Department Chair Consumer Services & Legal Professions in Houston, Texas at San Jacinto College

Responsibilities:

• The Department Chair translates the strategic directions from the Dean and College leadership into instructional activities in academic and workforce education credit, non-credit, and dual credit/early admission students.

• The Department Chair utilizes specific resources to achieve instructional goals of the division; leads and evaluates the faculty members; coordinates continuous improvement initiatives; and uses experience, best practices, plans, processes, and teams to produce clear deliverables and outputs.

• All employees of San Jacinto College are expected to demonstrate the values of the institution.

Decision-Making and Leadership

• Creates and approves goals for department by interpreting and supporting the goals of the institution as they relate to the department

• Implements and/or reinforces changes based on policy decision; interprets department guidelines to faculty, staff, students, and/or public

• Initiates and maintains communication with administrative staff, faculty, students, industry, external community, state, and national agencies

• Informs the dean of decisions involving changes in the department and issues related to other campuses

• Conducts meetings with faculty to evaluate and approve departmental plans and delivery of instruction

• Provides for the necessary research and department support to obtain/maintain external grant funds or donations if appropriate

• Resolves issues between faculty and students

• Keeps current on trends, issues and initiatives that may impact teaching and learning within the departmental programs

• Assigns teaching loads and other departmental duties

• Identifies 'best practices' for department or processes

• Monitors compliance with policies and procedures of the College

• Attends meetings (e.g. program advisory meetings, department meetings, task forces, committees, councils)

Department Operations – Non-Faculty Activities

• Prepares the annual department/program budget

• Reviews/approves the purchases of goods and services

• Develops Unit Plans/Program Assessment Plans

• Develops and/or reviews class schedules

Department Operations – Faculty Activities

• Recommends renewal of faculty contracts. Reviews and approves personnel changes within the department and forwards forms to the respective dean

• Determines personnel needs in the department and makes appropriate requests in writing and participates in hiring interviews in conjunction with the appropriate search committee

• Performs tracking and analyzing of program data, specifically student performance and enrollment data

• Develops and implements strategies that support program completion, job placement, and/or transfer opportunities for students when appropriate

• Ensures department participation in student recruitment efforts including new student orientations, job fairs, open house and college night events

• Supervises campus Carl D. Perkins Federal Grant that provides items such as equipment and supplies for workforce education programs; professional development for workforce education faculty, administrators and professional staff; special services to students with disabilities; and library books and periodicals for new programs under development or programs that have been recently implemented.

Professional Development and Performance Management

• Evaluates individual teaching effectiveness at least annually using consistent evaluation procedures, and informs the dean of any concerns about the performance of department members

• Recognizes faculty who demonstrate a high level of teaching effectiveness, giving recognition for positive actions of faculty as well as offering constructive suggestions for professional growth

• Supervises and evaluates new faculty and staff

• Provides and/or promotes professional development opportunities to members of the department as appropriate

• Meets with faculty and/or staff members to create the KPIs that reflect the particular needs of the department, as well as consideration for the annual priorities of the College that impact teaching and learning

• Provides evaluation and ongoing feedback about faculty and/or staff performance

• Participates in validation meetings to review and discuss performance ratings of department members with campus leadership

Curriculum and Assessment

• Facilitates assessment of student learning outcomes

• Facilitates the development of curriculum programs, projects, and initiatives in support of the college’s mission and strategic plan and the college’s facilities master plan

• Works with the Office of Institutional Research in gathering data (surveys)

• Participates in activities associated with SACS accreditation, program accreditation and/or program review

• Monitors program compliance with national, state, and/or regional agencies

• Administrative duties as needed to oversee departmental budgets

• Reviews budgets

• Follows and reviews procurement activities

• Reviews compliance to Blackboard standards for faculty

• Approves departmental payroll

• EPAF form processing

• Collaborates with program directors and faculty to develop and implement innovative partnerships with governmental agencies, high schools, and universities.

• Participates in reviews of division programs selected for the annual program review process.

• Teach a minimum of one (1) class per year during the summer only.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from regionally accredited institution or applicable industry experience required including but not limited to criminal justice, cosmetology, culinary, and law & legal studies.

• Five (5) years in community college or industry setting to include teaching or training and /or administration required.

Preferred:

• Master’s degree from regionally accredited institution preferred

• Five (5) years teaching and three years progressive leadership or equivalent experience preferred.

• Experience with managing programs with licensure or accreditations.