Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs

Nestled in the heart of Washington’s Puget Sound region, Tacoma is a city that effortlessly blends natural splendor with urban energy. Surrounded by towering mountains, serene waters, and the iconic silhouette of Mount Rainier, it’s a haven for outdoor enthusiasts, offering activities like hiking, boating, and camping at your doorstep. Known for its livability, Tacoma thrives on a strong economy, rich cultural diversity, and a tightly knit community. It’s a place where you can create lasting impact while enjoying a lifestyle that balances adventure, opportunity, and connection.

Tacoma Community College (TCC) embodies the inclusive and forward-thinking spirit of Tacoma. Since its founding in 1965, TCC has been a leader in providing equitable access to higher education. Serving over 11,000 students, at two campuses, TCC offers more than 60 associate degrees, four applied bachelor's degrees, 24 professional certificates, as well as continuing education and corporate training. The student population reflects the community's diversity, with 51% identifying as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), 42% receiving need-based financial aid, and 20% participating in dual enrollment programs. 

TCC’s commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging and anti-racism is a cornerstone of its mission, vision, and values. The college has undertaken transformative EDI initiatives, achieving milestones that include:

• Anti-Racist Training: Mandatory professional development for faculty and staff to address systemic racism and foster inclusive practices.
• Policy and Curriculum Reviews: Comprehensive evaluations to ensure equity is embedded in institutional policies and academic content.
• Hiring and Workforce Diversity: Strengthened recruitment, onboarding, and pay equity processes to attract and retain a diverse and talented workforce.
• Student-Centered Equity Efforts: Initiating the Center for Student Advocacy and Cultural Support, fostering culturally relevant teaching practices, and designing tailored retention programs, including those still in development, to better serve students of color and other historically marginalized groups.
• Data-Driven Accountability: Implementation of disaggregated metrics to measure progress in closing equity gaps in student retention and graduation.
• Community Partnerships: Active collaboration with organizations like the Tacoma-Pierce County Black Collective, Mi Centro, Korean Women’s Association, and local Indigenous tribes to advance equity goals and foster community engagement.

TCC’s innovative work, though still evolving, has already achieved significant results, including enhanced campus climate survey outcomes, greater employee diversity, increased satisfaction with diversity initiatives among students and staff, and a growing sense of community and belonging on campus.

As the Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs, you will join a college dedicated to fostering a culture of equity and belonging. 

Essential Functions

The Provost & Vice President of Academic Affairs (Provost) serves as the senior academic officer of Tacoma Community College (TCC), providing visionary leadership, strategic direction, and administrative oversight for all academic programs and initiatives. Reporting directly to the college president, the Provost is a key member of the executive leadership team and plays a pivotal role in advancing TCC’s mission, values, and commitment to student success, equity, diversity, and inclusion.

The Provost leads the design, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of the college’s instructional and workforce (professional/technical) programs, ensuring academic excellence and relevance. Working collaboratively with academic deans, faculty, and administrative leadership, the Provost is responsible for academic policy development, instructional innovation, curriculum design, faculty development, program accreditation compliance, and student learning outcomes assessment.

As a core member of the Executive Cabinet, the Provost partners with the president and other senior leaders to drive institutional transformation through strategic planning, guided pathways implementation, student success and retention efforts, and workforce development. The Provost also serves as a critical voice in advancing TCC’s equity, diversity, and anti-racism initiatives, ensuring inclusive excellence across all academic areas.

The Provost exercises strategic leadership and oversight in the following key areas.

• Academic Administration & Divisions
  • Business, Paralegal, and Technology
  • Creative Arts, Literature, and Communication
  • Education, Social, and Behavioral Sciences
  • Healthcare
  • Science, Engineering, and Mathematics
• Continuing Education & Corporate Training
• Library & Learning Innovation
• Workforce Education
• Gig Harbor Campus

Responsibilities

Academic Excellence & Innovation

• Ensure the development, delivery, and continuous improvement of high-quality, student-centered academic and workforce programs aligned with industry and community needs.
• Drive instructional innovation through evidence-based best practices in teaching, learning, and student engagement.
• Lead academic program review, assessment, and accreditation efforts, ensuring data-driven decision-making and accountability.
• Provide visionary leadership and strategic oversight in the development, execution, and continuous enhancement of critical academic processes, including the design and optimization of course scheduling, the academic calendar, the college catalog, and comprehensive curriculum management. Ensure these processes align with institutional goals, regulatory standards, and emerging best practices to drive academic excellence and operational efficiency.
• Promote curriculum innovation, including open educational resources (OER), hybrid and online learning, and emerging pedagogical models such as HyFlex and competency-based education.
• Ensure strong pathways to transfer institutions, articulation agreements, and workforce pipelines.

Student Success, Retention & Completion

• Partner with college leadership to develop and implement strategic initiatives to improve student retention, persistence, and completion.
• Champion equity-minded approaches to closing achievement gaps for historically underrepresented student populations, including BIPOC, first-generation, and adult learners.
• Ensure the alignment of academic and workforce programs with TCC’s Guided Pathways model and institutional student success strategies.

Faculty Development & Shared Governance

• Cultivate a culture of academic excellence, collaboration, and innovation through faculty professional development and leadership opportunities.
• Champion the integration of culturally relevant pedagogy across all academic programs by providing faculty with strategic guidance, resources, and professional development opportunities, ensuring that teaching practices are inclusive, accessible, and responsive to the diverse needs of all learners.
• Lead efforts in faculty recruitment, hiring, retention, and evaluation in collaboration with Human Resources and the faculty union, with a strong commitment to attracting, developing, and supporting a diverse and inclusive faculty.
• Provide bold and strategic leadership in driving meaningful support for BIPOC and other underrepresented faculty.
• Oversee the faculty tenure and continuous improvement processes
• Promote shared governance and facilitate meaningful engagement with faculty, staff, and students in needed decision-making processes.
• Partner with the Tacoma Community College Federation of Teachers to support the development, implementation, and monitoring of the negotiated agreement.

Strategic Resource & Budget Management

• Lead strategic resource planning to align academic affairs with institutional priorities, ensuring financial sustainability and effective allocation of resources.
• Oversee the development and management of academic budgets, including revenue-generating programs and grant-funded initiatives.
• Ensure equitable access to instructional technology, facilities, and equipment to support student learning and program growth.

Institutional & Community Engagement

• Serve as a key institutional representative, advocating for academic affairs within the broader community, state, and national higher education landscape.
• Foster strategic partnerships with businesses, industry leaders, public agencies, and community organizations to enhance workforce education and experiential learning opportunities.
• Represent the college on statewide and national committees, councils, and organizations.

College Leadership

• Support institution-wide transformation and innovation aligned with the college’s strategic vision, mission, and values.
• Ensure alignment between Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness to meet accreditation and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Lead efforts to recruit, retain, and support diverse faculty and staff, addressing equity gaps and fostering an inclusive academic environment.
• Act on behalf of the college president, assuming leadership responsibilities when necessary.

Required Qualifications

• Doctoral or other relevant terminal degree from an accredited institution.
• Classroom teaching experience in a higher education setting.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive academic administrative leadership experience
• Minimum of three (3) years of supervisory experience, including leading diverse teams, fostering faculty/staff development, and promoting a culture of accountability.
• Demonstrated ability to use data to inform decision-making, assess academic programs, and improve student outcomes.
• Experience managing complex budgets.

 Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading transfer and workforce education programs in a community college setting.
• Demonstrated success in faculty and staff recruitment, retention, and professional development strategies that enhance diversity and inclusion.
• Proven experience with systemic change processes, guided pathways implementation, and/or other student-centered institutional transformation.
• Extensive knowledge of shared governance, collaborative leadership, and faculty engagement best practices.
• Strong track record of developing community and industry partnerships, including securing grants, external funding, and workforce development collaborations.
• Understanding of collective bargaining agreements and experience working in unionized environments.

 Personal Characteristics

• A visionary and strategic thinker who can effectively articulate and execute a compelling vision for academic affairs.
• Demonstrated deep understanding of and unwavering commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and anti-racism.
• Demonstrated cultural competence, emotional intelligence, and ability to lead with empathy in diverse and multicultural environments.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust, consensus, and strong relationships across varying constituencies, including students, faculty, staff, and external community members.
• A collaborative and inclusive leader who inspires, motivates, and fosters a positive, accessible and equitable workplace and learning environment.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, with a demonstrated capacity to address challenges with creativity and innovation.
• Commitment to transparency, integrity, and accountability in leadership practices.
• An adaptable and resilient leader who can effectively manage change, navigate complex organizational dynamics, and respond to emerging challenges with agility and foresight.

Application Process

All complete applications received by the priority consideration date will be reviewed by a screening committee.  

Application Materials & Procedure
Complete application packages must include the following.
 

1. Tacoma Community College online application.
2. Resume & cover letter describing how your educational background and experience align with the responsibilities and qualifications.
3. Copies of transcripts for all colleges and universities attended.
4. Tacoma Community College is committed to eliminating barriers and systems of oppression so we may serve all learners AND support each other as colleagues. We strive to be an anti-racist institution and value compassion, respect, and continuous improvement. A critical component of this is the understanding that the work of establishing, cultivating, and championing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) belongs to all employees. Please share with us, in an attached statement (maximum two pages), how your experiences and understanding of EDI will contribute to, foster, and support this crucial work here at TCC.

Timetable The priority consideration deadline is March 9, 2025. The selection process will begin in mid-March, aiming to identify and onboard a candidate in August 2025.

Compensation and Benefits
This is a full-time administrative position contracted on an annual basis. The salary for this position is $200,000-$211,000. Tacoma Community College offers a comprehensive healthcare benefits package for you and your dependents including medical, dental, and vision insurance. Life and long-term disability insurance plans; vacation, sick and personal leave; reduced tuition for the employee; and retirement benefits are also provided. For more information, please visit our employment page/employment benefits: https://www.tacomacc.edu/about/employment/.  Degrees must be from accredited colleges or universities recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and verified by the National Clearinghouse.  International degrees will be verified for U.S. equivalency.   Successful completion of a criminal history background check is required upon employment. 

Tacoma Community College values diversity and is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator. Tacoma Community College provides equal opportunity in education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, creed, religion, or status as a veteran of war. Prohibited sex discrimination includes sexual harassment (unwelcome sexual conduct of various types). Provides reasonable accommodations for qualified students, employees, and applicants with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Federal Rehabilitation Act. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Stephen Smith, Title VII and Title IX, Building 14, 253-566-5055; Kathryn Held, Section 504 Officer, Building 7, 253-566-5328. This recruitment announcement does not reflect the entire job description and can be changed and or modified without notice.  

Tacoma Community College
Human Resources
6501 S 19th St Bldg. 14, Tacoma WA  98466
www.tacomacc.edu/about/employment