Position Summary:
The Executive Director of Organizational Development provides strategic leadership for college-wide organizational effectiveness, leadership development, succession planning, change management, and professional learning initiatives that advance Washtenaw Community College’s mission and strategic priorities. This position serves as a senior advisor to the President, Chief Human Resource Officer, and executive leadership team on organizational design, leadership capability, talent readiness, employee engagement, and institutional change.
The Executive Director is responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive organizational development strategy that strengthens leadership pipelines, supports employee growth, improves team effectiveness, and promotes a culture of innovation, inclusion, accountability, and continuous improvement. This role also provides executive oversight for the college-wide implementation of WCC’s AI strategy, working collaboratively with the CIO on administrative AI initiatives and the EVP for Instruction on academic AI initiatives.
Essential Duties include:
Executive and Management Development:
- Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of a college-wide organizational development strategy aligned with WCC’s strategic plan, mission, values, and institutional priorities.
- Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership on organizational effectiveness, leadership capability, change readiness, workforce planning, succession planning, and employee development.
- Assess institutional needs and recommend organizational development interventions that support student success, equity, workforce readiness, operational effectiveness, and community engagement.
- Develop annual operational plans, goals, timelines, and metrics for organizational development initiatives.
Leadership Development & Executive Learning:
- Design, implement, and evaluate leadership development programs for executives, senior leaders, mid-level managers, emerging leaders, and key institutional talent.
- Facilitate executive-level learning experiences, leadership retreats, team development sessions, and strategic planning workshops.
- Work collaboratively with the Deans on faculty professional development initiatives.
Team Effectiveness Facilitation:
- Create opportunities for leadership and team effectiveness, and facilitate workshops, retreats, and team development sessions.
Talent & Succession Planning:
- Lead the development and implementation of succession planning processes that identify critical roles, high-potential talent, readiness gaps, and future leadership needs.
- Create leadership pipeline strategies that support employee retention, internal mobility, career progression, and workforce continuity.
- Partner with Human Resources and executive leadership to align talent development strategies with institutional priorities and long-term workforce needs.
Learning & Development:
- Promote a culture of inclusion, collaboration, and innovation through leadership programs and engagement strategies.
- Oversee the creation and delivery of scalable learning solutions to enhance management skills, emotional intelligence, performance management, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Partner with senior leadership to align leadership initiatives with WCC’s strategic priorities: student success, equity, workforce readiness, and community engagement.
- Conduct targeted organizational assessments to identify leadership gaps and recommend solutions.
- Support initiatives that enhance employee retention and career progression.
- Change Management:
- Lead and support change initiatives by providing frameworks, training, and communication strategies to promote clarity, adoption, and sustainability.
- AI Leadership:
- Provide executive oversight for the college-wide implementation of WCC’s AI strategy.
- Utilize technology, including AI-enabled tools and software where appropriate, to support the effective performance of assigned duties, enhance productivity, improve communication and information management, support decision-making, and other responsibilities, while ensuring compliance with confidentiality requirements, institutional policies, procedures, and applicable regulations.
- Metrics & Evaluation:
- Establish KPIs to measure the effectiveness of development programs and continuously improve learning strategies using data and feedback.
- Use data analytics to measure program effectiveness and inform continuous improvement.
- Reporting:
- Prepare reports and recommendations for senior leadership.
Core Competencies:
- Strategic Thinking
- Leadership & Influence
- Collaboration & Relationship Building
- Cultural Competence
- Confidentiality & Professional Integrity
Minimum Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Master’s degree in organizational development, Industrial Organizational Psychology, Human Resources, Business Administration, Adult Learning or Training, or a related field required.
- Minimum 7-10 years experience (reporting to a C-Suite executive) in organizational development, leadership training, or talent management for a large organization, a mid-sized business experiencing growth or change, or in a healthcare, technology, or retail company.
- Demonstrated experience advising senior or executive leadership on organizational effectiveness, leadership development, succession planning, talent strategy, or large-scale change initiatives.
- Experience leading complex, cross-functional organizational development initiatives from concept through implementation, with clear goals, timelines, metrics, and measurable outcomes.
- Demonstrated expertise in leadership development, succession planning, employee development, organizational assessment, change management, and program evaluation.
- Experience developing and delivering executive-level learning, leadership retreats, team effectiveness sessions, or management development programs.
- Ability to analyze organizational data, identify trends, develop recommendations, and translate insights into practical strategies.
- Strong executive presence, facilitation skills, coaching ability, project management capability, and written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to build trust and credibility with executive leaders, managers, faculty, staff, and cross-functional partners.
- Expertise in leadership development and succession planning strategies.
- Strong facilitation, coaching, and project management skills.
- Ability to analyze data and translate insights into actionable strategies.
- Ability to use workplace technology relevant to the position, including the capacity to learn and appropriately leverage emerging AI-supported tools.
- Ability to assess the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content, maintain confidentiality, and apply sound judgment and ethical practices in the use of technology.
Instructions to Applicants:Please complete all sections of the application and submit required documents.
Our college strives to make a positive difference in people’s lives through accessible and excellent educational programs and services.
Washtenaw Community College seeks to recruit and retain a productive workforce as a reflection of our commitment to serve our community and to build on the success of our students, faculty & staff. Washtenaw Community College is committed to creating a welcoming environment.
Washtenaw Community College is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Pay: $95,246.00 - $104,771.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
