Regional Program Director, Construction Trades, Orlando

Regional Program Director, Construction Trades Role Overview

Excelon Associates is conducting a search on behalf of a private university client for a Regional Program Director - Construction Trades based in Orlando, Florida. The Director is an academic administrator who provides leadership, coordination, and support for the institution's skilled trades programs (Electrical, HVAC/R, Welding, Construction, and related disciplines) across assigned campuses and modalities, with frequent travel within the region.

This is a role for a trades professional with a passion for teaching and academic leadership. Programs must comply with institutional, state, accrediting, and programmatic regulatory bodies relevant to trades education, including OSHA and NCCER where applicable, and candidates hold current licenses or certifications in a construction or building trades field, such as a state Electrical or HVAC/R license, Welding certifications, NCCER credentials, OSHA training, or EPA Section 608 certification. Bilingual fluency in Spanish and English is preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership and Outcomes

• Meet or exceed established regional targets for trades programs, including retention (70% or budget goal), course success, certification pass rates (sit, pass, and certification benchmarks), placement, and graduation.
• Monitor daily and weekly enrollment and persistence trends for trades programs across campuses and implement corrective action plans when benchmarks are not met.
• Coordinate with campus leadership to ensure adequate course offerings, lab sections, and faculty coverage that support student progression.

Student Retention and Support

• Oversee campus-level processes for monitoring trades student attendance, engagement, and early-alert indicators, ensuring timely outreach and follow-up.
• Support faculty and student services staff in implementing retention strategies specific to trades students, such as lab tutoring, safety training, or skills bootcamps.
• Review withdrawal and failure data by course, instructor, and campus to identify root causes and recommend interventions.

Curriculum, Accreditation, and Assessment

• Ensure trades curricula, syllabi, course outlines, and lesson plans align with approved program outcomes, contact hours, and institutional policies.
• Lead or coordinate curriculum revisions for trades programs, including adoption of new technologies, tools, codes, and industry standards.
• Ensure program operations, personnel, facilities, and curriculum comply with institutional, state, accrediting, and programmatic regulatory bodies relevant to trades education (OSHA, NCCER, or similar, where applicable).

Faculty Hiring, Supervision, and Development

• Participate in recruitment, interviewing, and selection of trades faculty in collaboration with campus leadership and Human Resources.
• Provide orientation and ongoing training for new and continuing trades faculty, including classroom and lab observations with feedback.
• Coordinate monthly program meetings with trades faculty to review curriculum, retention, safety, lab procedures, and program outcomes.
• Monitor and support completion of annual professional development plans for all trades faculty, ensuring appropriate in-service and industry-relevant training.

Qualifications

Education and Credentials

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a related trade, technical, or education field.
• Current license or certifications in a construction or building trades field (state Electrical or HVAC/R license, Welding certifications, NCCER, OSHA, EPA).

Experience

• Minimum of three years of successful teaching experience at the postsecondary level, preferably in a career/technical or proprietary school environment.
• Minimum of five years of work experience in a skilled trade (Electrical, HVAC/R, Welding, Construction, or related field).
• Demonstrated experience with program coordination, curriculum implementation, or academic leadership responsibilities.

Travel and Language

• Willingness and ability to travel frequently within the assigned region.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English (written, read, and verbal) preferred.

Benefits

Core Benefits

• Medical coverage, including HSA and FSA options (dependent and health care).
• Dental and vision insurance.
• 12 paid holidays, paid time off, and a paid volunteer day.
• 401(k) with 50% employer matching.
• Short-term disability and life insurance, with supplemental life insurance options.
• Growth opportunities, education assistance, and professional development benefits.

No-Cost Benefits

• Group life insurance.
• Long-term disability coverage.
• Talent referral program.
• TicketsatWork discount entertainment program.
• Paid day off on your birthday for full-time employees after two years.

Who Thrives as a Regional Program Director

This role rewards a tradesperson who became a teacher. The strongest candidates spent years in the field with an Electrical, HVAC/R, Welding, or Construction license in hand, then proved themselves in postsecondary classrooms and labs before stepping into program leadership.

It is also a data-driven leadership seat. People who do well here read enrollment, persistence, withdrawal, and certification data weekly, act on it with corrective plans, and treat safety, lab procedures, and compliance as non-negotiable.

Finally, the region is the job. The best fit travels comfortably between campuses, builds trust with campus leadership and faculty, and develops instructors through observation and feedback rather than memos, with bilingual Spanish and English communication a welcome plus.

About Excelon Associates and the Client

Excelon Associates is a retained executive search firm founded in 2007, headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, Florida, and a dedicated recruitment practice across higher education. This search is being conducted by Excelon Associates on behalf of a private university client.

The client fosters a community devoted to academic excellence, innovation, and human development, supported by a culture of teamwork, respect, and ongoing learning. Employees enjoy professional growth opportunities, career stability, and the satisfaction of contributing to an organization that changes lives through education. You can browse current open roles, review recent campaigns, or explore the firm's higher education recruitment practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Apply for This Regional Program Director Role

The client is an equal opportunity employer and values all applications. Excelon does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, marital or veteran status, disability, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.