Executive Director, State Board of Higher Education

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania • Dauphin County, PA

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Pennsylvania State Board of Higher Education is seeking an energetic and forward-thinking leader eager to provide the direction, coordination and support needed to strengthen the Commonwealth’s postsecondary sector and position it as a world-class engine of economic prosperity. As the Executive Director to a deeply engaged 21-member board, you will serve as its primary representative and spokesperson, provide postsecondary expertise and guidance to the Board and other stakeholders, and ensure the implementation of the Board’s 2026 higher education strategic plan, Driving a Prosperous Pennsylvania. The Executive Director of this policy-focused coordinating board will support the board with a team of talented staff to provide robust data and analysis, lead cross-sector efforts to strengthen the connections between higher education and workforce development, and recommend strategies for improving postsecondary enrollment, attainment, and affordability, and transparency. Because higher education intersects with so many sectors of the Commonwealth, the Executive Director will need to create and maintain strong and effective relationships across a broad range of stakeholders, including leaders from every type of postsecondary institution in Pennsylvania, economic and workforce development, the employment sector, the administration and General Assembly, and the k-12 sector.

Requirements

• A minimum of ten years of executive-level experience in roles related to higher education, including from a workforce or a state policy perspective.
• Expertise and direct experience in or sustained exposure to state higher education policy.
• Ability to anticipate and proactively develop strategies for responding to potential or emerging challenges or opportunities.
• Capacity to set and achieve complex goals.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Capacity to speak publicly to large groups.
• Ability to perform essential job functions.

Nice To Haves

• An understanding of Pennsylvania’s postsecondary sector is beneficial but not required.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary representative and spokesperson for the State Board of Higher Education.
• Provide postsecondary expertise and guidance to the Board and other stakeholders.
• Ensure the implementation of the Board’s 2026 higher education strategic plan, Driving a Prosperous Pennsylvania.
• Support the board with a team of talented staff to provide robust data and analysis.
• Lead cross-sector efforts to strengthen the connections between higher education and workforce development.
• Recommend strategies for improving postsecondary enrollment, attainment, and affordability, and transparency.
• Create and maintain strong and effective relationships across a broad range of stakeholders, including leaders from every type of postsecondary institution in Pennsylvania, economic and workforce development, the employment sector, the administration and General Assembly, and the k-12 sector.

Benefits

• Telework opportunity part-time (reporting to Harrisburg 3 days per week).
• Option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg if unable to telework.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed