Associate Vice President of Strategy at College of Southern Maryland in La Plata, Maryland

Job Description:

Position SummaryLocated 45 minutes from the Nation's Capital, nestled in a history-rich community of southern Maryland, The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) has been twice named in the top 150 community colleges by the Aspen Institute with academic programs in over 100 disciplines. CSM is among America's top 100 producers of Minority associate degrees in twenty categories, according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education. CSM offers excellent health insurance benefits; State Retirement Pension plan; wellness programs; Code Green early closure Fridays in the summer; college closure for spring break and several major holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year; and for several days in March for Spring Break. We are an innovative institution committed to student success and well known for our flexibility to meet student and community needs.




Reporting to the President, the Associate Vice President of Strategy at the College of Southern Maryland is a senior leader who is student-centered, forward-thinking, and impact oriented. The AVP is responsible for supporting the implementation of the strategic plan in support of the college's mission, vision, values and belonging statements, ensuring assessment, analysis, and continuous improvement throughout the execution of the plan. The position will serve as the champion and project manager of the plan, functioning as the connective tissue between the different strategic planning teams and other student success initiatives that advance the college's overarching goal to improve transfer and workforce outcomes. The AVP will engage faculty, staff, students, alumni and senior leadership to support the plan's successful execution and demands a highly collaborative, inclusive leader with expertise in project management, assessment, and reporting. The AVP must be capable of empowering teams to translate goals and milestones into actionable strategies, thereby enhancing the college's academic quality and operational efficiency.



The position plays an essential role in mobilizing the college's student success agenda by coordinating cross-institutional initiatives and serving as a thought partner and liaison between the PRE Office, Planning, Institutional Effectiveness and Research Office (PIR), President's Cabinet, Information, Management and Technology Division, and various internal and external stakeholders. In this work, the position requires a high level of discretion, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to manage complex projects and processes.



Reports to: President



The College of Southern Maryland conducts background checks in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the College's staff and students. The final candidate for this position will be subject to the following background checks: Criminal History Check and Sex Offender Registry Check.



This position is open until filled. The College of Southern Maryland is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Specific Duties and Responsibilities50% Leadership, Strategic Planning and Execution:

• Collaborate with leadership to assess, develop and implement strategies and initiatives in support of the college vision, mission, values and goals.


• Implement a comprehensive and inclusive methodology for shepherding the strategic plan in alignment with the college's mission and goals.


• Assist the President and President's Cabinet in developing, implementing and regularly assessing the goals and strategies of the strategic plan.


• Monitor progress on related institutional projects and ensure alignment with the college's strategic plan and goals.


• Facilitate a Strategic Planning Steering Committee to provide cross-collaboration guidance on the execution of the strategic plan.


• Work with appropriate councils and committees to ensure coordination of strategic initiatives across the institution in support of the college's strategic plan.


• Develops and maintains positive and effective working relationships across the college community to lead and support institutional initiatives, policies and procedures.


• Serve as a key leader of the Achieving the Dream collaboration, co-chairing the student success team.

20% Analytics and Data Management:

• Work closely with IMT and PIR on the analysis and dissemination of institutional data to support the strategic plan and decision-making processes.


• Work closely with IMT, PIR and Data Governance Team to develop advanced data analytics techniques to uncover insights and trends that drive institutional improvement.


• Work closely with IMT, PIR and Data Governance Team to ensure data integrity, accuracy, and security in all strategic planning processes.

10% Continuous Improvement:

• Foster a culture continuous improvement by promoting the use of assessment and analytics to enhance institutional performance.


• Identify opportunities for improvement and recommend strategies to address gaps that enhance institutional effectiveness.


• Work closely with the President and President's Cabinet to ensure alignment of the strategic plan with budgetary processes and resource allocation, and champion the use of data and analytics in planning decisions.

10 % Collaboration and Communication:

• Coordinate strategic planning retreats, summits, and other collaborative meetings to ensure internal and external stakeholder engagement throughout the plan's execution.


• Collaborate with academic and administrative leaders to integrate analytics and assessment into their planning activities.


• Work with marketing to develop a communications strategy that sustains momentum and shares key updates with internal and external stakeholders.


• Communicate findings and recommendations regularly and effectively to stakeholders, including senior leadership, faculty, staff, students, and external audiences with a culminating annual report.


• Provide support to college personnel on the use of data and assessment tools as it relates to their goals and strategies.


• Work collaboratively with academic and administrative leaders to identify data needs and deliver actionable insights.

10 % Innovation and Best Practices:

• Stay current with emerging trends and best practices in higher education and market research and identify areas for institutional growth.


• Represent the college in external forums to share the outcomes of the strategic plan and opportunities for further collaboration.


• Support initiatives to integrate new tools and technologies that enhance data capabilities and project implementation.

Additional Duties:

• Performs other related work as required.

Minimum Education and TrainingA Master's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Higher Education Administration, Educational Research, Business Management, Project Management, Data Science, etc.). A Doctorate is preferred. Minimum Qualifications and Standards Required

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in project management, data analytics, institutional research, and assessment in an educational setting.


• Proven leadership experience with a track record of developing and implementing organizational projects, including data strategies and assessment.


• Experience working with senior leaders and middle managers on execution of strategic initiatives.
  
  Licenses, Certifications, or Additional Requirements:


• Financial disclosure required.
  
  Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:


• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.


• Ability to think strategically and translate complex data into actionable insights.


• Demonstrated expertise in data management, statistical analysis, and the use of analytics tools and software.


• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of institutional analytics and assessment.


• Strong understanding of accreditation processes and standards.


• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.


• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
  
  PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
  
  The work is medium work which requires exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
  
  
  
  WORK ENVIRONMENT:
  
  · Office environment with occasional travel.
  
  · Availability to work outside regular business hours as needed.