Program Director, Rising Scholars (Justice Impacted Student Program) (COF)

Below is our job description for this position. Please also review the Important Instructions & Additional Information section below, which contains valuable information about our application process.

Basic Function

The Program Director is responsible to the assigned Vice President or assigned supervisor, and has broad accountability, within the participatory governance framework, for planning, directing and evaluating assigned functions associated with maintaining quality academic and student services programs.

About the Rising Scholars Program

The Rising Scholars Program at Bakersfield College is dedicated to expanding educational opportunities and improving student success for justice-impacted individuals, including students who are currently incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, or otherwise impacted by the criminal justice system. Through collaboration with correctional institutions, community organizations, workforce partners, and campus departments, the program provides educational pathways, comprehensive student support services, and resources that promote persistence, completion, transfer, career readiness, and successful reentry.

The Program Director provides leadership for one of the College's signature student success initiatives, supporting educational programs both within correctional facilities and across the Bakersfield College service area. The successful candidate will foster collaboration among faculty, staff, administrators, and community partners to strengthen educational access, remove barriers to student success, and advance equitable outcomes for justice-impacted students.

This position requires a collaborative and innovative leader who can build strong partnerships with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), county correctional facilities, probation departments, community-based organizations, and other agencies that support student achievement and successful reentry. The Program Director will lead a dedicated team committed to delivering high-quality services while ensuring compliance with applicable regulations, grant requirements, and institutional priorities.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker and servant leader who values collaboration, integrity, equity, and continuous improvement. They will possess the ability to build productive relationships across the College and throughout the community while promoting a culture of inclusion, accountability, and student-centered decision making. This is an exceptional opportunity to lead a growing program that transforms lives through education and strengthens Bakersfield College's commitment to serving justice-impacted students and the communities in which they live.

Representative Duties

1. Interpret and administer District policy regarding assigned program(s).

2. Interpret and administer College policy with respect to student centered educational services. Plan, implement, and evaluate short and long-range strategies, goals, and objectives related to assigned program(s).

3. Review, assess and evaluate assigned programs and services; recommend and implement approved plans and policies to facilitate and improve outcomes, operations and programs within areas of responsibility.

4. Provide leadership in generating staff development opportunities for support staff.

5. Provide assistance in recruitment, selection, orientation, and evaluation of support staff in assigned program(s).

6. Supervise and coordinate department planning and operations; personnel supervision, including development and evaluation of all support staff.

7. Develop, implement, and monitor the annual plans and budgets expenditures.

8. Act as liaison with District, State, and federal governing bodies regarding assigned programs and practices.

9. Market the College and assigned programs to the College community and the general public.

10. Serve on College and District committees as appropriate.

11. Performs other duties as assigned or required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in an academic area related to assignment.

• Five years of full-time experience in administration, including at least three years of leadership experience reasonably related to the administrative assignment.

• Demonstrated sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ethnic, and disability backgrounds of community college students and employees.

Important Instructions & Additional Information

Complete applications received by the "assured consideration date" above are guaranteed to be reviewed by Human Resources. If you apply after this date, there is no guarantee that your application will be reviewed. However, we still recommend that you apply because recruitments remain open until filled. The District and/or College reserves the right to extend time limits and/or repost or restart recruitments at any point.

Completed applications must include the following.

• Completed online application for employment
• Current resume
• Letter of interest (cover letter)
• List of 5 (five) professional references (entered in online application)
• Copy of legible transcripts (if required for the position)

It is your responsibility to redact or remove any personally identifiable information from all documents prior to uploading, including Social Security numbers, date of birth, photos, etc.

Equivalency for Minimum Qualifications

Applicants for faculty and educational administrator positions in California Community Colleges are required to meet certain minimum qualifications as provided by the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office and detailed in the Minimum Qualifications for Faculty and Administrators in California Community Colleges handbook. If you do not meet these minimum qualifications, you may still be eligible by completing the KernCCD Application for Equivalence process. Please see our Faculty Equivalency Process website for more information.

International or Foreign Degrees

Applicants with international or foreign degrees from colleges or universities outside of the United States must have their coursework evaluated by a professional association that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, INC. (ACEI). A copy of the evaluation must be submitted with your online application.

Accommodations

Applicants who require reasonable accommodation to participate in the selection process should contact Human Resources to make the necessary arrangements. (For more information, see our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Equal Employment Opportunities website.)

Discrimination Free Work Environment

Discrimination based on race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation of any person, military and veteran status, or the perception that a person has one or more of these characteristics is illegal and violates Kern Community College District policy.

The Kern CCD Equal Employment Opportunity Plan guides the development, implementation, and monitoring of the District's efforts to foster equal employment opportunities and workplace diversity.

See our Discrimination-Free Work Environment webpage for more information.

Work Authorization

Kern Community College District does not provide sponsorship for authorization to work in the United States. Work authorization should be established at the time of application submission.

E-Verify

The Kern Community College District participates in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify program to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E-Verify, please visit e-verify.gov.

Helpful Links

Kern Community College District

Salary Schedules

Job Descriptions

Benefits

Faculty Minimum Qualifications/Equivalency Process

Full-time permanent employees (20 hours per month) are eligible for health benefits:

• Health

• Dental

• Vision

• Life Insurance

• Long-term Disability

In addition to the above benefits, the District also offers a robust voluntary benefits selection:

• Flex 125

• Additional products and services through American Fidelity

• Supplemental Voluntary Life Insurance

• Tax Shelter Annuities

The District participates in CalPERS Retirement System and Social Security benefits for Classified and Management employees. Employees covered under the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), are vested 100% after five years of full-time service credit.

The District participates in the State Teacher's Retirement System (STRS) for faculty. Employees covered under the State Teacher's Retirement System (STRS), are vested 100% after five years of full-time service credit.

The following classifications are eligible for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health benefits at the employee expense offered through SISC:

• Permanent Employees (19 hours or less)
• Adjuncts
• Temporary Hourly
• Professional Experts