Position Summary:
The Vice President of Economic, Workforce, and Community Development (VPEWCD) serves as a senior executive leader responsible for advancing the college’s mission through strategic leadership of workforce development, economic development, employer engagement, and community partnerships. The Vice President acts as the college’s chief liaison to business, industry, workforce agencies, economic development organizations, and community stakeholders, ensuring the college is responsive to regional…
labor market needs and aligned with state and federal workforce priorities.
This role provides vision, strategy, and oversight for noncredit workforce programs, customized training, apprenticeships, grants, and community-based initiatives that support regional economic vitality, talent development, and equitable access to education and training.
Essential Duties include:
Strategic Leadership & Vision
- Provide executive leadership and long-term vision for workforce, economic, and community development aligned with the college’s strategic plan and Michigan’s workforce and economic priorities.
- Identify emerging workforce trends, labor market demands, and economic opportunities to inform program development and institutional decision-making.
- Serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet, contributing to institution-wide planning, policy development, and performance outcomes.
Workforce & Economic Development
- Oversee development and delivery of workforce education, including customized employer training, short-term credentials, apprenticeships, incumbent worker training, and career pathways.
- Collaborate with regional employers, industry associations, chambers of commerce, workforce development boards, and economic development agencies to meet current and future talent needs.
- Align workforce programming with high-demand industries in Michigan, such as advanced manufacturing, healthcare, IT, skilled trades, mobility, energy, and life sciences.
Community & External Partnerships
- Serve as the college’s senior external representative to business, government, K–12 partners, higher education institutions, labor organizations, and community-based organizations.
- Build and sustain strategic partnerships that expand access, promote equity, and strengthen the regional talent pipeline.
- Represent the college at local, regional, and statewide forums related to workforce and economic development.
Grants, Funding & Resource Development
- Provide executive oversight for workforce-related grants and contracts, including state, federal, and philanthropic funding.
- Work closely with grants, finance, and compliance teams to ensure effective stewardship, reporting, and sustainability of funded initiatives.
- Identify and pursue new funding opportunities to support workforce innovation and institutional growth.
Organizational Leadership & Management
- Lead, mentor, and evaluate a diverse portfolio of departments and leaders, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Ensure operational excellence, fiscal responsibility, and data-informed decision-making across all reporting units.
- Support professional development and succession planning within the division.
Cross Department Collaboration
- Collaborate with the Executive VP of Instruction to support the operational development of workforce and community programs aligned with career pathways and degree-credit programs.
- Ensure the alignment of non-credit, workforce, and enrichment programming with credit-bearing programs with supporting documentation, course information, and pathway materials.
- Support the preparation of program materials that clearly communicate stackable credentials, pathway connections, and transition opportunities from non-credit to credit programs.
- Facilitate the exchange of program information between academic units and workforce/community development leadership to ensure consistency across instructional offerings.
- Ensure that public-facing materials accurately reflect approved academic pathways and degree alignment.
External Skilled Trades Partnerships
- Support and coordinate college partnerships with external skilled trades organizations, including unions, apprenticeship sponsors, industry associations, employers, and workforce agencies.
- Assist with the operational coordination of skilled trades programming, including course documentation, instructional materials, schedules, and dissemination.
- Collaborate with workforce development staff, academic departments, and external partners to support skilled trades career pathways and program alignment.
- Coordinate information exchange and materials related to skilled trades partnerships and training opportunities.
Policy, Compliance & Advocacy
- Ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to workforce and economic development.
- Advocate for community college workforce priorities at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Monitor and interpret legislation, policy changes, and funding trends impacting workforce development in Michigan.
Disclaimer
This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, skills, efforts, requirements or working conditions associated with the job. While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, the college reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed as assigned.
Minimum Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Master’s degree in education, business, public administration, economic development, or related field.
- Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in workforce development, economic development, higher education, or a related sector.
- Demonstrated experience building partnerships with business, industry, workforce industries, and community stakeholders.
- Proven ability to lead complex organizations, manage budgets, and oversee large-scale initiatives.
- Exceptional communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills
- Familiarity with skilled trades training models, apprenticeships, and industry partnerships
- Strong knowledge of workforce systems, labor market trends, and economic development strategies.
- Ability to coordinate effectively with external organizations and internal instructional and operational units.
- Experience within a community college or public higher education environment.
- Knowledge of Michigan’s workforce development system, including state agencies, workforce boards, and funding structures.
- Demonstrated success in securing and managing grants, large-scale contracts, and state or federal workforce grants.
- Experience with non-credit programming, customized training, or employer-driven education models.
- Political and organizational savvy in complex public-sector environments
- Public-sector accountability and transparency
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and community impact.
Additional Preferred Qualifications:
- Doctorate in a related field
