Assistant Director of Adult Education

PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT REVIEW APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED THROUGH MASSCAREERS. PLEASE APPLY VIA THE LINK BELOW:

About Northern Essex Community College:

THE COLLEGE: Northern Essex Community College (NECC) serves about 5,000 credit students each semester on two campuses located in the beautiful, historic Merrimack Valley region of northeast Massachusetts. Our suburban Haverhill campus sits on 106 acres near Kenoza Lake and features a Technology Center and an award-winning Student One-Stop Center. Our urban campus in Lawrence occupies a number of buildings in the heart of downtown. Most recently, we have constructed a new 44,000 square foot health technologies facility, the Dr. Ibrahim El-Hefni Allied Health & Technology Center. Both campuses are a short drive to Boston and to the beaches and state parks along the coast.

The College has been building an organizational culture that values initiative and innovation, and seeks to identify and develop the strengths in students, faculty, staff, and programs in order to grow and improve. NECC is also committed to using evidence to guide planning and decision-making. These values are reflected in the use of Appreciative Inquiry for strategic planning and accreditation; in our investment in strengths-based, institution-wide professional development; and in our ten-year involvement as a Leader College in Achieving the Dream, a national network of community colleges dedicated to using data to close student achievement gaps.

We are also committed to the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. With over 40% Hispanic students, NECC was the first federally recognized Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in New England.

We seek leaders who are committed to the community college mission, actively engaged in promoting diversity, and prepared to use their unique strengths and innovation with the goal of student success.

Job Description:

POSITION: Full-Time Assistant Director of Adult Education (Assistant Director): Center for Adult Education; Lawrence Campus (420 Common Street); 37.5 hours per week; Non-Unit Professional Position.

SUMMARY: The Center for Adult Education (CAE) at Northern Essex Community College is seeking an experienced, collaborative Assistant Director to help lead our program. CAE serves an immigrant-rich, multilingual community through a range of programs including English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), High School Equivalency (HiSET/GED) preparation, college and career readiness, and transitions to "next step" programs.

The Assistant Director of Adult Education provides leadership and oversight for program operations, student services, and special initiatives. This role ensures effective coordination across outreach, intake, orientation, testing, enrollment, advising, data, and 'next step' programs. They supervise both professional and administrative staff, manage compliance, and aligns daily operations with strategic and equity-driven goals. They work closely with the Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning to ensure operational alignment with instructional goals and student success outcomes.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Collaborate with the Executive Director to set strategic priorities and lead continuous program improvement.
• Oversee all stages of the enrollment pipeline: intake, orientation, testing, enrollment, registration, class transfers, withdrawals, and post-exit follow-up.
• Support staff to develop and deliver student orientations and presentations.
• Supervise and support staff across key program areas, including outreach, enrollment, advising, data, Transitions to College, SNAP Employment and Training, and Integrated Education and Training.
• Provide coaching, facilitate professional development, and foster collaboration across teams.
• Partner with the Administrative Assistant to develop class schedules, coordinate classroom and resource assignments, and manage instructional and office supply needs.
• Work with the Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning to ensure instructional schedules, student services, and resources are aligned and integrated.
• Promote an inclusive, student-centered environment that supports persistence, retention, and success for diverse learners.
• Collaborate with advisors to identify student barriers to persistence and support coordination of support services to help students manage them.
• Monitor and respond to student feedback to guide ongoing improvements in programming and services.
• Collaborate with advising staff and instructional leadership to support career planning, transitions, and student retention.
• Support the development of new academic and career pathways tailored to adult learners.
• Provide strategic direction for CAE events, including Graduation and Adult Education and Family Literacy Week.
• Ensure operational compliance with college, state, and federal guidelines.
• Ensure accountability for data integrity across LACES, Destiny One, and related systems through coordination with the Testing, Enrollment, and Data Specialist.
• Use student data to inform decisions, drive program improvements, and meet performance benchmarks.
• Lead efforts to improve enrollment, registration, and communication processes through digital platforms.
• Represent CAE at college, local, and statewide meetings.
• Support grant development, reporting, and preparation for site visits, audits, and compliance reviews.
• Provide leadership for student engagement initiatives, including advisory groups, peer mentoring, and student ambassador programs.
• Guide and convene the Area Planning Committee to ensure programming aligns with workforce and community needs
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

PLEASE NOTE, WE DO NOT REVIEW APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED THROUGH MASSCAREERS. PLEASE APPLY VIA THE LINK BELOW:

Requirements:

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Education or a closely related field or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Three (3) years of experience in program management.
• Strong working knowledge adult education policies.
• Strong track record of supervising teams, with responsibility for recruitment, evaluation, and ongoing staff development.
• Proficiency using LACES or other student databases to manage and analyze data.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and supporting underserved community members and immigrant, multilingual and underserved learners.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bilingual (Spanish/English)
• Experience working in DESE-funded adult education program.
• Experience applying culturally responsive and trauma-informed practices in educational settings.

EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: Applicants who do not meet the qualifications as noted above are encouraged to put in writing precisely how their background and experience has prepared them with the equivalent combination of education, training, and experience required for the responsibilities of this position.

BACKGROUND CHECK: Candidates will be required to pass a CORI and SORI check as a condition of employment.

Additional Information:

SALARY: Anticipated starting salary range is $80,000.00 - $86,000.00 annually with complete fringe benefit package including competitive health insurance, dental insurance, basic life insurance, long-term disability insurance, paid sick, vacation and personal leave, educational benefits for employee/spouse/dependents, and excellent retirement benefits. Official transcripts will be required at the time of hire.

ANTICIPATED START DATE: ASAP

Application Instructions:

TO APPLY: To be considered for this position click on the "Apply Now" button, you will be prompted to set up a new account or login to an existing account. You will be able to upload the following required documents for consideration:

• Cover Letter, describing your qualifications and/or how you may be best suited for the role
• Resume/CV

Review of applications will begin 5 business days from the posting date and will continue until the position is filled.

**Please note that finalist candidates will be asked to provide contact information for three (3) professional references, including current supervisor (or at least two previous supervisors)

DEADLINE: Open until filled

Northern Essex Community College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran or military status, genetic information, gender identity, or sexual orientation in its programs and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statues and college policies. The College prohibits sexual harassment, including sexual violence. Inquiries or complaints concerning discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or sexual violence shall be referred to the College's Affirmative Action Officer/Title IX Coordinator, Elizabete Trelegan (Assistant Director of Human Resources, B-219,978-556-3928/ [email protected]), the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission or the United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. Northern Essex Community College will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

Prospective employees are encouraged to review the College's Annual Security Report (ASR), in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, which can be found on the disclosure page of the College's website at:

Official Title : Assistant Director

Primary Location : United States-Massachusetts-Lawrence - 420 Common Street

Job : Education

Agency : Northern Essex Comm College

Schedule : Full-time

Shift : Day

Job Posting : Mar 23, 2026, 10:16:44 AM

Number of Openings : 1

Salary : 80,000.00 - 86,000.00 Yearly

If you have Diversity, Affirmative Action or Equal Employment Opportunity questions or need a Reasonable Accommodation, please contact Diversity Officer / ADA Coordinator : Elizabete Trelegan - 9785563928