Vice President of Programs

HERS (Higher Education Resource Services), a leadership development and research organization that is dedicated to creating and sustaining a diverse network of women and gender-diverse leaders in higher education, invites inquiries, nominations, and applications for the position of Vice President of Programs.

HERS is seeking an innovative leader to work with the president, staff, contracted vendors, and HERS Board of Directors to enhance and grow the organization’s programming in line with its mission, vision, and values while continuing to advance the reputation of HERS as well as support participants and create opportunities for them to build their networks.

ABOUT HERS

Founded in 1972, HERS proudly serves as a network for higher education leaders and is building a repository of data and resources for leaders who seek to advance their careers and their leadership practice in higher education.

For over 50 years, HERS has made great strides in increasing the number of women and gender-diverse leaders working to transform higher education. However, there is much work to be done to improve equity in higher education, whether based on gender, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, or other criteria. HERS plans to continue with our efforts to expand excellence, access, and equity in higher education until there is equity in opportunities and outcomes for everyone.

Our programs serve emerging and established leaders from all institution types and all backgrounds. HERS is unique in that we prioritize equity in leadership as a way to create transformative opportunities for all college and university campus constituents.

POSITION SUMMARY

The HERS Vice President of Programs will lead the Programs Team in the design, implementation, management, supervision, and evaluation of programs consistent with the HERS mission, vision, values, and strategic priorities. As a member of the Leadership Team, alongside the HERS President, the VP of Programs participates in fulfilling and reporting on progress made toward goals of the strategic plan, including program development, growth, and participant satisfaction. The VP of Programs is a frequent liaison between HERS and its constituents and facilitates communication, collaboration, and problem-solving among all parties to support high-quality development and implementation of HERS program offerings and participant satisfaction.

The VP of Programs will lead HERS’ signature program, the HERS Leadership Institute (HLI) as well as all other programming. The VP of Programs will ensure that programs thrive and grow and that new programming is developed to meet the needs of current and future women and gender-diverse leaders in higher education. The VP of Programs will work collaboratively with the HERS’ President, the Programs Team, the staff, HERS Network, and HERS Board of Directors, to help raise the organization’s national reputation, obtain financial sponsorships for programs, and oversee engagement of HERS alums.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Strategy, Vision, Leadership

• President’s second in command and strategic thought partner to implement the vision of HERS
• Shape and develop strategic goals and objectives that advance the mission
• Address changes in the higher education landscape, in the marketplace, and for HERS’s current and prospective participants
• Provide supervision to a small team; lead, manage, collaborate with, and as needed, train staff who work in programs, events, marketing, communications, alum outreach & engagement, fundraising, as well as instructional and information technologies
• Contribute to efforts to submit proposals for publications and presentations; represent HERS at relevant conferences
• Cultivate and maintain open lines of communication across the organization and keep the President informed
• Assist the President with fundraising efforts, including leading all efforts for program financial sponsorships; help to maintain external relationships and forge strategic partnerships
• Work in close partnership with the President to develop and implement the organization’s strategic plan, ensuring that processes, systems, and resources are aligned to efficiently increase organizational capacity, impact, and excellence
• Participate in regularly scheduled meetings with the President, Board of Directors, and members of the Leadership Team
• Participate in the development of the annual budget and financial forecasting; manage program and operational expenses

Personnel

• Mentor, support, supervise, and hold regularly scheduled meetings with Programs Team members and Alum Outreach and Engagement staff, with direct supervision of a small team
• Participate in regularly scheduled meetings with Leadership Team members
• Approve staff travel expenses and program staffing requests

Programs

• Oversee the planning and delivery of all HERS programs, including the recruitment of facilitators and program participants, securing appropriate facilities and amenities, setting the program schedule, and creating learning communities and cohort groups
• Oversee the review and assessment of all program applications and the registration and confirmation process
• Evaluate current programs, including the potential for developing new opportunities, both in-person and virtually
• Provide supervision, leadership, and oversight for the quality of networking experiences, outreach and engagement, and development of programs for HERS alums and members of the HERS Network
• Oversee and supervise relationships with external vendors for HERS marketing and recruitment (Philosophy) and IT Support (RedPoint)
• Promote and cultivate HERS’s distinctiveness and niche relative to competitors, including a plan to create additional affordable programs
• Build relationships with program participants; ensure they receive the support and mentorship needed
• Communicate clearly and effectively with program facilitators, staff members, and alums
• Ensure program participant issues, concerns, and grievances are addressed immediately to mitigate any impact their issues may have on the participant experience for others, both before and during all programs
• Oversee all event planning and management for programs
• Oversee and conduct the final review of all contracts related to program delivery and move them through the appropriate approval process
• Oversee continuous evaluations and improvements of program curricula in collaboration with the HERS Alum Council’s Curriculum Committee and Board of Directors Programs Oversight Committee; modify or add to meet the needs of women and gender-diverse leaders
• Oversee work of the Operations Team to ensure learning management system (LMS), when established, enhances program delivery and that the LMS conforms to principles of universal design
• Manage the relationships with all campus liaisons at partner institutions that send participants to HERS regularly
• Other duties as necessary to deliver high-quality program offerings aligning with the HERS mission and vision

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of the trends and emerging issues in higher education at the national level, including those related to technology and artificial intelligence
• Demonstrated knowledge of and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion
• Demonstrated experience in program development that addresses the complex, diverse needs of women and gender-diverse leaders in higher education
• Demonstrated capacity to think strategically, innovatively, and creatively to design programming that meets the needs of HERS’ participants
• An ability to analyze the financial impact of existing and potential programs
• The ability to make professional connections to support participants and to attract program facilitators
• Ability to relate to constituents from all backgrounds and perspectives without judgment
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to listen closely and exude executive presence
• High emotional intelligence and the ability to navigate stressful situations
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to simultaneously handle the demands of intersecting projects
• Experience supervising, managing, leading, and training staff, with the capacity to support, inspire, and collaborate with a team of varied levels and talents; ability to lead the team toward increasingly stronger\ performance individually and collectively
• Experience contributing to fundraising, strategic planning, and budgeting efforts for a campus unit
• Energy, stamina, enthusiasm, and sense of humor
• Ability to travel (30 – 40%) on behalf of and to represent HERS. Required travel includes all onsite programs, board meetings, and conference attendance

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctorate or terminal degree
• (Veterans with equivalent combination of military certification/education and experience may substitute for this qualification).
• At least 7 years’ experience in a leadership role in higher education
• Experience with HERS or similar leadership development programs

Preferred Qualifications

• Formal or informal experience designing and leading higher education professional and leadership development programs, including coaching and/or mentoring
• 10+ years of experience leading a team and campus unit with supervision of staff

Hybrid/Remote | Competitive Salary & Benefits

• HERS is open to remote candidates provided they live near a major airport; travel required to in-person program locations and occasionally to the Denver office as needed
• Average salary in the mid-$160,000s; final offer will depend on experience, skills, and location
• HERS offers flexible work options with a strong compensation package

NOMINATIONS AND APPLICATIONS

Academic Search is assisting HERS in this work. For more than four decades, Academic Search has offered executive search services to higher education institutions, associations, and related organizations. Academic Search was founded by higher education leaders on the principle that we provide the most value to partner institutions by combining best practices with our deep knowledge and experience.

Our mission today is to enhance institutional capacity by providing outstanding executive recruitment services, executive coaching, and transition support, in partnership with our parent organization, the American Academic Leadership Institute.

Prospective candidates may arrange a confidential discussion by contacting Dr. Shirley Robinson Pippins at [email protected] or Lindsey Walke at [email protected]. This profile can also be found at this link to forward to others. Applications and nominations should be submitted electronically to [email protected].

Applications must include a cover letter that addresses the expectations discussed in the profile above; a curriculum vitae; and a list of at least three professional references with contact information, including telephone and email, and a note indicating the candidate’s working relationship with each. References will not be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate. This position is open until filled, but

only applications received by Thursday, June 12, 2025, can be assured full consideration. For additional information about HERS, please visit www.hersnetwork.org.