ASSOC. DIRECTOR FOR PRIVATE CAREER SCHOOLS & WORKFORCE EDUCATION

217 E. Redwood Street 

Baltimre, MD 21202

The Department of Academic Affairs conducts academic planning and policy analysis for all postsecondary educational institutions in Maryland. This includes degree granting institutions of higher education as well as non-degree institutions (private career schools). 

This Associate Director for Career and Workforce Education position is assigned duties and responsibilities related to academic planning and policy analysis for private career schools. The primary purposes of this position are three-fold: 1. Private Career Education Oversight:  Oversee MHEC and MHEC staff in their private career school institutional and program approval endeavors to protect and serve the public by ensuring that private career schools operate in accordance with standards established by Maryland regulations, and to provide leadership for the state. 2. Workforce Development Initiatives: Conduct special projects and assignments to promote workforce development in the State, as directed by the General Assembly, the Governor, the Secretary, the Maryland State Plan for Postsecondary Education, or other State agencies. 

Private Career School Oversight:  Provide overall leadership and management of applications from private career schools. Supervise and train professional staff hired as Analysts and administrative support. Monitor and manage the Training Provider Questionnaire (TPQ) process. Conduct New Applicant Workshop Training for prospective new school applicants. Review applications for approval of new private career schools, new programs, program modifications, changes of ownership, and changes of location. Monitor private career schools for compliance with Maryland law and regulations. Conduct on-site state supervisory visits to private career schools to assess their compliance with minimum State standards. During the visits, interview students and school staff as well as conduct extensive reviews of student files. Manage, review and provide a final summary of the Annual Report Data Collection from Private Career Schools. Analyze the findings of school investigations and determine the appropriate course of action in consultation with staff and legal counsel. Draft statements of deficiencies for review by staff and legal counsel. Write reports of findings and identify, in consultation with staff and legal counsel, any required corrective actions. Participate in the preparation of exhibits and testify at administrative hearings requested by schools contesting the Secretary’s statements of deficiencies. Participate in the preparation of exhibits and testify at administrative hearings requested by schools contesting the Secretary’s statements of deficiencies. Manage responses to written student complaints in accordance with Maryland regulations. Manage responses to public inquiries regarding private career schools and private career school regulations. Assist students impacted by precipitous school closures. This includes, but is not limited to: obtaining student records and arranging for students to either transfer to other schools to complete their training, or request tuition refunds. Oversight and management of the PCS Guaranty Student Tuition Fund. Represents agency in statewide meetings related to Career and Workforce Education. 

Manage the processing of transcripts for all closed, Maryland postsecondary institutions. Manage the Student Transcript Request Portal Provide Private Career School annual updates to Office of Student Financial Assistance on scholarships as needed. Provide annual data reports to Office of Research and Policy Analysis

Candidates should have excellent oral and written communication skills, research and analytical abilities, and experience supervising professional staff. 

Additionally, applicants should have experience managing complex projects with fixed deadlines, working collaboratively as part of a team, and leading interagency committees and work groups.