Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)

Lewis and Clark Community College; North Alton (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Lewis and Clark Community College seeks an accomplished academic leader to advance career programs, promote equity, and boost student success. The Dean will guide faculty and staff across divisions, foster curriculum innovation, and ensure accreditation compliance.

The role emphasizes collaboration with business and industry to align training with workforce needs, oversight of assessment, and strategic initiatives to expand pathways, including competency-based education delivery models.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree and at least 5 years of college teaching experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of competency-based education (CBE) and accreditation standards.
• Experience developing and sustaining partnered programs with schools, industry, and nonprofits.

Responsibilities

• Represent and promote Lewis and Clark Community College internally and externally as an ambassador.
• Provide academic leadership informed by trends and challenges in community college education.
• Manage academic programs, faculty and staff in Health Sciences, Math/Science, and Technology divisions to ensure quality learning.
• Lead the selection and integration of instructional technology to enhance teaching and learning.
• Market programs, monitor enrollment and graduation trends, and guide program growth and sustainability.
• Foster student recruitment and retention and lead academic/co-curricular activities.
• Develop and manage grant applications and funded projects in collaboration with grant manager and teams.
• Coordinate schedules, staffing plans, and workload with program coordinators and division assistants.

Skills

Academic leadership

Grant writing

Curriculum development

Industry collaboration

Assessment & accreditation knowledge

Education

Master’s degree

Doctoral degree

Tools

HyFlex delivery

Instructional technology

Job description

The team member in this role is a dynamic, high-energy, data-informed academic leader with a proven record of career program development and the ability to lead faculty and staff in establishing and achieving shared goals that advance Lewis and Clark Community College’s four key directions outlined in the Strategic Plan.

This position requires focus, commitment, and expertise in promoting equity, student academic success, persistence, and completion. A strong background in collaborating with business and industry to develop programs that respond to workforce needs is essential, along with the ability to strengthen alignment between industry training and career program curriculum.

Additional responsibilities include grant writing and management, resource planning, and overseeing annual course-level, general education, and program-level assessment. The Dean contributes to the overall leadership of the College and ensures compliance with program, state, and regional accreditation requirements, including all externally accredited programs. This role proactively supports curriculum innovation and delivery methods to maintain the College’s leading-edge status.

An important aspect of this position is knowledge and understanding of competency-based education (CBE) to guide and support the development of new pathways and alternative access options for prospective and current students.

• Represent and promote Lewis and Clark Community College internally and externally, serving as an ambassador for its mission and values.
• Provide academic leadership informed by trends and challenges in community college education.
• Manage academic programs, faculty, and support staff in the Health Sciences, Math and Science, and Technology divisions to ensure quality learning experiences for all students.
• Lead the selection and integration of instructional technology to enhance teaching and learning.
• Market programs and services, monitor enrollment, satisfaction, learning success, and graduation trends, and provide guidance to advance program growth and sustainability.
• Foster student recruitment and retention, offering leadership in academic and co-curricular activities.
• Initiate, develop, and manage grant applications and funded projects in collaboration with the grant manager and faculty/non-faculty team members.
• Monitor faculty overload hours to align with state retirement policy and faculty agreements.
• Supervise and evaluate full- and part-time faculty and staff, ensuring accountability and professional growth.
• Collaborate with program coordinators and division assistants to develop instructional schedules and staffing plans.
• Encourage and support faculty and staff development activities to promote excellence and innovation.
• Coordinate recruitment and selection of full-time faculty and staff in partnership with Human Resources and appropriate team members.
• Participate in tenure decision processes and communicate outcomes to division faculty.
• Investigate and resolve student complaints and grievances in collaboration with faculty and administrative officers.
• Develop, support, and monitor short- and long-range goals, strategic plans, and program assessments for the division.
• Provide administrative support for assigned committees and actively participate on campus teams.
• Build strong relationships with other departments and divisions within the College to foster collaboration.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with employers, educational organizations, clinical sites, and community agencies to support program success.
• Plan, develop, and implement articulation and cooperative agreements with school districts, community colleges, and transfer institutions.
• Ensure compliance with accreditation standards, state regulations, and program-level requirements.
• Maintain knowledge of the College mission, vision, and policies, ensuring adherence to state and federal laws.
• Prepare reports and documents to meet College, division, and grantor requirements.
• Plan and coordinate division events, including symposia, professional development, Advisory Committee meetings, pinning ceremonies, and partner programs.
• Participate in establishing the College’s vision and strategic planning, contributing to long-term and short-term goals and decision‑making.

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution, and 5 years of college teaching experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of and/or experience in working with competency-based education (CBE), HyFlex, and BlendFlex access models.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and sustain partnered programs between or among educational institutions: high schools, community colleges, and universities; and between or among non‑profit agencies, businesses, and corporations.
• Demonstrated ability in planning and resource management.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with faculty and administrative colleagues.
• Demonstrated commitment to the Lewis & Clark mission.

• Degree and teaching experience in one of the academic disciplines within the Division supervised.
• Doctoral degree.
• Minimum of two years community college administrative experience, four‑year college or university experience considered.
• Experience in Illinois community college governance and funding.