President - Seattle Central College (Seattle)

Seattle Central College is looking to hire a President.

Salary Range for this position is $208,924 to $288,515 annually.

Application and required materials must be submitted no later than / Opportunity is open until filled, first review of materials will begin 9/11/2026 .

The President serves as the college's chief executive officer, under the supervision of the district Chancellor. The President is responsible for providing overall leadership and management oversight for all aspects of college operations and does so through a shared government and collaborative approach with college communities (faculty, exempt and classified staff; students; labor partners; college leadership teams). The President serves as an integral part of a collaborative team of leaders including the college presidents within the district and the chancellor. The President serves on the Chancellor's Executive Cabinet, providing input on district policy and operational matters and leadership on districtwide initiatives, and serves as executive sponsor in district-wide efforts when assigned by the Chancellor.

The President is the lead college advocate and representative both within the district and externally among organizational partners, community groups, legislators and with educational partners. The President also serves their college community through effective and authentic engagement with students, faculty and staff.

As Seattle's first community college, Seattle Central has been educating the citizens of Seattle and the surrounding region for more than 50 years. To build successful careers, about a third of Seattle Central students pursue career training programs to learn marketable skills in fields such as healthcare, information technology, business, culinary arts, maritime, social and human services and more. Additionally, Seattle Central hosts more than 2,000 students from around the world.

This position supervises exempt, classified, and temporary employees.

About Us

We are a district of three distinct colleges: North Seattle College, Seattle Central College, and South Seattle College and five specialty training centers. This makes us the largest and most diverse community college district in the state of Washington, and we are leaders in change and innovation.

Seattle Colleges is committed to recruiting dedicated faculty and employees who together create a welcoming academic climate that reflects the diverse backgrounds of our community, including ethnicity, national origin, religion, race, gender, gender identity, age, status as a veteran or disabled veteran, disability, political status, and sexual orientation.

Benefits

• Competitive Pay Rates
• Promotional Opportunities
• Great Medical, Dental, and Retirement plans
• Paid Sick and Vacation Leave
• Transportation benefits
• Tuition Waivers
• PEBB Wellness Plan
• Washington State Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)

Seattle Colleges staff and faculty also enjoy professional development opportunities and enrichment experiences in areas of their choice, including committee, workgroup, and affinity group opportunities.

Application Procedures

• Attached current Resume
• Attached cover letter addressing how your background intersects with the job

Required application materials must be completed and submitted online.

Notice to Applicants

Notice to Applicants: Please note that Seattle Colleges has moved to holding interviews virtually using video conference options such as Zoom or Teams. As such, if you are selected for an interview, please be prepared to hold your interview virtually.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a regular basis. The employer will not sponsor applicants for work visas.

Seattle Colleges is unable to extend post-completion optional practical training (OPT) to F-1 students who receive STEM degrees.

What you will be working on

Administrative Leadership

• Prioritize the success and positive learning experience of students in all programs of Seattle Central College.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership that advances and strengthens institutional excellence, operational systems, accountability, and student success.
• Implement the Seattle Colleges Strategic Plan to make steady gains on college community-generated and board-adopted goals and measures in equitable student retention, completion, transfer, and graduation.
• Affirm and advance College and District Equity, Diversity and Inclusion efforts.
• Work closely with the Chancellor and members of the Chancellor's Executive Cabinet to support a high-quality, unified student experience and organizational excellence through district-wide system improvements, while representing and accounting for the College's unique strengths, programs and successful practices.
• Establish and maintain among leaders, faculty, and staff a healthy sense of urgency to improve student access and success.
• Work closely with faculty and staff implementing the Guided Pathways model, both on campus and across the District, that leads to improved student retention and student experience.
• Lead implementation efforts that produce measurable improvements in student and organizational outcomes.
• Strong strategic ability to plan for change in ways that ensure broad buy-in and action that, in turn, significantly improve student access and success.

External and College Community Development

• Strengthen and expand the College's reputation as a high-quality, responsive provider of transfer education and workforce development by cultivating strategic partnerships with educational institutions, industry leaders, and community organizations.
• Provide leadership in partnership with district human resources and labor unions to attract, retain, and support faculty, staff, and administrators committed to student success and institutional excellence.
• Foster a positive workplace culture that values collaboration, development, and belonging.
• Be visible locally and statewide to forge meaningful and effective partnerships with government, business, education, labor, and civic groups.
• Build a cohesive and unified team of administrators, faculty, and staff and foster a positive workplace culture that values collaboration, development, and belonging.
• Staying current on national trends and best practices and applying them locally.

Compliance and Accountability

• Dedication to supporting faculty and staff professional development and innovative learning.
• Lead and support innovation and integration of best practices in instruction, student support services, and administrative services that lead to improvement in organizational excellence.
• Maintain fiscal stability and sustainability through disciplined and expert management of financial resources, engaged and transparent resource allocation practices, and innovative generation of new revenue.
• Develop and implement strategic enrollment strategies that lead to enrollment growth and retention gains.
• Develop a culture of inquiry and evidence to support a result-oriented approach across the College.

What you bring as a candidate

• At minimum, earned master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
• Significant senior leadership experience in higher education.
• Demonstrated experience working as part of a senior executive team toward organizational fulfillment of strategic plan and goals.
• Demonstrated knowledge and direct experience leading in the context of diverse communities and equitable education practices.
• Proven ability to bring major initiatives and complex projects to completion.
• Proven results in improving student success and achieving more equitable outcomes for historically excluded student populations.
• Proven ability to build partnerships and trust across internal and external constituencies.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with elected officials at all levels, as well as with business, labor, and civic leaders.
• Demonstrated understanding of community college or public education funding mechanisms and enrollment trends.
• Experience with successful fiscal management and budget planning.
• Strong record of working effectively with faculty, staff, and students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
• Strong commitment to making the college a premier institution, renowned nationally and internationally for equitable teaching, learning and academic innovation.
• Commitment to data-informed and evidence-based decision-making.
• Demonstrated success leading through shared governance and collaborative decision-making environments.
• Experience in nurturing transparency, accountability, and building trusting relationships as a leader.
• Record of effective campus or division operational leadership and organizational effectiveness.
• Superior communication and interpersonal skills.

Why This Role Matters

Seattle Central is at an inflection point.

The next president will inherit an institution with a proud history, a deeply committed workforce, and a mission that remains as relevant today as it was at the college's founding. The college also faces significant opportunities to strengthen its financial sustainability, operational effectiveness, and long-term strategic positioning.

For the right leader, this is not simply an opportunity to maintain an institution. It is an opportunity to shape one. <