Dean of Workforce Innovation

Sinclair Community College

$90K — $120K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Master's degree required; doctorate preferred in relevant fields.
  • 5+ years in higher education or workforce development.
  • 5+ years in educational program design and delivery.
  • 3+ years in supervisory or management roles.
  • Experience in developing partnerships with employers and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and oversee workforce innovation programs and training initiatives.
  • Ensure financial sustainability and revenue growth for the department.
  • Design and implement programs addressing regional labor market needs.
  • Collaborate with academic and community partners to align educational pathways.
  • Utilize labor market insights for strategic program development.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Generous retirement plans to support long-term financial health.
  • Professional development opportunities to enhance career growth.
  • Paid time off and holidays to promote work-life balance.
  • Collaborative and inclusive work environment focused on diversity.
Full Job Description
Position Information

Position Information (Default Section)

Job Title
Dean of Workforce Innovation

Location
Main Campus - Dayton, OH

Job Number
05513

Department
Academic & Workforce Innovation

Job Category
Administrative

Job Type
Full-Time

Status
Regular

Job Open Date
07/20/2026

Resume Review Date
08/22/2026

Closing Date
08/21/2026

Open Until Filled
No

Position Summary

The Dean of Workforce Innovation provides strategic, administrative, and operational leadership for Sinclair Community College's workforce innovation enterprise, advancing innovative education and workforce solutions that respond to the evolving needs of employers, learners, and the regional economy. Reporting to the Vice Provost of Academic and Workforce Innovation, the Dean is responsible for the development, implementation, growth, and continuous improvement of customized training, employer-sponsored education, work-based learning strategy, workforce-responsive learning solutions, professional development, industry-recognized credentials, microcredentials, digital badges, and other flexible learning models that expand access and support lifelong learning.

The Dean serves as the institution's primary leader for employer-focused learning initiatives, collaborating across Academic Affairs, eLearning, academic divisions, Student Affairs, business and industry, government agencies, and community organizations to design and deliver high-quality learning solutions that address workforce demands while creating seamless pathways into credit-bearing certificates and degrees. The position exercises broad independent judgment in developing strategic partnerships, directing complex cross-functional initiatives, managing financial and operational performance, identifying new market opportunities, and aligning workforce innovation with institutional priorities.

The Dean leads a dynamic portfolio of workforce and educational initiatives that may include customized employer training, apprenticeships, internships, work-based learning, prior learning assessment, bridge programming, short-term credentials, and other just-in-time learning opportunities. Using labor market intelligence, employer engagement, institutional data, and financial analysis, the Dean drives program innovation, strengthens quality, expands enrollment and revenue opportunities, and ensures Sinclair remains a dependable partner and innovator of distinction in workforce education.

The successful candidate will be a collaborative, entrepreneurial, and data-informed leader with demonstrated success in building strategic partnerships, leading multidisciplinary teams, managing complex initiatives, and translating workforce and community needs into scalable, accessible, and high-quality learning solutions that advance student success, economic mobility, and institutional sustainability.

Principal Accountabilities
  • Provide strategic, administrative, and operational leadership for Sinclair's workforce innovation portfolio (customized training, workforce-responsive programs, professional development, non-credit learning, and credit-aligned pathways), advancing the College's strategic drivers as College of Choice, Employer of Choice, Dependable Partner, and Innovator of Distinction
  • Own the financial performance and sustainability of the Workforce Innovation unit, building it into a revenue-positive, self-sustaining enterprise through pricing, cost management, and earned-revenue growth against established net-revenue and margin targets
  • Lead the design, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of workforce innovation programs that respond to regional labor-market needs, employer demand, and student goals
  • Ability to build, sustain, and expand partnerships with employers, industry associations, workforce boards, government agencies, and community organizations to support customized training, work-based learning, internships, apprenticeships, and career-pathway development
  • Build and scale the workforce innovation business by pursuing new opportunities, expanding employer-sponsored and contract training, and growing earned revenue toward the unit's growth and net-revenue targets
  • Collaborate with eLearning dean, academic deans, faculty, instructional designers, and student support units to align workforce innovation with credit programs, certificates, and degrees, and to apply prior learning assessment, articulation, bridge programming, and stackable credentials that move learners from non-credit training into academic pathways
  • Use labor-market information, institutional data, and competitive intelligence to develop and maintain a strategic portfolio plan covering new program development, revision and sunset decisions, enrollment and revenue targets, pro forma projections, pricing models, and return-on-investment analyses; develop and manage annual budgets and monitor financial and operational performance
  • Ensure program quality, compliance, and continuous improvement, and that programs remain accessible, inclusive, and learner-centered for adult, working, incumbent, and career-changing learners and regional employers, in compliance with college policies, accreditation, applicable state and federal regulations, and grant and contract obligations
  • Ability to lead project management for workforce innovation initiatives (charters, timelines, milestones, launch and communication plans, and post-implementation assessment) and develop the policies, systems, workflows, and documentation that support effective operations, contract management, reporting, and quality assurance
  • Work with Marketing, Communications, Enrollment, and Advising to promote workforce innovation, strengthen market positioning, and communicate program value to employers, students, and the community
  • Supervise, mentor, evaluate, and develop staff; set goals and priorities, allocate resources, support professional development, and build a collaborative, accountable, and inclusive team culture aligned with Sinclair's core values
  • Represent Sinclair in local, regional, state, and national workforce, economic development, and higher-education initiatives, and serve on institutional committees, planning teams, and cross-functional workgroups
  • Knowledge of adult learning, workforce development, career pathways, prior learning assessment, stackable and short-term credentials, work-based learning, competency-based education, and instructional design, and of current trends in community colleges and employer engagement
  • Skill in entrepreneurial, data-informed leadership that translates workforce and community needs into scalable, high-quality, and financially sustainable learning solutions
  • Excellent oral, written, interpersonal, and presentation communication skills
  • Ability to lead in a collegial, fast-paced, and changing environment where results are achieved through influence, collaboration, and shared accountability
  • Ability to work effectively with diverse students, faculty, staff, employers, and community partners, with a demonstrated commitment to access, student success, and inclusive learning environments


Requirements
  • Minimum of a master's degree required; doctorate in education, higher education administration, workforce development, instructional design, educational leadership, business, public administration, or a related field preferred
  • Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, workforce development, adult or corporate training, or custom/non-credit program development
  • Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in the design, development, and delivery of educational, training, or credential programs (credit or non-credit), including familiarity with the learning technologies and digital delivery environments used to support them
  • Minimum of three (3) years of supervisory, management, or administrative leadership experience
  • Minimum of two (2) years of teaching or training experience preferred
  • Previous experience working in a community college or higher education environment preferred
  • Demonstrated experience developing, leading, or scaling workforce-responsive programs, customized or contract training, professional development, non-credit education, or short-term credentials
  • Demonstrated success building and sustaining partnerships with employers, industry groups, public agencies, or workforce and community partners
  • Demonstrated experience with budget development, fiscal management, and generating earned revenue or building a self-sustaining program, unit, or business line
  • Experience using labor-market data, institutional metrics, and financial or student data to guide planning, decision-making, and continuous improvement
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders in a complex organization
  • Experience designing apprenticeships, employer-sponsored education, work-based learning, or non-credit-to-credit pathway models preferred
  • Experience with learning technologies, online or blended learning, competency-based education, micro-credentials, digital badges, or other flexible learning models preferred
  • Experience developing policies, quality standards, workflows, and assessment processes for new or evolving programs preferred

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