What are the responsibilities and job description for the Academic Dean position at Red Rocks Community College?

Salary : $99,979.00 - $125,775.00 Annually

Location : Lakewood, CO

Job Type : Administrator / Professional-Technical Full-Time

Job Number : 00856

Division : Academic Affairs and Workforce Innovation

Opening Date : 02 / 10 / 2025

Closing Date : 3 / 9 / 2025 11 : 59 PM Mountain

To Apply : Submit a resume and cover letter addressing the job announcement.

FLSA Status : Exempt

Red Rocks Community College exemplifies extraordinary. We are dedicated to our , which promote student achievement, staff empowerment, and community engagement. We live our values : Integrity, Collaboration, Learning, Inclusiveness, and Communication.

RRCC seeks applicants who understand and have first-hand experience working with diverse populations, which may include but are not limited to, historically marginalized populations such as people of color, LGBTQ community members, veterans, first generation graduates, and people with disabilities.

Summary of Position

The Academic Dean at Red Rocks Community College provides visionary leadership and strategic direction for assigned academic programs and services across all campuses and Concurrent Enrollment locations. This role encompasses faculty and staff leadership, collaborating and leading curriculum development, and ensuring academic excellence while aligning with RRCC's mission, vision, and strategic goals. The Academic Dean fosters partnerships with industry, community, and educational organizations to enhance student success through internships, clinicals, practicums, apprenticeships, and job placement. In addition, the Academic Dean is responsible for budget oversight, accreditation compliance, program evaluations, and fostering a student-centered learning environment. This position requires active participation in divisional leadership and faculty, cross-campus collaboration, and engagement with internal and external stakeholders to support the growth and development of academic programs.

The Academic Dean will work closely with faculty, staff, and college leadership to close equity gaps and positively impact student outcomes. This includes developing and implementing strategies to focus on improving performance metrics and addressing disparities in student achievement. The Dean will use data to identify areas for improvement and collaborate with stakeholders to create an inclusive, student-centered learning environment that drives success for all students and fosters a culture of belonging.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to :

Lead and advocate for academic programs and services, ensuring alignment with the College's mission and strategic objectives.
Oversee curriculum development, accreditation, and continuous improvement of academic programs.
Supervise and mentor faculty and staff, providing professional development and ensuring a supportive work environment.
Manage budgets, analyze data, and make data-driven decisions to improve program effectiveness and resource allocation.
Build and maintain internal and external partnerships to enhance student success and community engagement.
Collaborate with other College departments to support student success and operational efficiency.

Required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Communication - Expresses information to individuals or groups effectively considering the audience and nature of the information, makes clear and convincing oral presentations, listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately. Understands and interprets written material including technical material, rules, regulations, instructions, reports, charts, graphs, and tables, and applies what is learned to specific situations. Uses effective oral communication skills and communicates information in an understandable and organized manner. Produces effective written information which may include technical material that is appropriate for the intended audience.

Self-Management - Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals, displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing work in a timely manner. Works with minimal supervision, is motivated to achieve, and demonstrates responsible behavior.

Interpersonal Skills - Exceptional interpersonal and communications skills with the ability to interact effectively with diverse colleagues. EQ must match IQ and recognize that soft skills are as critical as hard skills in leading a dynamic team and working across the organization. Positive, humble, and an inviting demeanor that puts others at ease.

Problem Solving and Reasoning - Identifies problems, determines accuracy and relevance of information, relies on data, and uses sound judgment to generate and evaluate alternatives and to make recommendations. Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information, analyzes information, and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.

Planning and Evaluating - Organizes work, sets priorities, determines resource requirements, determines short and long-term goals and strategies to achieve them, coordinates with other organizations or departments, monitors progress, and evaluates outcomes.

Teamwork - Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity, fosters commitment and team spirit, and works with others to achieve goals.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Has awareness of, embraces, promotes, and implements diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. A trusted leader whose empathy is demonstrated through inclusivity and service to others.

Conflict Management - Manages and resolves conflicts, grievances, disagreements in a constructive manner to minimize negative impact.

Integrity / Honesty - High degree of personal integrity, loyalty, courage, transparency, sound judgement in decision making, discretion with confidential and highly sensitive information and a record of putting the interests of the organization, its mission and vision, and its human resources first.

Urgency - Self-motivated and professionally driven with strong organizational skills combined with a sense of urgency.

Positivity - Demonstrated ability to work positively, partner collaboratively, manage change, resolve conflicts, and build consensus.

Evidence of a collegial and participatory style of approach to shared governance. Listens and acts appropriately to concerns, suggestions, and innovations communicated by faculty, instructors, and staff.

Evidence of ability to establish strong teams, achieve consensus and establish strong relationships with both internal and external constituencies.

Required Qualifications

Master's degree from an accredited institution.

Three years' teaching or training experience, and administrative or supervisory leadership experience.

Experience developing, managing, and evaluating employees.

Experience in budget preparation and management.

Preferred Qualifications

Demonstrated knowledge of issues and trends in higher education that affect budgets, policies, student services, tuition models, and instructional strategies.

Experience teaching in a postsecondary environment.

Experience integrating current technology to enhance productivity and facilitate learning.

Demonstrated success in curriculum and program development incorporating adult learning theory.

Experience maintaining compliance with governing boards and / or accreditation agencies.

Grant management experience.

Physical & Cognitive Demands

The following are some of the physical and cognitive demands commonly associated with this position.

Occasionally moves, positions, and transports files and office materials weighing up to 10 lbs.

This is largely a sedentary role. This position operates in an office environment and constantly uses a computer, and routinely uses standard office equipment including phones, copiers, etc.

The person in this position constantly communicates with internal and external constituents and students. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.

Cognitive demands include comparing, copying, computing, compiling, analyzing, coordinating, synthesizing, negotiating, communicating, instructing, and interpersonal skills.

May be required to work out of any RRCC campus location. Regular after-hours or weekend work required. Some occasional local, regional, and / or national travel may be required.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement

Red Rocks Community College provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process and / or during the course of employment, please contact Jennifer Matthews, Executive Director of Human Resources, at (303) 914-6298 or

Starting Salary

Starting salary range for this position is $99,979 - $125,775 annually, commensurate with education and experience. This is a full-time, FLSA-exempt position. This position has been exempted from the State Classified System.

To Apply

All applicants must submit :

Resume

Detailed letter of interest (cover letter) addressing the job announcement.

Candidates will be evaluated based on their qualifications as related to the duties and responsibilities of the position. Candidates may redact any personally identifiable information on their materials including but are not limited to age, date of birth, and dates of attendance and date of graduation for educational institutions. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

If you have questions regarding this position, please contact us at

Notice to all Applicants

Final candidate will be subject to successful completion of a background check, and, if applicable, a motor vehicle record review.

Former employees of the Colorado Community College System, or one of its 13 colleges, who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination, must disclose this information in their application material.

Final candidates are required to submit unofficial transcripts for non-instructional positions and official transcripts for instructional positions to Human Resources within thirty (30) days of hire.

Direct deposit of payroll is a condition of employment.

Red Rocks Community College participates in E-Verify.

Red Rocks Community College is a tobacco and smoke-free campus.

All RRCC employees, except student employees, contribute to at a fixed percentage of their earnings and do not contribute to Social Security.

Finalist must be willing to make Colorado their primary workplace.

RRCC / CCCS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Red Rocks Community College and Colorado Community College System believes when all human qualities are regarded with dignity and respect and when everyone has access to the individualized support they need, all will have the opportunity to thrive. In all aspects of the employment process, decisions are made based on merit, competence, performance and business need without regard to sex, gender, race, color, age, creed, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, familial status, veteran or military status, pregnancy status, marital status, religion, genetic information, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law. Our Accommodations and Non-Discrimination policies, plus other helpful information, can be found publicly at .

We also believe in going further. At RRCC we have a focus on equity and belonging. We strive to create a community in which everyone feels respected and valued for their unique talents and contributions, and where people from all backgrounds are able to achieve their goals. Red Rocks Community College acknowledges that inclusion and equity are multifaceted and complex concepts, and that our efforts in these areas will require innovation, intention, and an institutional commitment to these principles, across our entire college community.

Red Rocks Community College is an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). As we move toward full HSI status, we are focused on servingness and are committed to creating a learning environment where equity is expected and our Latinx students thrive.

For information regarding Red Rocks Community College Security, including Clery Act / Crime Statistics for the campuses and surrounding area, please see the .

At RRCC, we value and uphold a commitment to a workplace that focuses on employees. In addition to rewarding and meaningful work, we offer a comprehensive selection of benefits to support our employees, including :

Strong, flexible retirement benefits including 's Defined Benefit Plan or Defined Contribution Plan. RRCC contributes 21.61% of your salary on your behalf. Supplemental retirement plans including 401(k), 403(b) and 457 plans are also available.

Comprehensive including medical, dental, vision, life, and flexible savings benefits.

Employee assistance services such as counseling, professional coaching, financial planning, and more, are available to you and members of your household at no cost through the Colorado State Employee Assistance Program ().

Generous benefits including up to 15 hours of annual leave and 10 hours sick leave per month, 10 paid holidays per year, and up to 18 hours for academic and volunteer activities.

for employees and their eligible dependents at any community college within the Colorado Community College System or CCCOnline.

State employees are eligible to participate in which offers discounts for retailers and services and other benefits resources.

Employees may qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. Additional information about this program can be found on the website.

Do you have a master's degree from an accredited institution?

Do you have three years' teaching or training experience, and administrative or supervisory leadership experience?

Do you have experience developing, managing, and evaluating employees?

Do you have experience in budget preparation and management?

Required Question

Salary : $99,979 - $125,775

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