Superintendent-President

The Santa Clarita Community College District/College of the Canyons is seeking a
Superintendent-President.

The president should be a unifying leader who can articulate a clear vision and inspire dedication to achieving the District’s core mission and values; an innovative leader who seeks a long-term career in a dynamic setting; and an empathetic leader who is committed to academic excellence, student equity and student success.

The next president of College of the Canyons will:

• Guide strategic and long-term planning to enhance enrollment, financial stability, educational programs, student services, and technology.
• Build consensus through collaboration and teamwork, understanding the importance of participatory governance, and engaging faculty, administrators, classified professionals, and students in decision‑making processes.
• Display transparency and courage in making challenging decisions, particularly those related to fiscal management.
• Be a highly visible, approachable leader who actively engages with the campus community and listens to the concerns of faculty, staff, students, and community members.
• Uphold and advance College of the Canyons’ high standards in programs and services while fostering continuous improvement and innovation, guided by the college’s mission and values.
• Partner with local businesses, industries, nonprofits, government entities, educational organizations, and individual donors to expand educational opportunities for students and the community.
• Demonstrate experience in managing college resources and a thorough understanding of the California Community Colleges’ funding mechanisms to guide resource allocation and student‑centered planning.
• Commit to personal and institutional accountability based on data, evaluation, and assessment.
• Stay informed about state and national initiatives, understanding their alignment with the state’s Vision for Success and their impact on College of the Canyons.
• Prioritize values and policies that support equity, social justice, diversity, and academic excellence.
• Foster a collegial and respectful working environment, promoting mutual respect and trust within the college community.
• Listen to and consider the input of faculty, staff, and students to drive positive changes and innovations for the benefit of the college.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to addressing conditions affecting student life, including advocacy and support for undocumented and marginalized students.
• Be a creative, solution‑oriented thinker capable of developing innovative solutions to complex problems.
• Facilitate cross‑district collaboration among College of the Canyons’ faculty, staff, and students to create new opportunities for engagement and growth.

Any combination equivalent to:

• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or equivalent

AND

• A minimum of five years of senior management experience in education with significant and progressively complex decision‑making responsibility including three years of executive level administrative experience, defined as a position reporting directly to a governing body or chief executive officer and being responsible for a broad operational segment of the organization with significant fiscal and programmatic oversight (e.g. academic affairs, student services, administrative services, college campus).

AND

• Evidence of responsiveness to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students, as these factors relate to the need for equity‑minded practices.

AND

• Track‑record of community service and involvement.

This educational administrator position is a twelve (12) month per year position and will be on a negotiable individual contract. Salary placement will be determined based on the candidate’s qualifications and relevant executive leadership experience. This position is an exempt educational administrator role and, as such, is not eligible for overtime or compensatory time.

Santa Clarita Community College District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The College is expecting to conduct initial interviews the week of March 9, 2026, and conduct final interviews the week of March 23, 2026. This is an estimated timeline and is subject to change.

Interviews will be conducted in‑person.

This is an in‑office position.

The executive search firm, PPL, Inc. has been retained to assist with the search.

For confidential inquiries and nominations, please contact:

Dr. Pam Walker
Vice President, PPL, Inc.

or

Dr. Jim Riggs, Ed.D.
Vice President, PPL, Inc.