Virginia Tech
Assistant Director, Strategy and Planning
🇺🇸
Blacksburg, VA
🕑
Full-Time
💰
$95K
💻
Other
🗓️
March 17th, 2026
Edtech.com's Summary
Virginia Tech is hiring an Assistant Director, Strategy and Planning to lead strategic initiatives and manage policy and program development within the Division of Public Safety. This role involves coordinating with university stakeholders and external agencies to optimize processes, enhance campus security, and support emergency response efforts.
Highlights
- Lead policy management, program development, strategic planning, and project implementation for the Public Safety Division.
- Coordinate initiatives with internal university stakeholders and external government and community partners.
- Review and analyze current procedures to improve efficiency and responsiveness.
- Respond to emergencies after hours and work extended hours as needed.
- Required advanced degree in public safety, public policy, business administration, urban planning, or equivalent experience.
- Experience leading strategic initiatives and strong organizational planning skills.
- Ability to prepare technical documents, reports, and grant proposals.
- Preferred experience includes public safety in higher education, emergency management, law enforcement, or related fields.
- Salary is $95,000 annually for a full-time, exempt position.
- Supports various campus safety departments, including Police, Emergency Management, Environmental Health & Safety, and Rescue Squad.
Assistant Director, Strategy and Planning Full Description
Job Description
Virginia Tech is committed to fostering a safe and secure environment for our students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The Public Safety Division plays a crucial role in upholding this commitment by providing innovative safety solutions, emergency response planning, and proactive community engagement. Comprised of the Police Department, Environmental Health & Safety, the Office of Emergency Management, and the Virginia Tech Rescue Squad, we are committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors that maximizes everyone’s opportunity for success. Through collaboration, dedication, training, and community engagement, we strive to provide a comprehensive and responsive approach to our public safety programs. Our mission of advancing safety, security, health and preparedness is anchored by the Virginia Tech Principles of Community. These fundamental values: mutual respect, civility, and service, are foundational to our programs and are exemplified in our interactions with the campus community.
The Assistant Director of Strategy and Planning provides policy management, program development, strategic planning, and project implementation for the Division of Public Safety. This is accomplished through coordination with internal university stakeholders and external government agencies and community organizations, leading strategic initiatives within the division and managing collaborative projects that reach across the enterprise.
The Assistant Director is responsible for the review and analysis of current processes and coordination of organizational procedures for optimized efficiency, productivity, and effective responsiveness in existing operations, and help to define new operational strategies, working with the Public Safety team on special projects and initiatives. The incumbent also supports university safety and security through policy management, including the review and analysis of current university policies and operations, and makes recommendations for public safety policy or procedure changes with justifications.
Duties may require the incumbent to respond to emergencies after hours, and work extended hours on site, possibly under difficult and trying circumstances; observe and record details relating to potential and actual hazards and/or emergencies.
The incumbent also performs other duties as requested; takes initiative to support a healthy work environment; strives to fulfill the terms in the Standards of Business Conduct; exemplifies the Virginia Tech Principles of Community; and supports the university’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).
The Assistant Director of Strategy and Planning provides policy management, program development, strategic planning, and project implementation for the Division of Public Safety. This is accomplished through coordination with internal university stakeholders and external government agencies and community organizations, leading strategic initiatives within the division and managing collaborative projects that reach across the enterprise.
The Assistant Director is responsible for the review and analysis of current processes and coordination of organizational procedures for optimized efficiency, productivity, and effective responsiveness in existing operations, and help to define new operational strategies, working with the Public Safety team on special projects and initiatives. The incumbent also supports university safety and security through policy management, including the review and analysis of current university policies and operations, and makes recommendations for public safety policy or procedure changes with justifications.
Duties may require the incumbent to respond to emergencies after hours, and work extended hours on site, possibly under difficult and trying circumstances; observe and record details relating to potential and actual hazards and/or emergencies.
The incumbent also performs other duties as requested; takes initiative to support a healthy work environment; strives to fulfill the terms in the Standards of Business Conduct; exemplifies the Virginia Tech Principles of Community; and supports the university’s motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).
Required Qualifications
Education
• Advanced degree in a public safety field, public policy or business administration, urban planning, or a bachelor's degree in a related field of study with work experience that equates to an advanced degree.
Experience
• Experience leading and planning strategic initiatives.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Proactive leaderships skills and ability to cultivate teams.
• Ability to work independently to develop and implement comprehensive strategies that align with the university’s mission and respond to the evolving public safety landscape.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, staff, public officials, civic and community groups, and the public.
• Ability to prepare technical documents, reports and grant proposals.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize and work with minimal direction and supervision.
• Strong understanding of organizational planning processes and technologies with the ability to draft, implement and improve broad-based, practical and effective organizational plans.
• Adept at navigating complex business processes and management challenges.
• An experienced team player with the ability to collaborate with a variety of partners.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to engage with various stakeholders.
• Advanced degree in a public safety field, public policy or business administration, urban planning, or a bachelor's degree in a related field of study with work experience that equates to an advanced degree.
Experience
• Experience leading and planning strategic initiatives.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Proactive leaderships skills and ability to cultivate teams.
• Ability to work independently to develop and implement comprehensive strategies that align with the university’s mission and respond to the evolving public safety landscape.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, staff, public officials, civic and community groups, and the public.
• Ability to prepare technical documents, reports and grant proposals.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize and work with minimal direction and supervision.
• Strong understanding of organizational planning processes and technologies with the ability to draft, implement and improve broad-based, practical and effective organizational plans.
• Adept at navigating complex business processes and management challenges.
• An experienced team player with the ability to collaborate with a variety of partners.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to engage with various stakeholders.
Preferred Qualifications
• Significant years of experience working in a public safety organization, emergency response, or related field, preferably in a higher education environment.
• Experience in the higher education sector, working for or with public agencies.
• Experience in or direct programming support for one or more of the following campus safety areas: Emergency Management, Law Enforcement, Rescue Services, and Environmental Health & Safety.
• Experience in developing, implementing, delivering and coordinating complex projects in a higher education environment
• Experience in building and managing teams to craft solutions to emerging public safety issues and challenges.
• Strong understanding and working application of policy, governance, and industry best practices.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to build consensus and motivate diverse teams.
• Ability to collect, organize, retain, analyze and produce information related to data, metrics and benchmarking.
• Very versatile, able to manage multiple projects, set goals and deliverables to complete tasks efficiently and effectively.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including making effective presentations to groups.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Experience in the higher education sector, working for or with public agencies.
• Experience in or direct programming support for one or more of the following campus safety areas: Emergency Management, Law Enforcement, Rescue Services, and Environmental Health & Safety.
• Experience in developing, implementing, delivering and coordinating complex projects in a higher education environment
• Experience in building and managing teams to craft solutions to emerging public safety issues and challenges.
• Strong understanding and working application of policy, governance, and industry best practices.
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to build consensus and motivate diverse teams.
• Ability to collect, organize, retain, analyze and produce information related to data, metrics and benchmarking.
• Very versatile, able to manage multiple projects, set goals and deliverables to complete tasks efficiently and effectively.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including making effective presentations to groups.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
Pay Band
{lPayScaleID}
Overtime Status
Exempt: Not eligible for overtime
Appointment Type
Regular
Salary Information
$95,000
Hours per week
40+
Review Date
April 10, 2026
Additional Information
The selected finalist will be required to successfully complete a criminal conviction check.
About Virginia Tech
Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including Blacksburg, the greater Washington, D.C. area, the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke, sites in Newport News and Richmond, and numerous Extension offices and research institutes. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.
Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance. These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.
Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, sex (including pregnancy), gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, ethnicity or national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, or military status, or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants who inquire about, discuss, or disclose their compensation or the compensation of other employees or applicants, or on any other basis protected by law.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Megan Hinkle at during regular business hours at least 3 business days prior to the event.
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