Assistant Vice President for Workforce Innovation and External Relations
About the Office of Workforce Innovation and External Relations

The Office of Workforce Innovation and External Relations (OWIER) was launched by SUNY Oswego's President Peter O. Nwosu in the fall of 2023 to serve as a front door into SUNY Oswego for industry, nonprofit, public, private, and community partners to connect with institutional assets.

Partnerships formed through OWIER relationships generate economic and social benefits for the region that align with SUNY Oswego's priorities and vision and contribute to the long-term, sustainable vitality of the university and the Central New York region.

OWIER leads and/or assists in the identification and creation of external grant applications that align with institutional workforce innovation priorities; helps inform the creation of non-credit and credit-bearing programs based on current and future high-demand industry trends; provides timely and necessary programming to support workforce innovation and upskilling demands; and connects the greater community with SUNY Oswego employees and students as related to these areas of focus.

OWIER Pillars of Focus

Workforce Innovation and Upward Mobility

• Contribute to the economic development of the region while advancing SUNY Oswego's Vision 4040 and institutional priorities and goals.
• Connect industry needs and university resources by cultivating and sustaining strategic partnerships that lead to joint grant proposals and funded programs.
• Help inform the creation of non-credit and credit-bearing programs based on current and future high-demand industry trends.

Government and Legislative Affairs

• Lead institution-wide legislative affairs strategy.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for elected officials and their staff seeking connection to the university.
• Represent SUNY Oswego and contribute to county, regional, and state committees and boards.

Community-Serving High-Impact Programs and Resources

• Direct and coordinate the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Oswego County and leverage the experience of adults 55+ to strengthen community and foster civic engagement.
• Support the continued success and growth of community-serving programs such as the SUNY Oswego Hometown University Internship.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the university to support engagement with community partners and community-serving initiatives.

Posting Date: June 5, 2026

Review Date: Review of candidates will begin on June 8th, 2026, and the search will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated start time is July 1st, 2026

Salary: $153,000-180,000, commensurate with experience, plus full New York State benefits package.

Benefit Information: The State University of New York provides an excellent benefits package. This is a Management/Confidential unclassified professional position. Click here for more information on benefits for full-time Management/ Confidential unclassified professional staff.

AVP Role and Responsibilities

The Assistant Vice President for Workforce Innovation and External Relations is a senior leader who reports directly to the President and serves as a member of SUNY Oswego's President's Cabinet and President's Council. AVP contributes to executive-level decision-making, institutional strategy, enrollment strategy, external engagement, and regional impact efforts.

AVP leads and contributes to the development of grants and partnership initiatives related to SUNY Oswego's workforce innovation programming and community-serving high-impact programs. The AVP demonstrates exemplary leadership, relationship cultivation and management, project management, and communication skills with colleagues and external partners.

AVP is responsible for creating and implementing strategies required to successfully develop, advance, and sustain partnerships between SUNY Oswego and regional partners that attract and secure significant external investment and contribute to increased educational attainment, workforce training, employment outcomes, and the economic and social health of the region.

AVP establishes strong working relationships and proactively engages internal members of the institution, including President's Cabinet and Council members, deans, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Extended Learning, Career Services, Office of Experiential Learning, University Advancement, faculty, staff, and students, to understand the internal and external environment, leverage existing partnerships, and establish new relationships.

Key Responsibilities Include:

• Serve as a member of the President's Cabinet, President's Council, and other leadership groups as requested by the President, contributing to executive-level decision-making, institutional strategy, enrollment, and external engagement efforts.
• Direct institutional government relations strategy, serving as primary liaison to local, state, and federal stakeholders; influence policy, funding, and advocacy efforts that advance university and regional priorities.
• Build and lead cross-sector partnerships by aligning public, private, nonprofit, industry, and community organizations to support regional workforce strategy tied to SUNY Oswego and external partners' broader economic development efforts.
• Oversee operations, strategy, and a six-figure budget, including program design, stakeholder engagement, grant compliance, assessment, and execution across multi-county initiatives.
• Serve as Principal Investigator or senior institutional leader on SUNY Oswego grants managed by OWIER, and maintain compliance, coordination, communication, tracking, assessment, and reporting for assigned local, state, and federal grant-funded projects and awards.
• Partner closely with SUNY Oswego vice presidents, deans, faculty, SUNY Research Foundation Office of Research and Sponsored Programs staff, and industry and community members to apply for, secure, and maintain significant local, state, and federal grants.
• Represent SUNY Oswego on external advisory boards, councils, and committees to promote collaboration and communication with the external community.
• Serve as SUNY Oswego's liaison to SUNY System Administration's Office of Governmental and External Relations, coordinating advocacy, communications, and strategic engagement efforts.
• Serve as liaison to SUNY Oswego's University Council, coordinating communications, supporting council engagement and governance activities, and facilitating participation in the Association of College Trustees (ACT) and other SUNY-related council initiatives.
• Possess a comprehensive understanding of the institution's mission, goals, and existing resources and work collaboratively with relevant team members to envision and identify new opportunities that advance the institution and contribute to the common good.
• Maintain regular office presence at SUNY Oswego at Syracuse and SUNY Oswego's Office of Workforce Innovation and External Relations in Oswego to ensure impact in both Onondaga and Oswego counties.

Opportunities for Strategic Growth

• SUNY Oswego is positioned for an ambitious next phase of regional, workforce, and external engagement. Key opportunities for the next Assistant Vice President include:
• Advance workforce innovation aligned with regional transformation: Central New York is entering a period of transformational workforce demand connected to Micron, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, education, public service, and emerging technologies. AVP will have a unique opportunity to connect industry needs with university assets, support high-demand credit and non-credit pathways, and position SUNY Oswego as a leading driver of workforce and innovation for Central New York.
• Strengthen SUNY Oswego's role as a regional convener: Building on SUNY Oswego's leadership of the Oswego County Micron Strategy Steering Committee, AVP can deepen cross-sector partnerships that bring together employers, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and educational partners around shared regional priorities.
• Grow external grants and partnership resources: AVP will partner with deans, faculty, ORSP, Extended Learning, Advancement, Career Services, and external stakeholders to identify, develop, secure, and steward grants and investments that advance workforce innovation, community impact, and student opportunity.
• Expand impact through SUNY Oswego at Syracuse: AVP will help leverage SUNY Oswego at Syracuse as a platform for flexible, professional, continuing, and workforce-aligned education in Central New York. This includes strengthening partnerships that expand access for adult learners, working professionals, transfer students, and regional employers.
• Deepen government and legislative affairs strategy: AVP will lead institution-wide legislative affairs strategy, helping SUNY Oswego articulate its priorities, align with SUNY and state funding opportunities, and strengthen relationships with elected officials and policy stakeholders.
• Elevate community-serving high-impact programs: AVP will support and expand programs such as RSVP of Oswego County, the Hometown University Internship, and campus-community initiatives that foster civic engagement, connect students with real-world opportunities, and strengthen SUNY Oswego's reputation as a hometown university with global impact.
• Strengthen institutional reputation and visibility: As a visible institutional ambassador, AVP will translate SUNY Oswego's mission, Vision 4040, and strategic plan into compelling partnership opportunities that enhance the university's regional and statewide reputation.

SUNY Oswego works continuously to create an inclusive environment which respects, embraces, and promotes cultural safety, belonging, civil discourse, cultural humility, and other values and goals outlined in SUNY Oswego's Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Plan. As such, the incumbent is expected to contribute to these efforts and possess communication and interpersonal skills necessary to engage effectively with an increasingly diverse community of students and colleagues.

Job Requirements:
Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• 10+ years of related professional experience.
• Successful track record of securing and managing state and/or federal grants.
• Highly adept at developing and maintaining close collaborative partnerships that lead to awarded grants and desired impacts.
• Demonstrated leadership skills focused on building relationships to accomplish organizational mission and goals.
• Excellent analytical, written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Comprehensive understanding of the current Central New York and New York State workforce market and emerging labor needs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field at the time of appointment.
• Demonstrated success leading workforce development and community-advancing initiatives in a public comprehensive university environment.
• Experience partnering with Marketing and Communications to align brand, messaging, and advertising with OWIER communication strategy.
• Evidence of effective cross-divisional collaboration with Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Administration and Finance, University Advancement, Research and Sponsored Programs, Extended Learning, Career Services, and Office of Experiential Learning to attract and secure dollars and other resources for the advancement of the university.
• Experience with government relations, legislative advocacy, public policy engagement, or public-sector partnership development.
• Demonstrated ability to steward grant-funded projects, budgets, assessment, compliance, and external reporting in a complex public institution.

At SUNY Oswego we value the diversity found in each member of our campus community and strive to create a community where that diversity is embraced and enhanced. Recognizing the strength of diversity, our mission is to foster an environment which respects, embraces and promotes cultural competence, civil discourse and active engagement in developing an inclusive and vibrant community of scholars who act as transformational agents of change and responsible citizens of the world. For more information see SUNY Oswego's Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Plan.

As a candidate seeking consideration you are asked to submit a separate statement specifically addressing how your commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion has been evidenced in your career experience and professional activity, and/or community service (volunteer work, etc.), and/or professional development. (Please see Application Instructions)

Additional Information:
Oswego is committed to enhancing its diversity. SUNY Oswego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and is actively engaged in recruiting, supporting, and fostering a diverse community of outstanding faculty, staff and students. We encourage applications from qualified applicants regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim SUNY status, or criminal conviction. Please click here to see our full non-discrimination policy.

In accordance with USCIS regulations, successful applicants must be legally able to work in the United States per the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

Requests for reasonable accommodations of a disability during the application and/or interview process should be made to Dr. Starr Wheeler, ADA/504 Compliance Officer at starr.wheeler@oswego.edu or 315-312-3872

For Campus Safety information, please click here to see the Annual Security and Fire Report (Clery).

SUNY Oswego is a smoke free/tobacco/e-cigarette free campus. Click here for further policy details, including education and cessation resources.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info@oer.ny.gov.



To apply, visit http://oswego.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=201260





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