President
RPA Inc.

Job Info

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NHTI - Concord's Community College, one of seven public colleges that form the Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH), seeks a passionate, dynamic, engaging, and learning-centered leader to serve as its next President. The successful candidate will possess a demonstrated ability to identify strategic goals, effectively communicate them, and translate them into action. The President will work towards student success goals by engaging with the community and ensuring college programs are innovative, meet community and student needs, and have high educational and economic value. The President will also be highly collaborative with the other presidents in the System.

The Position: The President plays a prominent, visible leadership role within the college and across the community. Reporting to the Chancellor of the CCSNH, the President oversees the programs and operations of NHTI and the management of financial resources and facilities. The President will be collaborative and inspire faculty, students, and staff to work together to achieve operational and instructional excellence. The next President will be an empathetic but decisive leader, capable of making informed decisions about complex issues based on data, evidence, and input from the NHTI community's many stakeholders. The President will empower employees and foster a culture that embraces collaboration, trust, and respect by drawing upon the strong institutional pride at NHTI. The next President will also work effectively with the CCSNH Chancellor, Board of Trustees, NHTI Advisory Board, and the presidents of the state's other community colleges to achieve growth, continuing to serve local needs, while coordinating with other institutions in the System to capitalize on synergies and to achieve broader objectives. The President, along with the Advisory Board, will continue to hone the strategic vision for NHTI by actively listening to and involving students, faculty, and staff. The President will also work with faculty and staff to identify and actualize opportunities for program development and review and for diversifying the college's revenues, doing so in a collaborative, transparent, data-driven, and market-oriented way-with a focus on assessment, outcomes, and market research. Strengthening enrollment management and retention, the President will ensure that students are aware of their options and pathways to a career or a four-year degree. The President will promote a strong sense of community and campus life by being visible and engaging with students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders. The President will also support faculty and staff engagement with students. A key part of this position, as with all presidential positions within CCSNH, is playing a leadership role within the statewide system, working collaboratively among the colleges and with the central system office to support the strategic goal of identifying and investing in internally collaborative strategies that are forward-looking and can lead to better efficiencies across CCSNH to meet student service and operational needs.

The President will support processes to identify, collect, analyze, and utilize information and data for decision-making with a consistent focus on student and institutional outcomes, including enrollment management. As an external advocate, the President will work to raise the profile and visibility of NHTI as a comprehensive community college in Concord and the broader community, strengthening the College's presence as an integral and accessible community resource. As part of this work, the President will develop appropriate coalitions, promote community college higher education, engage in community and statewide educational finance and policy debates, and build strong working relationships and partnerships with government, businesses, industry, K-12, the military, and other educational institutions and organizations.

The President will develop and steward NHTI's operating budget and secure funding from a diversified range of sources to support clearly identified priorities and assure institutional sustainability. To successfully manage the college's finances, the President will work closely with the System office and the Board of Trustees to ensure that NHTI is prepared for all future economic scenarios. Additionally, the President will work effectively in consultation with the System Office and the Board of Trustees, with elected and appointed public officials in a wide variety of public bodies at the city and state levels, including the executive branch and the legislature, to aggressively advocate for CCSNH's economic needs. In addition, the President will work with the Foundation for New Hampshire Community Colleges to raise money through philanthropic donations and to generate corporate sponsorships through partnerships with the area's businesses, industries, and public-sector enterprises. The President, along with the Foundation, will also encourage and foster an active alumni association and build a culture of philanthropic support among NHTI alumni.

The Institution: NHTI was founded in 1965 as the New Hampshire Technical Institute. Its name was changed in 2008 to NHTI - Concord's Community College to honor its past and reflect its growth into a comprehensive community college. NHTI is a dynamic institution of higher education committed to providing accessible, high-quality education for students and creating pathways for lifelong learning, career advancement, and civic engagement. The College is recognized by the New Hampshire Higher Education Commission and accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE, formerly NEASC-CIHE). The last accreditation visit by NECHE was September 2016. Full 10-year accreditation was granted, and the 5-year interim report was recently submitted. Additionally, NHTI holds specialized accreditations in 16 programs. NHTI serves approximately 4,600 students annually through 45 degree programs, 55 certificate programs, and numerous workforce development, microcredential, and customized training programs. Additionally, the college offers nine accelerated degree and certificate programs and 22 degrees and certificates that can be completed entirely online. NHTI employs 64 full-time faculty, 105 staff, and approximately 375 adjunct faculty annually. NHTI is situated in south central New Hampshire in the capital city of Concord, and the campus is located on 240 acres of fields and woods with frontage on the Merrimack River. It comprises athletic fields, a quad, and 13 buildings, including a student center, a wellness center, and three residence halls with a combined capacity of 380. The large physical plant of the institution and the presence of residential students provides the college with a distinct sense of community. The campus also includes The Business Training Center, which is dedicated to improving the quality and labor market relevance of workforce investment, education, and economic development efforts by providing individuals the training, skills and credentials necessary to secure and advance employment and to provide employers with skilled workers to address workforce needs. Many of the BTC trainings offered qualify as industry recognized credentials. Additionally, NHTI fields dedicated athletic teams that compete for New England and national championships in eight sports as members of the Yankee Small College Conference and the U.S. College Athletic Association. NHTI student athletes are consistently named All-Americans, Academic All-Americans, and YSCC League All-Stars for their outstanding athletic and academic accomplishments. The NHTI campus is conveniently located in the immediate proximity of the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center and Planetarium, the Mary Stuart Gile Early Learning Center, and The NH Police Standards and Training Council.

The System: The College is part of the Community College System of New Hampshire, which is composed of seven community colleges. CCSNH is led by a Board of Trustees, the Chancellor of the System, and the presidents of the seven community colleges that comprise the System. CCSNH offers more than 250 associate degree programs, short-term certificate programs, and specialized training. Each college is served by its own president and has its own college advisory board. CCSNH is a vital civic and economic engine for the state of New Hampshire with an operating budget of approximately $120 million. Through its seven independent colleges and their affiliated academic centers, CCSNH provides educational access and opportunity for roughly 21,000 learners annually throughout the state and has a current full-time equivalent enrollment of approximately 12,900 students. System colleges employ approximately 1,900 full and part-time faculty and staff.

Qualifications: Candidates for the position should have a track record of success in community relations, internal management, strategic planning, finance, and administration. Experience working in large, complex organizations is a strong asset. A keen understanding of budgets and an ability to clearly communicate decisions to the campus is particularly important. The President must be a respectful manager, a strong advocate for students, and a convincing, credible leader of an institution dedicated to serving the educational and workforce needs of the community. The next President must also be an effective agent of change and will preferably be a thought leader and pace-setter in the field. Additionally, the successful candidate should possess many, if not all of the following experiences and qualifications: high ethical standards and a dedication to openness, transparency, and community; deep commitment to and understanding of the mission of community colleges; an outcomes focus and fluency in financial and student success metrics; the ability to manage people and resources; a collaborative approach and the capacity to make decisions; demonstrated commitment to excellence in education; resilience and flexibility in the face of unexpected constraints; a proven ability to implement change and manage conflict; collegiality, the ability and desire to build trust and encourage creativity and innovation, an optimistic and positive outlook, and perseverance in the face of challenge; skill in outreach and cultivating relationships that support the advancement of the College; ability to serve as an effective spokesperson for the College, articulate a vision, educate and energize an audience, and be persuasive; political savvy and a history of successful advocacy; understanding of the needs of the business community, and the ability to engage the participation of external stakeholders and develop strategic partnerships with a broad range of organizations; understanding of the impact of changing technologies on higher education; an understanding of and commitment to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion; ability to be a persuasive negotiator and facilitator; experience with or knowledge of collective bargaining; history of direct work with elected and appointed public officials in a wide variety of public bodies, including some experience with the executives and the legislature at the city or state level; and a demonstrated ability to relate to and interact with students. Collaborating in shared governance with faculty and staff. Additionally, experience working in a college that is part of a multi-campus system is ideal. Experience working with transfer issues is also desirable. A master's degree from an accredited institution is required; an earned terminal degree is preferred.

Location: The State of New Hampshire encompasses diverse geography stretching from the White Mountains and the Canadian border in the North to the suburbs of Boston in the South, and it enjoys four distinct seasons. Bordered on the east and west by Maine and Vermont, respectively, the state has a sizable rural population as well as small but cosmopolitan cities such as Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, and Concord. The state is home to approximately 1.3 million residents. New Hampshire is notable for its strong civic culture, as well as for the high quality of life it affords its citizens. The state is routinely ranked as the "most livable state" in the country, owing to its impressive natural beauty, various recreational and cultural opportunities, and other quality-of-life indicators such as low crime and negligible traffic. The state has a strong culture of independence exemplified by the official motto, "Live free or die." The state levies no personal income tax or general sales tax. The state also holds a special place in the national and international consciousness for its quadrennial "first in the nation" presidential primary. New Hampshire residents take their civic responsibility seriously, and the level of engagement is impressive. The citizenry prides itself on being both broadminded and practical. The size of the state along with the culture creates an environment that is uncommon in the United States. Citizens are on a first name basis with their elected officials and civic leaders. State-wide offices, including the governorship, are contested every two years. The bicameral legislative body, called the general court, consists of the house of representatives and the senate. The house of representatives is the fourth-largest legislative body in the English-speaking world, with 400 members. The Senate has 24 members. New Hampshire is a state that both enables and demands a high level of personal engagement of its civic leaders.

NHTI is located in New Hampshire's capital city of Concord. The city is home to roughly 43,000 people, and while it is well-known as the political hub of the state, it also boasts flourishing arts and food scenes. Concord's picturesque and highly walkable downtown offers numerous dining options, boutique shops, and seasonal art markets. It is also home to the Capitol Center for the Arts, which offers diverse performing arts programming, from nationally known comedians and up-and-coming bands to beloved musicals and live theatre. Every September, Concord hosts the Capital Arts Fest, a multi- day celebration of the fine arts and crafts of the region. Other cultural and performing arts centers in the area include the Canterbury Shaker Village museum, the intimate Hat Box Theatre performing arts center, the astronomy-focused McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, and Red River Theatres-a unique civic-minded independent movie venue that offers eclectic programming. Additionally, it offers year-round farmers' markets and more than 80 miles of hiking trails. The nearby cities of Manchester and Keene are also thriving cultural hubs in their own right, and the White Mountains, New Hampshire's Lakes Region, the New England seacoast, and metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts, are all easy drives from Concord.

Application: Interested candidates should submit only a cover letter and resume to RPA Inc. at NHTIpresident@rpainc.org. For a confidential discussion about this opportunity or to make a nomination, please email Isaac Karaffa, Vice President and Senior Consultant; or Dana John Cohick, President, at the email address listed above. The first review of candidates will begin on July 6, 2022, and first-round interviews will commence thereafter.

CCSNH shall provide equal opportunity to employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, political affiliation, or lawful political activity. Services provided by NHTI are compliant with Title II of the American With Disabilities Act. Individuals who need auxiliary aids for effective communication in services are invited to make their needs and preferences known to us. Contact HR at 603-230-4002 for special assistance with all employment related topics. TDD Access: Relay NH 800-735-2964.

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