Director of Trades

Location: Salem

Position Title:

Director of Trades Reports Directly To:
Provost

Location:

Remote (Occasional Travel Required) FLSA Status:
Exempt

Position Summary:

The Director of Trades provides strategic academic leadership and operational oversight for Salem University’s skilled trades portfolio, including certificate, associate, and bachelor’s degree programs. This position is responsible for academic quality, faculty and mentor leadership, curriculum development, program innovation, workforce alignment, student success, accreditation compliance, enrollment collaboration, and continuous program improvement. The Director serves as the academic leader for the Trades programs and works collaboratively with the Office of the Provost, academic leadership, faculty, Admissions, Marketing, the Registrar, Institutional Effectiveness, Information Technology, Student Services, Career Access, Workforce Enterprises, and external industry partners to ensure program integrity, relevance, growth, and operational effectiveness.

The Director leads the development of workforce-responsive programs that incorporate industry-recognized credentials, competency-based learning, apprenticeships, work-based learning, simulation, augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and other emerging instructional technologies. The successful candidate is a student-centered, data-informed, and industry-connected leader committed to academic excellence, workforce readiness, credential attainment, retention, graduation, and graduate employment outcomes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities The duties listed below are representative of the responsibilities of this position. Additional duties may be assigned based on departmental or institutional needs. Academic Leadership and Program Oversight Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all Trades certificate, associate, bachelor’s degree, and related workforce programs. Establish and communicate the academic vision, annual goals, performance expectations, and strategic priorities for the Trades portfolio.

Ensure academic rigor, instructional quality, curriculum alignment, and consistency across face-to-face, blended, online, laboratory, simulation, and work-based learning environments. Lead curriculum review, revision, innovation, and new program development in collaboration with faculty, academic leadership, and industry partners. Ensure course and program learning outcomes align with institutional standards, workforce competencies, employer expectations, credential requirements, and applicable accreditation standards. Oversee course scheduling, instructional coverage, faculty assignments, mentor assignments, laboratories, equipment access, and other academic resources.

Monitor program performance and implement evidence-based continuous improvement strategies. Develop annual operating plans and provide regular updates regarding academic quality, student outcomes, program growth, risks, and resource needs. Ensure instructional activities reflect current industry practices, safety expectations, technology, and workforce standards. Curriculum Innovation and Instructional Technology Lead the development and continuous improvement of workforce-aligned Trades curriculum. Integrate emerging instructional technologies, including simulation, augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, digital learning platforms, and immersive training environments.

Evaluate instructional technologies and recommend solutions that improve skills development, student engagement, instructional consistency, and career readiness. Collaborate with Information Technology, faculty, vendors, and industry partners to implement and maintain technology-supported learning environments. Promote the use of competency-based instruction, performance assessments, applied projects, and experiential learning. Support faculty training and adoption of new instructional technologies and methods. Ensure technology-enhanced learning activities remain accessible, academically appropriate, secure, and aligned with institutional policy.

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