The Hunter Group is conducting a retained national search for a Provost & Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for Oakland Community College (OCC). This search reflects extensive faculty, senate, and campus input regarding the leadership experience, values, and competencies required to advance OCC’s academic mission in a complex, multicampus, unionized community college environment.

Oakland Community College is a comprehensive, multicampus community college serving a diverse student population across Oakland County. OCC is committed to academic excellence, student success, equity, innovation, and shared governance. The institution emphasizes teaching quality, community responsiveness, and accessible pathways to workforce and transfer success.

The Provost & Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs serves as the College’s chief academic officer and provides strategic, collaborative leadership for all academic programs, faculty, and instructional support services. Reporting directly to the Chancellor, the Provost is responsible for advancing academic quality, fostering faculty engagement, supporting shared governance, and ensuring that OCC remains responsive to evolving educational, workforce, and technological trends.

This is a highly visible leadership role requiring a faculty-centered, student-focused academic leader with deep experience in community college environments and a demonstrated commitment to inclusive, collaborative leadership.

• Provide executive leadership for all academic affairs, including instruction, academic planning, faculty affairs, curriculum, and academic support services.
• Champion academic excellence, integrity, and continuous improvement across all campuses and modalities.
• Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing assessment of the College’s Academic Master Plan.
• Foster a faculty-friendly culture grounded in shared governance, collaboration, and transparency.
• Support, mentor, and develop deans and academic leaders, holding peers and leadership accountable for results.
• Advance student-centered academic strategies that support access, persistence, completion, and transfer.
• Utilize institutional data to inform academic decision-making, planning, and resource allocation.
• Oversee and support innovation in online education, multiple teaching modalities, and emerging technologies.
• Provide thoughtful leadership on issues of AI, academic integrity, and the future of teaching and learning.
• Engage regularly with faculty, staff, and students through open communication, including town halls and campus forums.
• Navigate and lead effectively within a unionized, multicampus environment.
• Advance diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout academic programs, policies, and practices.

• Doctoral degree (PhD or EdD) in an academic discipline. Higher Education Administration or Education Leadership required.
• A minimum of five (5) years of higher education administrative experience in Academic Affairs, preferably at the community college level. Higher education teaching experience required.
• Substantial teaching and academic leadership experience, with a strong preference for candidates with a faculty background.
• Demonstrated experience in a multicampus community college environment.
• Experience working effectively in unionized academic settings.
• Proven commitment to shared governance and collaborative, bottom-up leadership.
• Direct experience developing or implementing an Academic Master Plan.
• Demonstrated ability to use institutional data to guide strategy and decision-making.
• Experience and vision related to online education, technology-enhanced learning, and multiple modalities.
• Demonstrated leadership in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Strong communication skills and comfort engaging openly with diverse constituencies.
• Ability to adapt quickly, manage change, and resolve conflict constructively.

• Faculty-centered and student-focused
• Collaborative and transparent leadership style
• Approachable, personable, and relationship-oriented
• Clear and consistent communicator
• Advocate for academic excellence and professional development
• Open-minded, reflective, and future-oriented
• Holds self and others accountable

Interested candidates should apply through the ”APPLY” button.

All inquiries and nominations will be handled professionally throughout the search process.

This national search seeks a distinguished academic leader with the credibility, vision, and collaborative leadership capacity to serve as Oakland Community College’s next Provost & Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. OCC invites applications from experienced provosts, vice provosts, and senior academic administrators who are committed to community college excellence, faculty engagement, student success, and innovation in teaching and learning.

Oakland Community College is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution. The College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. OCC is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive academic community and strongly encourages applications from women, people of color, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.

The Provost & Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs plays a central leadership role in ensuring Oakland Community College’s continued compliance with and alignment to Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Criteria for Accreditation. The successful candidate will demonstrate a clear understanding of accreditation standards and the ability to integrate them into academic leadership, planning, and culture.

• Provide executive oversight for academic quality, integrity, and continuous improvement in alignment with HLC Criteria and Core Components.
• Ensure faculty credentials, curriculum oversight, assessment of student learning, and instructional delivery models meet accreditation expectations.
• Lead academic planning and resource alignment in support of institutional mission and effectiveness.
• Promote a culture of evidence through data-informed decision-making, program review, and assessment.
• Support shared governance structures that align with HLC expectations for faculty participation in academic decision-making.
• Oversee substantive change processes, new program approvals, and modality expansions in accordance with HLC policies and timelines.
• Partner with institutional leadership to prepare accreditation reports, self-studies, and continuous improvement documentation.