Executive Director, Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good

Position Title Executive Director, Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good About the University

Western Washington University, with over 15,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western is the highest-ranking public, master's-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department

University Relations and Marketing and supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good (WACC) is a coalition of over 45 higher education institutions in Washington committed to advancing the public purpose of colleges and universities, educating students about the workforce and civic leadership, and working in partnerships to cultivate vital and sustainable communities across the state. WACC administers multi-state national service grants and federally funded AmeriCorps grants focused on educational equity, improving college access of under-represented students, food security, mental/medical health, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. WACC provides training and networking opportunities to colleges and universities in the areas of educational equity, civic engagement, campus/community partnerships, and program/ federally funded grant management. WACC oversees a statewide student civic fellows’ program and hosts an annual Student Civic Leadership awards program.

Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good is hosted at Western Washington University in the University Relations & Marketing Division. Western’s mission is to bring together individuals of diverse backgrounds and perspectives in an inclusive, student-centered university that develops the potential of learners and the well-being of communities.

About the Position

The Executive Director for Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good provides leadership, organizational development, and oversight of a statewide higher education organization. The Executive Director creates and implements strategic plans, seeks, and acquires funding and collaborative partnerships, and develops and maintains high-profile relationships on a local, statewide, and national level, including with private foundations, policy leaders, and academic institutions and organizations. The Executive Director oversees the leadership of a statewide executive board of presidents/chancellors and state leaders and directs and manages a team of professional staff and consultants.

30% - Leadership

• Serve as chief executive officer, overseeing the development and implementation of strategic initiatives and programs for Washington Campus Coalition for the Public Good
• Demonstrate thought leadership and vision that drives innovative change in higher education and the community engagement field
• Cultivate and sustain state, regional, and national partnerships for initiatives that address critical issues facing higher education institutions and their local communities.
• Represent the organization and Board – meet with funding agencies, elected officials, university and college presidents