Associate Vice President of Strategic Initiatives

Position SummaryLocated 45 minutes from the Nation’s Capital, nestled in a history-rich community of southern Maryland, The College of Southern Maryland (CSM) is a two-time Aspen Award-winning institution (top 15% of Community Colleges) with academic programs in over 100 disciplines. CSM is among America’s top 100 producers of Minority Associate Degrees in twenty categories, according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education. CSM offers excellent health insurance benefits; State Retirement Pension plan; wellness programs; Code Green early closure Fridays in the summer; college closure for spring break and several major holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year; and for several days in March for Spring Break. We are an innovative institution committed to student success and well known for our flexibility to meet student and community needs.Reporting to the President, the Associate Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the College of Southern Maryland is a senior leadership role responsible for guiding the implementation of the strategic plan, ensuring data-driven decision-making processes, supporting robust assessment practices of the plan, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement throughout the execution of the plan. The position will be the project manager of the plan, serving as the connective tissue between the different strategic planning teams and other student success initiatives that advance the college’s overarching goal to improve transfer and workforce outcomes. The AVP will work collaboratively across academic and administrative units to support the plan’s successful execution and demands a strategic thinker with expertise in analytics and assessment, capable of enhancing the college's academic quality and operational efficiency using data-informed practices.The position plays an essential role in ensuring the efficient functioning of the college by coordinating strategic initiatives and acting as a liaison between the Planning and Institutional Research Office (PIR), President’s Cabinet, and various internal and external stakeholders. In this work the position requires a high level of discretion, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to manage complex projects and processes.Reports to: PresidentThe College of Southern Maryland conducts background checks in order to ensure the safety and well-being of the College's staff and students. The final candidate for this position will be subject to the following background checks: Criminal History Check and Sex Offender Registry Check.This position is open until filled. The College of Southern Maryland is an Equal Opportunity Employer.Specific Duties and Responsibilities50% Strategic Planning and Execution:• Implement a comprehensive and inclusive methodology for shepherding the strategic plan in alignment with the college's mission and strategic goals.• Provide leadership in creating a culture of evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement.• Assist the President and President’s Cabinet in developing, implementing and assessing strategic initiatives and goals for the college.• Monitor progress on strategic projects and ensure alignment with the college’s mission and objectives.• Facilitate a Strategic Planning Steering Committee to provide cross-collaboration guidance to the execution of the strategic plan.• Work with appropriate councils and committees to ensure alignment of strategic initiatives across the institution with the strategic plan.20% Analytics and Data Management:• Work closely with PIR on the analysis, and dissemination of institutional data to support the strategic plan and decision-making processes.• Work closely with PIR and Data Governance Team to develop advanced data analytics techniques to uncover insights and trends that drive institutional improvement• Work closely with PIR to ensure data integrity, accuracy, and security in all strategic planning processes.10% Continuous Improvement:• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by promoting the use of assessment and analytics to enhance institutional performance.• Identify opportunities for improvement and recommend strategies to address gaps that enhance institutional effectiveness.• Work closely with the President and President’s Cabinet to ensure alignment of the strategic plan with resource allocation.10 % Collaboration and Communication:• Coordinate strategic planning retreats, summits, and other collaborative meetings.• Collaborate with academic and administrative leaders to integrate analytics and assessment into their planning activities.• Work with Marketing to develop a communications strategy for the plan to sustain momentum and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.• Communicate findings and recommendations effectively to stakeholders, including senior leadership, faculty, staff, and external audiences through an annual report and other methods.• Provide support to college personnel on the use of data and assessment tools.• Work collaboratively with academic and administrative leaders to identify data needs and deliver actionable insights.• Engage with internal and external stakeholders in the development and execution of the strategic plan.10 % Innovation and Best Practices:• Stay current with emerging trends and best practices in strategic planning, project management, data analytics, and assessment through professional organizations and research.• Represent the college in external forums to share the outcomes of the strategic plan and opportunities for further collaboration.• Support initiatives to integrate new tools and technologies that enhance data capabilities and project implementation.Additional Duties:• Performs other related work as required.Minimum Education and TrainingA master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Data Science, Statistics, Educational Research, Higher Education Administration). A doctorate degree is preferred.Minimum Qualifications and Standards Required• Minimum of 5 years of experience in data analytics, institutional research, and assessment in a higher education setting.• Proven leadership experience with a track record of developing and implementing organizational projects, data strategies and assessment initiatives.• Significant experience in project management, analytics, assessment, and institutional effectiveness within a higher education setting.Licenses, Certifications, or Additional Requirements:• Financial disclosure required.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:• Expertise in data analytics tools (e.g., SQL, Python, R) and statistical software.• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.• Ability to think strategically and translate complex data into actionable insights.• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education.• Demonstrated expertise in data management, statistical analysis, and the use of analytics tools and software.• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of institutional analytics and assessment.• Strong understanding of accreditation processes and standards.• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.PHYSICAL DEMANDS:The work is medium work which requires exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.WORK ENVIRONMENT:· Office environment with occasional travel.· Availability to work outside regular business hours as needed.