Dean, Advising & Career Pathways

Description Waukesha County Technical College is seeking an innovative, collaborative leader to serve as the college's first Dean of Advising & Career Pathways. This newly created position is a direct outcome of an organizational assessment of the Division of Student Affairs which engaged faculty, staff, and institutional leaders to consider the future of Student Affairs. The assessment affirmed what makes WCTC special: a deeply relational, student-centered culture where staff routinely go above and beyond for students.

It was also found that students too often experience a collection of separate services rather than one coordinated journey, and that the transition from admission to the first day of class is a critical point for student retention. Among its central recommendations were integrating Academic Advising and Career Connections positions into a unified student success role and ensuring career preparation begins early in a student's experience and that students enroll in the courses that support their academic and personal goals.

The Dean will lead the design and implementation of this vision. Reporting to the Associate Vice Provost of Student Affairs, the Dean will provide strategic leadership for academic and career advising, new student advising, and Career Services. They will directly oversee the launch of a new blended Academic/Career Advisor role, including setting evaluation criteria, reviewing outcome data, and determining when and how to expand the model.

The Dean will also strengthen proactive outreach at key transition points, expand employer and internship partnerships, and work closely with Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, and campus partners to create a more connected experience for every student, from first contact through career outcome.

We are looking for a builder. The successful candidate will bring strong, collaborative leadership, innovative and critical thinking, and proven project management skills to move multiple initiatives from plan to practice at the same time. They will use data to guide decisions, lead change in a way that brings staff along while engaging with them and building trust, and stay focused on the students WCTC serves: adult learners, first-generation students, career changers, apprentices, and dual-enrolled high schoolers, and both traditional and transfer college students.

This is a rare opportunity to shape a new model of student success from the ground up at the only associate degree-granting college in Waukesha County.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive vision for integrated advising and career services that support student success
• Design innovative advising models and provide oversight for practices based on current research and best practices
• Lead strategic planning efforts with measurable outcomes aligned to institutional goals and accreditation requirements
• Create and maintain policies and guidelines that ensure quality and consistency across advising functions
• Monitor trends in higher education and implement evidence-based approaches to enhance student support services
• Establish key performance indicators to evaluate program effectiveness, including formal evaluation criteria and a review timeline for the Academic/Career Advisor role.
• Manage departmental budgets across academic advising, career advising, and new student advising

• Direct the delivery of holistic academic advising services for new and continuing students
• Implement proactive advising campaigns targeting key transition points and at-risk student populations
• Coordinate advising services with academic departments to ensure accurate program guidance
• Develop resources and tools that support effective academic planning and degree completion
• Evaluate the impact of advising on retention, academic success, and time to degree completion
• Address complex student situations and serve as an escalation point for advising challenges
• Foster a student-centered advising philosophy focused on personal connection and individual success
• Monitor changes in WTCS and recommend related policy and/or procedural changes

• Direct the delivery of career advising and new student advising services, ensuring alignment with academic advising practices and overall student success goals
• Provide strategic direction for…