Director, Academic Initiatives

Dallas College

$97K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
  • Minimum of six years in leadership roles managing teams or programs.
  • Proven experience in implementing academic initiatives aligned to strategy.
  • Strong communication and collaboration skills essential.
  • Official transcripts are required.

Responsibilities

  • Lead planning and management of academic initiatives and programs.
  • Translate strategy into operational plans and timelines.
  • Develop and monitor departmental operating budgets responsibly.
  • Analyze budget performance and forecast resource needs.
  • Supervise teams, ensuring performance accountability and development.
  • Manage relationships with vendors and oversee expenditures.
  • Partner with stakeholders to implement aligned initiatives.

Benefits

  • Professional development hours required for all employees.
  • A minimum of 19 hours of professional development annually for employees.
  • Additional 16 hours of leadership development for people leaders.
Full Job Description
Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. CT on the day before the listed closing date.

Weekly Work Hours
40

Compensation Range
Administrator Range E06

Salary Minimum
$97,800.00 Annually

FLSA
United States of America (Exempt)

Work Location
  • All positions are considered on-site roles.
  • After six months of employment, some positions may be eligible to apply for a hybrid work arrangement based on job responsibilities, operational needs, supervisor approval, and Dallas College policy.
  • Academic (Faculty) positions require an on-campus presence, even when teaching online courses, in accordance with state law.


Position Type
Administrator

Position / Job Summary

The Director, Academic Initiatives provides senior operational, financial, and programmatic leadership for assigned academic initiatives and functional areas within Academic Initiatives. This role translates divisional strategy into execution, including the development, management, and monitoring of the departmental operating budget. The Senior Director leads day-to-day operations, supervises teams, and ensures initiatives are delivered efficiently, responsibly, and in alignment with institutional priorities.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

  • Lead the planning, execution, and day-to-day management of assigned academic initiatives, programs, and functional areas.


  • Translate divisional strategy and institutional priorities into operational plans, timelines, and deliverables.


  • Develop, manage, and monitor the departmental operating budget in alignment with approved priorities and fiscal requirements.


  • Analyze budget performance, forecast resource needs, and recommend adjustments to support effective utilization of funds.


  • Manage and supervise managers, staff, and project teams, ensuring performance accountability and professional development.


  • Oversee initiative-level staffing, vendor relationships, and expenditures within assigned areas.


  • Partner with academic and administrative stakeholders to implement initiatives aligned with divisional and institutional goals.


  • Monitor progress, outcomes, risks, and financial impacts of assigned initiatives.


  • Ensure consistency, quality, and compliance with established standards, policies, governance frameworks, and budget constraints.


  • Support cross-functional initiatives and perform other leadership responsibilities as assigned.


  • Required Dallas College Professional Development Hours per Academic Year. (MUST BE INCLUDED)


  • All employees are required to complete a minimum of 19 hours.


  • People leaders are required an additional 16 hours of leadership development.


  • Perform other duties not listed as assigned. (MUST BE INCLUDED)


Minimum and Preferred - Education, Experience, and/or Certifications

Required Qualifications for Role (necessary or mandatory)

  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.


  • Minimum of six (6) years of progressively responsible leadership experience managing teams, programs, or functional areas.


  • Experience implementing initiatives aligned to organizational strategy.


  • Strong communication and collaboration skills.


  • Official transcripts required.


Other Preferred Qualifications for Role (not mandatory, but advantageous)

  • Education


  • Experience


  • Certification


  • School/Education Transcripts


Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Required Qualifications for Role (necessary or mandatory)

Strategic and Operational Leadership

  • Provide senior-level leadership to support academic initiatives and enterprise projects that enhance organizational effectiveness and institutional outcomes


  • Serve as a strategic, consultative partner to executive leadership and academic stakeholders, helping identify priorities, assess opportunities, and resolve complex challenges


  • Support division- and college-level strategic planning efforts, initiatives, and special projects through facilitation, coordination, and influence


Initiative and Workflow Oversight

  • Oversee planning, coordination, and alignment of academic initiatives to ensure effective execution and continuous improvement


  • Establish and maintain workflows, processes, and governance structures that promote clarity, efficiency, and accountability


  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to establish, monitor, and report on metrics that inform decision-making and demonstrate progress toward goals


Governance, Compliance, and Quality

  • Ensure academic and digital initiatives align with college policies, standards, and regulatory requirements, including accessibility, privacy, and security obligations


  • Promote consistent application of standards, best practices, and quality expectations across initiatives


  • Apply independent judgment to balance priorities, manage risk, and guide institutional decision-making


Collaboration and Influence

  • Work collaboratively and cross-functionally across Dallas College to support integrated planning and execution of academic initiatives


  • Influence outcomes through relationship-building, facilitation, and diplomacy rather than direct authority


  • Represent Academic Initiatives in institutional discussions, working groups, and cross-college efforts


Team Leadership and Change Support

  • Support leaders and teams through periods of change, growth, and transformation related to academic initiatives


  • Foster engagement, shared ownership, and adoption of new processes, tools, and ways of working


  • Encourage collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across teams


Resource and Budget Stewardship

  • Provide oversight of budgets, resources, and vendor relationships supporting academic and digital initiatives


  • Monitor resource utilization to support operational efficiency and responsible stewardship


  • Support planning and allocation decisions that align resources with institutional priorities and outcomes


Adoption of Emerging Technologies

  • Actively explores, evaluates, and effectively adopts emerging technologies (including AI), integrating them into workflows to improve efficiency, quality, and outcomes.


Other Preferred Qualifications for Role (not mandatory, but advantageous)

  • Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Preferred


Competencies

Dallas College seeks to identify core and professional competencies for each role and level which helps define the level of expertise needed and desired to demonstrate success in the role.

  • [Individual Contributor Competency 1] Accountable


  • [Individual Contributor Competency 2] Adaptable


  • [Individual Contributor Competency 3] Solution Oriented


  • [Individual Contributor Competency 4] Collaborates


  • [Individual Contributor Competency 5] Communicates Effectively


Work Condition Environment / Physical Requirements

Normal physical job functions performed within a standard office environment. Reasonable accommodation(s) may be made to individuals with physical challenges to perform the essential duties and responsibilities.

Applications Deadline
August 25, 2026

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