Title: Chief Academic Affairs Officer
Salary Range: $107,172.00
Contract Term Length: 12 Months
Standard Hours: 37.5
Work Location: On-Site
FLSA Status: Exempt
College: Southeast KY Community & Technical College
Campus Location: Southeast Cumberland C.C.
Department: Administrative Leadership
Total Rewards
Southeast KY Community & Technical College offers a competitive benefits package and an attractive work environment that supports excellence, innovation, and creativity, including:
Job Summary
Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKCTC) invites applications for the position of Chief Academic Affairs Officer (CAO). Reporting directly to the President/CEO, the CAO serves as the senior academic leader of the College and provides strategic vision, leadership, and administrative oversight for Academic Affairs across a multi-campus institution.
The chosen candiate must be willing to travel regularly to different campuses and occasionally out-of-region for system or other meetings and conferences.
Job Duties:
Academic Leadership and Strategic Direction
• Provide leadership to Academic Affairs consistent with the mission and strategic priorities of the College.
• Promote academic integrity and an effective teaching and learning environment.
• Lead academic planning, program development, and institutional effectiveness initiatives.
• Collaborate with college leadership and KCTCS partners to advance academic priorities.
• Support innovation in instructional delivery, including face-to-face, hybrid, and online modalities.
Faculty Leadership and Shared Governance
• Support recruitment, retention, mentoring, and evaluation of faculty and instructional staff.
• Promote professional development and instructional excellence.
• Support promotion and tenure processes in collaboration with division leadership.
• Maintain fair and consistent application of institutional and system policies.
• Provide visible and accessible leadership across campuses and academic divisions.
Student Success and Academic Operations
• Facilitate academic processes that support student success, progression, and completion.
• Strengthen academic support services, including library resources, extended campus learning, and academic supports.
• Ensure academic programs remain responsive to student and workforce needs.
Instructional Programs and Institutional Effectiveness
• Oversee the development, implementation, and evaluation of academic programs and curriculum.
• Collaborate with department heads on preparation and evaluation of class schedules.
• Lead accreditation, assessment, and institutional effectiveness efforts within Academic Affairs.
• Identify and implement technologies that enhance teaching and learning.
Communication and Collaboration
• Maintain effective communication among academic units, KCTCS leadership, partner institutions, and community stakeholders.
• Convene regular meetings with academic leadership to support collaboration and alignment.
• Represent Academic Affairs across the College’s service region.
Budget and Resource Leadership
• Develop and manage the Academic Affairs budget aligned with strategic priorities.
• Participate in institutional budget planning and resource allocation.
• Support grant development and academic funding initiatives.
Administrative and Compliance Responsibilities
• Ensure compliance with accreditation standards, KCTCS policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Provide leadership in institutional reporting, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the President/CEO.
SKCTC is entering a period of strategic opportunity as the College expands workforce programming, strengthens academic pathways, and responds to evolving student needs across a rural, multi-campus service region. The next Chief Academic Affairs Officer will play a pivotal role in shaping academic strategy, enhancing institutional effectiveness, and ensuring programs remain responsive to student aspirations and regional workforce demands.
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Leadership Opportunities & Challenges
Advancing Student Success Across a Multi-Campus Environment
• Lead initiatives that strengthen retention, completion, and equitable access to academic programs and support services across geographically dispersed campuses.
Strengthening Workforce Alignment and Academic Innovation
• Guide the development and evaluation of programs that balance workforce responsiveness with strong transfer pathways and academic rigor.
Supporting Faculty Engagement and Academic Culture
• Foster a collaborative environment grounded in shared governance, transparency, and meaningful faculty and staff engagement.
Enhancing Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation Readiness
• Lead assessment, program evaluation, and academic planning efforts that demonstrate measurable outcomes and continuous improvement.
Building Regional Partnerships
• Serve as a visible ambassador for academic programs and strengthen partnerships with universities, employers, and community organizations.
Leading Through Change
• Supports innovation while recognizing and building upon the programs and practices that have long served SKCTC’s students and communities.
Minimum Qualifications:
Earned doctoral degree from an accredited institution and at least five (5) years of related work experience, or equivalent.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Progressive experience in postsecondary teaching with understanding of transfer and technical education environments.
• Demonstrated leadership experience in academic affairs or instructional administration.
• Experience supporting teaching, learning, or academic program operations.
• Knowledge of curriculum development, institutional effectiveness, accreditation, or academic program management.
Additional Skills Requested:
Employee Rights - Employee Polygraph Protection Act
Equal Opportunity Employer - The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is an equal educational and employment opportunity institution.
KCTCS is an equal opportunity employer and educational institution.
KCTCS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs or activities.