What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Professional Studies and Continuing Education position at Rhode Island College?
Rhode Island College seeks a dynamic and strategic leader to serve as Director of Professional Studies and Continuing Education (PSCE). The Director advances the College’s mission by leading innovative continuing, professional, online, adult, and workforce education programs that respond to the evolving needs of the region, with particular attention to unemployed, underemployed, adult, and underserved learners.
Reporting to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, the Director provides leadership for the planning, administration, and financial management of PSCE programs on campus and at the Workforce Development Hub in Central Falls. The position oversees continuing education programming; manages budgets, grants, contracts, and personnel; and builds strong partnerships with academic departments, campus offices, employers, and community organizations. The Director plays a critical role in expanding access, launching new initiatives, and strengthening Rhode Island College’s impact in workforce and community education.
Primary Purpose
The Director serves to ensure that the Office of Professional Studies and Continuing Education (PSCE) programming aligns with and extends the mission of Rhode Island College (RIC) to meet the professional development, continuing, online education, adult education, workforce development and training needs of all sectors of the community and workforce including underemployed, unemployed, and underserved students. The Director reports to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and is responsible for the strategic leadership, administration, and financial management of PSCE programs and operations on campus and at the Workforce Development Hub in Central Falls in cooperation with senior administrators and staff, campus partners and support offices, and community and industry partners. Areas of administration and financial management include primary responsibility for most Continuing Education (CE) programs; assistance with the development, funding, staffing, delivery, assessment, and reporting on all programming; and the leadership of PSCE strategic planning and assistance with the implementation of new PSCE and RIC initiatives.
Essential Duties
- Direct administration and management of PSCE department, agency, grant and contract training budgets including expenditures, programming cost estimates and controls, and internal and external budget reporting, and invoicing for contract programming.
- Lead the development of annual PSCE budget and programming budget forecasts and final annual fiscal year report summary data and analysis of budgets and programs.
- Manage the administration of PSCE Management Information Services (MIS) functions to ensure student and program access and support for all PSCE educational and training programs.
- Lead the development and submission of all grant and programming proposals with internal offices and external partners.
- Oversee PSCE hiring and payrolls for college monthly employees, instructional and support services staff, and student employees.
- Coordinate dual enrollment and concurrent enrollment partnerships and related external engagement activities in collaboration with academic departments, external partners, and relevant college offices.
- Manage prior learning assessment-related processes, in collaboration with Academic Affairs and other relevant college offices.
- Coordinate payroll, contracting, and related administrative processes for Summer Sessions and Early Spring programming, in collaboration with relevant academic and administrative offices.
- Oversee the preparation and authorization of training contracts and memoranda of agreement/understanding with external partners and internal administrators.
- Oversee and administer CE cohort courses and programs eligible for Group-Level scholarship incentive rates.
- Track PSCE education and training courses and enrollments and provide monthly and annual course and section enrollment reports.
- Lead the development and implementation of PSCE’s annual marketing plan and provide additional marketing assistance for individual PSCE programs as needed.
- Advance the development and support of PSCE campus, community and corporate programs, and other externally facing educational partnerships with internal and external partners.
- Represent PSCE on campus committees that address administrative and business processes, upgrades, and changes.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs.
Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
- Demonstrated leadership and supervisory ability in complex programmatic and administrative settings.
- Knowledge of trends, issues, and accepted practices relevant to the position.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to relate to and work cooperatively with various groups of people.
- Excellent written and verbal communications skills including the ability to communicate with a diverse community both internally and externally.
- Ability to think creatively about solutions to problems.
Education: Master’s Degree
Experience:Five years of managerial experience and program development at the college/university level.
- Doctorate.
- Prior administrative experience in continuing education.
- Prior experience developing and delivering continuing education, adult education and workforce development courses and certificate programs.
- Multilingual preferred.
The employee is not exposed to known adverse environmental conditions.
Position Details
FLSA
Exempt
Salary Grade
15NC
Full Time / Part Time
Full-time
Proposed Starting Salary Range
$90,000-$110,000
Work Schedule
Full-Time
Monday-Friday
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Monday-Friday
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Benefits
Full-time employees enjoy an array of benefits including:
- Health and Wellness – Medical, Dental & Vision
- Wellness Incentives and Rewards
- Paid time Off – Vacation, Sick & Holiday
- Retirement Benefits
- Disability and Insurance Benefits
- Education Benefits – Tuition waivers for RIC, CCRI & URI
For a complete listing, visit Employee Benefits.
Reports To (Title)
Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
Academic or Calendar Year
Calendar
Position Status
Continuing
End of Temporary or Limited Position
Collective Bargaining Unit
PSA
Posting Information
Number of Positions Available
1
Application Open Date
05/11/2026
Application Close Date
Special Instructions
AA / ADA Statement
As an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity institution that values and is committed to inclusion and to expanding the diversity of its faculty and staff, the College invites members of protected classes, including minorities and persons with disabilities, to identify themselves as such at the time of application.
Salary : $90,000 - $110,000