Open Searches

The Board of Trustees of Olympic College (OC) invites applications, inquiries, and nominations for the position of president. This is an extraordinary opportunity for a proven leader to guide a nationally recognized institution at a pivotal time. The next president will bring vision, collaboration, and financial acumen to advance the College’s mission of transforming lives through education, workforce development, and community engagement.

OC is a central partner in the vitality of Kitsap and Mason Counties in Washington state, serving a diverse student body and playing a critical role in preparing the region’s workforce for evolving opportunities in healthcare, technology, defense, and the trades. With campuses in Bremerton, Poulsbo, and Shelton, OC is deeply woven into the economic and cultural fabric of the communities it serves. The next president will be a visible and engaged leader—an advocate for students, a partner to business and industry, and a trusted voice for higher education in the region.

The College recently launched a 2024-2028 Strategic Plan focused on being student-ready and student-centered, closing achievement gaps, and strengthening institutional resilience. OC is expanding bachelor’s degree programs, enhancing guided pathways, and advancing its long-standing commitment to equity, inclusion, and belonging. The new president will find a dedicated community eager to move forward, while also bringing fresh perspective and leadership to guide the College through complex challenges such as shifting enrollment, evolving funding streams, and the need for continued innovation in student success.

OC is recognized for its strong academic programs and transfer pathways, innovative workforce programs, and affordability. It was named a Top 10 community college in the nation by the Aspen Institute and continues to be a model of student support and achievement. The next president will lead an institution with established strengths and national recognition, while shaping the next chapter of growth, innovation, and community impact.

To learn more about OC, the leadership agenda for the next president, as well as the qualifications sought, please review the search profile: www.academicsearch.org/olympiccollegepresident.

OC is being assisted in this search by Academic Search. Nominations, applications, and inquiries may be sent in complete confidence to OlympicCollegePresident@academicsearch.org. Initial screening of applications will begin immediately. The position is open until filled, and applications received by January 15, 2026, can be assured best consideration. Salary will be commensurate with experience and be between $280,000 and $320,000.

Application materials should include:

• A concise cover letter that addresses the expectations discussed in the Leadership Agenda of the search profile with specific actions and accomplishments;
• A resume or curriculum vitae;
• A list of at least five professional references with contact information, including telephone and email, and a note indicating the candidate’s working relationship with each. References will not be contacted without the explicit permission of the candidate.

Nominators and prospective candidates also may arrange a confidential conversation about this opportunity with Richard Cummins, Ph.D., Senior Consultant, rich.cummins@academicsearch.org, or Andrea Cowsert, M.A., Consultant, andrea.cowsert@academicsearch.org.

Land Acknowledgement

OC honors and acknowledges that the land on which we meet, learn, and work is the aboriginal territory of the People of the Clear Salt Waters, specifically the Suquamish and Duwamish Tribes (for OC Bremerton and OC Poulsbo) and the Squaxin Island and Skokomish Tribes (for OC Shelton).

We also acknowledge and appreciate the enduring presence and deep traditional knowledge of the Indigenous People with whom we share this land today.

We pay our respects to the People of the Clear Salt Waters and their Elders—past, present and emerging. We also acknowledge the important role the Suquamish and Duwamish Tribes (for OC Bremerton and OC Poulsbo) and the Squaxin Island and Skokomish Tribes (for OC Shelton) continue to play within the People of the Clear Salt Waters’ territory.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Olympic College provides equal opportunity in education, employment and college activities regardless of race, color, national origin, age, perceived or actual physical or mental disability, pregnancy, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, creed, religion, honorably discharged veteran or military status, use of a trained guide dog or service animal, or any other unlawful basis. 

Olympic College does not discriminate on the basis of sex and prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX and 34 CFR §106, including in admission and employment.