Employment Opportunities

Suffolk County Community College is the largest community college in the State University of New York (SUNY) system, enrolling more than 26,000 students at its three campuses in Selden, Brentwood, and Riverhead, as well as its Culinary Arts Center in Riverhead. Established in 1959, the college offers a wide array of transfer-oriented associate degrees in the liberal arts and sciences; business; communications and the arts; computing and cybersecurity; health sciences; and many other areas. Career-facing degrees and certificates are offered in allied health professions, automotive technology, culinary and baking, manufacturing, and many other areas. The college provides high school concurrent enrollment opportunities to thousands of students each year through Suffolk’s Beacon program and on-campus early college classes. Designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic Serving Institution, Suffolk enrolls thousands of students in English Language Learning courses, and also serves more veterans and military-connected students than any other college in the SUNY system.

Position Summary

The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs serves as a senior academic leader responsible for advancing the College's academic mission through strategic leadership, institutional collaboration, and operational excellence across all campuses. Reporting to the Executive Dean, this position provides leadership for academic planning, faculty excellence, curriculum quality, assessment and accreditation.

The Associate Dean is responsible for the direction, development, implementation, and growth of programs and courses within an academic department.  Academic departments may comprise a single large discipline or program (e.g., Surgical Technology) or a number of disciplines and programs (e.g., Mathematics, Natural Sciences). The Associate Dean ensures academic programs align with the College's strategic priorities, SUNY and NYSED requirements, MSCHE Standards, specialized accreditation expectations, and evolving workforce and community needs.

Working collaboratively with academic leadership, faculty, student affairs, enrollment management, workforce development, and external partners including but not limited to community partners, local businesses, healthcare facilities, and industry stakeholders.  The Associate Dean develops and implements strategies that promote innovation, academic quality, equitable student outcomes, and continuous institutional improvement.

The Associate Dean serves as a key member of the College's academic leadership team, fostering collaboration across campuses and disciplines while supporting a culture of shared governance, innovation, accountability, and student-centered excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provides leadership for life sciences, mathematics, and health career programs and service areas
• Works to promote the department programs at the local, state, and national level and serves as a member of their Area of Study, SUNY, and regional and national committees to further the delivery of their departmental programming.
• Leads and directs the work of assigned academic offices, fostering collaboration, operational excellence, and the consistent application of College‑wide policies.
• Serves as a member of the College’s Master Planning Committee and contributes to the development and management of the master schedule in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Monitors enrollment reports and section utilization rates and consults with academic chairs to ensure appropriate responses to enrollment trends.
• Works in partnership with Central Academic Affairs in the analysis, development, and evaluation of courses, curricula, and programs.
• Collaborates with Central Academic Affairs and academic departments to guide assessment activities, promote the use of assessment data, and support evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement.
• Guides the accreditation process for health careers disciplines in collaboration with the Central Office of Academic Affairs.
• Collaborates with student services personnel and faculty to develop effective recruitment and retention strategies.
• Fosters a student-centered educational environment responsive to diverse learner needs.
• Provide leadership in the recruitment, mentoring, evaluation, development, and retention of high-quality faculty and academic administrators and staff.
• Oversees faculty evaluation processes, including term appointments, continuing appointments, promotions, and post tenure faculty review.
• Models and communicates appropriate standards of professional and pedagogical competence in accordance with SUNY and NYSED policies and regional/national accreditation standards
• Assists with the development and management of the operating budget for academic areas.
• Participate in budget development and when appropriate, approve departmental budget items.
• Analysis of resource needs, including staffing, facilities, equipment, supplies, and assessment and evaluation activities
• Develop both short- and long-term budgetary projections
• Monitor expenditures and assure they are within budgetary parameters
• Compile budgetary reports to the Executive Dean
• Identify internal and external funding opportunities and manage grant writing for the department
• Advocate for investments that support innovation, faculty development, instructional technology, and student success.
• Addresses grade grievances and student complaints that are not resolved at the department level.
• Assure fidelity with existing policies and procedures in recruitment and retention of students;
• Collaborate with Enrollment Management and Student Affairs leadership and staff in recruitment and retention initiatives;
• Oversee assessment of student performance and progress;
• Collaborate with all relevant stakeholders to develop programs to support equitable student success and completion, including assessment of both academic and non-academic needs.
• Serves on College committees as appropriate;
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Executive Dean.

Key Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated success leading institutional initiatives involving curriculum, faculty, accreditation, assessment, enrollment management, strategic planning, or student success.
• Experience managing budgets, personnel, and complex organizational initiatives.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering student success through evidence-based practices and equitable educational opportunities.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and project management skills.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships across multiple constituencies.
• Advanced proficiency with institutional data systems and technology, including Microsoft Office applications and higher education information systems.

Required

• Master's degree from an accredited institution within a science and healthcare field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible academic leadership experience in higher education. 

Preferred

• Doctoral degree from an accredited institution is preferred
• Community college experience.

This is a Guild (Unit 4) position, and, as such, the salary and benefits for this position are determined according to the salary and benefits plan for the Guild of Administrative Officers.