representing Great Falls College MSU on a variety of community, regional and state committees/task forces; and
- Achieving institutional accreditation goals and meeting expectations of the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Qualifications for the Position. Great Falls College MSU seeks an effective Dean & Chief Executive Officer with unquestioned integrity and the right balance between academic and management skill sets, who thinks strategically, leads collaboratively, and who:
- Possesses an earned doctorate from an accredited institution of higher education and/or other leadership credentials that engender the trust of faculty, staff, and students on campus, as well as business, civic and educational leaders in the Great Falls community;
- Has an outstanding record of leadership, preferably within the context of two-year education, which could potentially come from any part of academia, industry, or both;
- Effectively demonstrates a vision, leadership style, and personal approach that fits with the Great Falls College MSU mission, its current strengths and emerging potential; communicates a genuine commitment to the long-term development of the College, the Great Falls region, and the state of Montana;
- Collaborates in a shared governance setting with faculty, staff, students and community leaders to develop and articulate the vision of Great Falls College MSU;
- Has familiarity with and respect for labor management and collective bargaining matters;
- Demonstrates a level of emotional intelligence, supported by strong communication skills and the ability to promote a welcoming and inclusive environment.
- Commits to promoting academic excellence that leads to student success; including familiarity with opportunities, challenges, and strategies relevant to institutions with a significant non-traditional student body population;
- Understands current and emerging national trends in higher education, especially those related to enrollment, completion, workforce training, and models for supporting non-traditional students;
- Proactively drives diversity, equity, and inclusivity throughout the institution, with a track record of recruiting, supporting, and retaining diverse students and employees in all areas of the institution;
- Ensures the use of appropriate data to develop, analyze, evaluate, and report out key measurements; and,
- Demonstrates a desire to excel as a team player and leader within the Montana State University and Montana University System communities, with previous experience leading as part of a university system an added plus.
How to Apply or to Nominate a Candidate
Application materials should include a letter addressing how the candidate’s experiences match the position requirements, a curriculum vitae or resume and five references. Submission of materials as PDF attachments is strongly encouraged. APPLY THROUGH THIS POSTING TO EMAIL RESUME. Application materials should be directed to:
Deadline for priority consideration is February 26, 2021 however the position will remain open until filled.
GFC MSU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and invites applications from Women, Minorities, Veterans and Persons with Disabilities, as well as other qualified individuals.