Vice President for Operations & Strategy

Mohawk Valley Community College

7d • Onsite

About The Position

Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) is seeking a Vice President for Operations & Strategy to serve as the College's Chief Operations Officer. This role provides leadership to advance alignment across the College’s strategy, operations, and institutional effectiveness efforts. The Vice President will partner with the President and Cabinet to translate the College’s mission and Strategic Framework into coordinated, cross-functional action. This position works under the general direction of the President, overseeing functions such as campus safety, facilities, institutional research and compliance, and information technology. The role involves guiding strategic priorities, fostering organizational effectiveness, and cultivating a high-trust, collaborative culture. Key duties include leading strategy and planning processes, enterprise risk management, and strategic partnerships.

Requirements

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education
• Demonstrated record of effective leadership in complex, multi-functional organizations, with the ability to lead across diverse teams and disciplines
• Progressively responsible leadership experience with demonstrated success in cross-functional collaboration, strategic execution, and organizational improvement
• Experience in higher education, preferably at a community college, or in a similarly complex, mission-driven organization
• Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time, permanent basis.
• Official academic transcripts required upon hire.

Nice To Haves

• Doctoral degree
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build trust and engage effectively with diverse constituencies
• Demonstrated understanding of strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, and data-informed decision-making
• Demonstrated commitment to the mission, values, and role of community colleges as engines of access, equity, and economic mobility
• A collaborative, consensus-building leadership style that fosters trust, transparency, and shared accountability
• Experience with contract negotiation, labor relations, and/or complex stakeholder environments
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a diverse, inclusive environment and engage respectfully with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds

Responsibilities

• Engages with all members of the college and the community in a welcoming, kind, respectful, cooperative, and collaborative manner.
• Serves as a visible role model for the institution, advancing strengths-based, emotionally intelligent leadership that cultivates a high-performing, vibrant, and inclusive culture focused on organizational health, employee well-being, and shared accountability.
• Collaborates with all areas of the College to create the conditions for a positive work environment that ensures a meaningful, supportive, and vibrant student experience.
• Serves as a highly collaborative and fully engaged member of the President’s Cabinet, contributing to shared leadership, institutional problem-solving, and cross-functional decision-making across the College.
• Provides leadership to strengthen shared governance and inclusive decision-making processes, ensuring transparency, clarity, and broad institutional engagement in addressing College issues and priorities, and makes recommendations to the President as appropriate.
• Provides leadership for the development, implementation, and alignment of major College plans, including Emergency Response, Facilities Master Planning, Information Technology, Institutional Effectiveness, and the College’s Strategic Framework and Annual Plan.
• Leads the coordination and execution of institutional strategy and planning processes, ensuring alignment between the Strategic Framework, Annual Plan, and institutional priorities, supported by effective planning, reporting, and data governance systems. Partners closely with others to ensure that performance monitoring, data use, and continuous improvement processes support institutional learning and decision-making.
• Recruits, develops, and retains a highly qualified, collaborative, and inclusive team within areas of responsibility, including Facilities, Information Technology, Institutional Research and Compliance, and Public Safety.
• Oversees performance management and professional development, fostering a culture of trust, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Works closely with the President and Chief Financial Officer to ensure linkages between the Annual Plan for the College and the annual operating budget priorities.
• Negotiates contracts within areas of responsibility and reviews other contracts as assigned, providing recommendations to the President as appropriate.
• Serves as a member of the College’s Crisis Management Team and provides leadership in institutional readiness, safety, and risk mitigation efforts.
• Serves on College negotiating teams and coordinates with legal counsel on matters within areas of responsibility or as assigned by the President.
• Develops and maintains strong relationships with community, governmental, and regional partners to support the College’s mission and role as a driver of community vitality and economic mobility.
• Performs other duties as may be assigned by the President of the College.

Benefits

• Mohawk Valley Community College offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. Specific details can be found on the college's website.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive