President at Greenville Technical College in GVILLE, South Carolina

Job Description:

The Greenville Technical College Area Commission invites applications for the position of president of Greenville Technical College. 

The incoming leader will be the third president of Greenville Technical College and follow the tenure of Dr. Keith Miller, who has served at the helm of the college for 16 years.

About the College

Greenville Technical College (GTC) is recognized as a world-class learning institution where students from diverse backgrounds and life stages find flexible career and educational opportunities of the highest quality and value. By collaborating with community and business leaders, the college is a primary driver of economic growth through workforce development for the region.

As a multi-campus college and one of the largest public two-year colleges in South Carolina, GTC provides exceptional learning opportunities primarily to the residents of Greenville County. The college offers a variety of certificates, degrees, and continuing education courses for occupational advancement and workforce development. GTC also provides an array of services to accommodate academically under-prepared students seeking to enter a program of study. Upon completion of their educational goals, the overwhelming majority of GTC graduates are either employed in fields related to their programs of study or transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

GTC is currently executing its 2019 - 2024 Strategic Plan. It benefits from broad and productive partnerships and outstanding teaching and learning spaces to prepare the regions workforce. Innovative solutions for business and industry include GTCs Center for Manufacturing Innovation that prepares students for careers in advanced manufacturing. From that facility, GTC is the only two-year institution in South Carolina to offer a bachelors degree in manufacturing technology.  The college boasts a Culinary and Hospitality Center that creates a talent pipeline for the culinary and hospitality industries and recently opened the Prisma Health Center for Health & Life Sciences at the Barton Campus, producing well-qualified professionals to enter healthcare fields. A Center for Welding and Automation Excellence, expected to open at the Brashier Campus in 2026, will help meet the regional need for qualified welders. 

The Greenville Tech Foundation works to help students overcome financial hurdles so that they can succeed and graduate. Over the past eight years, the Foundation has raised over $25 million in cash, gifts, pledges, and planned giving opportunities.

In 2023-2024 Greenville Technical College had an annualized credit enrollment of 14,377 and continuing education enrollment of 9,751 students. GTC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees.  The education offered is both affordable and flexible with traditional and online learning options, flexible schedules, and classes offered at locations including high schools and career centers.

GTC is widely recognized for educational excellence. The college has been ranked #1 in South Carolina and #21 out of the top 200 online learning colleges in the nation.  In 2024, Greenville County Schools named Greenville Technical College its Partner of the Year.  In 2023, GTC received the prestigious Franklin Covey Greatness Award for the significant results with 4 Disciplines of Execution goal-setting system.  The college received the 2024 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine for the eighth time, demonstrating the colleges commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Greenville Tech has also been named a South Carolina Governors Quality Award Gold Achiever.

Location

Nestled against the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the heart of South Carolina's Upcountry, Greenville is situated about halfway between Charlotte, North Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia. Greenville's friendly, thriving downtown pulses with year-round celebrations, gatherings, and activities. Greenville County boasts 525,534 citizens, making it the most populous county in the state, and the city of Greenville is one of the fastest growing locations in the country. 

The Greenville-Spartanburg International airport is approximately 10 miles from the college, and the Asheville, NC airport is 41 miles away. 

Role of the President

The president reports to the 12-member Greenville Technical College Area Commission The commission consists of 12 voting members appointed by the Legislative Delegation with recommendations from the Greenville County Council. All members serve four-year terms with six of the seats designated by House District and six at-large members.

• The president will provide operational leadership for the college and commit to becoming a leader in the community and region that supports student goals and meets workforce needs. The college seeks a proven, future-focused, purposeful leader who is familiar with advancements in higher education and has experience in two-year colleges and with workforce development. The next president should have the ability to assess and plan for current and future student and workforce needs and to help the college grow in a way that is supportive of both students and college personnel. The next president will continue to advance Greenville Technical Colleges Mission, Values, Current Strategic Imperatives and Service Excellence Vision, as well as address the following opportunities and challenges:

College Engagement and Student Success

• Student Focus: Strategically elevate GTC so it continues to remain competitive in attracting and retaining diverse students. Support holistic, student-centered services that enhance onboarding, address student challenges, and connect students to good jobs. Provide educational opportunities to include dual enrollment, career education, transfer preparation, and continuing education to meet the needs of students and the workforce.
• Diversity: Provide leadership for GTC to create an inclusive learning environment that is supportive of a multicultural and socioeconomically diverse student body and that provides a place for students to belong, connect, and thrive.
• Work Environment: Foster a positive and collaborative work environment among faculty and staff, encourage new ideas and innovation, show interest in employee needs, and recognize their accomplishments and efforts.
• Visibility: Visit all campuses regularly and engage with students, faculty and staff. Be an active and engaged member of the community.

College Growth and Change

• Adapt Student Services and Programs: Respond to rapid community and regional growth by adapting and expanding services and academic programs to meet growing student enrollment, changing demographics, and workforce needs. Monitor enrollment trends to prepare for future changes.
• Update and Expand Infrastructure and Technology: Enhance teaching and learning spaces to accommodate changing student and program needs. Modernize classrooms, physically and programmatically, to include technology needed to adequately prepare students for current and future job markets where technological skills are in high demand. Integrate technology throughout GTC.
• Train and Develop: Adopt and provide training on relevant technology and equipment, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), to enhance faculty, staff, and student understanding and use. Provide development opportunities for growth and advancement of employees.
• Attract and Retain Talent: Analyze and address current and future staffing needs and compensation plans for a growing college seeking to meet rapidly changing student needs, student academic and economic goals, and workforce demand.

Regional Economic Development and Resource Development

• Respond to Local, Regional and National Workforce Opportunities: Plan for college growth and attracting students and business partners in a competitive marketplace. Continue to build and support local and regional economic development by aligning degree and certificate programs and continuing education with in-demand skills and jobs.
• Partnerships: Engage with community, educational, governmental, and regional leaders to maintain and build partnerships with educational institutions, businesses, and industries that foster opportunities for students.
• Fundraising and Budget Allocation: Work with local, state, and federal government officials and community partners to raise funds to meet student and workforce needs, allocate budget to align with these needs, and promote financial stability for the college.

Skills and Characteristics

• Long-Term and Visionary Leadership: A leader committed to longevity at the college to see the fruits of planning, investments, and change.  Experience with executive functions, especially strategic planning.  Develop a vision and encourage a culture through consensus and collaboration, and then lead the college to achieve the vision.
• Innovative and Decisive Leader: A leader who brings and encourages new ideas, and is willing to try different approaches, take risks, and make difficult decisions. The leader should be both strategic and proactive, collaborating with college personnel to evaluate efforts using qualitative and quantitative data and build on what is working well and act on feasible new ideas to keep the college moving forward. Reflecting on how decisions benefit students is part of the process.
• Academic and Staffing Acumen and Inclusivity: A leader with experience building services and programs to support the diverse backgrounds of students, faculty, and staff in delivery of high-quality education. Demonstrates fair and equitable demeanor. Appreciates and welcomes diversity of input. Former teaching experience is highly valued to understand needs of faculty, staff, and students.
• Fiscal and Operational Acumen: A leader with experience in fiscal, physical, and personnel management and leadership. Demonstrates knowledge of facilities utilization. Experience with budget planning, budget allocation, and alignment of budget with college mission and strategic imperatives to assure financial stability and achievement of college goals.
• Advancement: A leader with experience in college fundraising and advancement through working with business, industry, government officials, alumni, foundations, and community members to generate support for the college.
• Human Resource Development: An organizational leader who supports recruitment, retention, and professional development of talented employees and promotes employee engagement, internally and externally. Develop a highly effective senior leadership team.
• Workforce development: A leader with experience in working with trades and industries who knows how to assess workforce needs and build partnerships with community and regional economic planners and employers.
• Innovate and Integrate Technology: A leader who applies innovative processes to align rapidly changing technology with the needs of students, employees, and programs to enhance college operations and the student experience.
• Effective and Transparent Communication: A consensus builder and collaborator who encourages diversity of input and inspires others. The president should be personable, empathetic, open, approachable, and transparent. Interacts with students, faculty, and staff at all levels on all campuses.
• Governing Board: An effective leader with experience working with and for a governing board and building a strong operational relationship.
• Student-focused: A leader who has experience with diverse student bodies. Empathetic to student needs. Creates a positive culture for a diverse student body. 
• Integrity and Transparency: Sets clear expectations, follows through on commitment, and keeps everyone informed. Demonstrates honesty, integrity, and professional ethics.
• Accreditation: Knowledge and experience with programmatic and institutional accreditation and regulations.
• Crisis Management: Competence in crisis management situations.

Minimum Qualifications

• An earned doctorate from a regionally accredited institution is highly preferred.
• Experience with workforce, business, and industry.
• Progressive, versatile, and successful senior executive-level administrative experience with a passion for higher education.

This is a confidential search process. To ensure full consideration, application materials should be received no later than January 14, 2025. The position will remain open until filled.

To apply, go to http://www.acctsearches.org and upload your documents.

Candidates will need to have the following information or materials available to complete the application:

1. A letter of application (not to exceed 5 pages) that succinctly addresses the opportunities and challenges identified in the Position Profile and demonstrates how the candidates experience and professional qualifications prepare them to serve as the President of Greenville Technical College.
2. A current resume including an email address and cellular telephone number.
3. A list of eight references: ex. two to three supervisors, two to three direct reports, and two to three faculty and/or staff members from current and former institutions.

For additional information, nominations, or confidential inquiries please contact Barbara Jones, Ph.D., ACCT Search Consultant, brjones079@gmail.com or 870-866-1025 (mobile)

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