Director of Policy

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: includes health, dental, vision, and life insurance. Additionally, an employer paid long term disability plan is included.
• Outstanding Retirement Plan: professional employees are required to participate in the 401(a) Retirement Plan Alternative (RPA). Employee contributions of 19.25% are matched 100% by the employer and employees experience an immediate vesting in the plan. Employees who currently or previously participated in Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) of Nevada may be eligible to continue in the PERS plan.
• Paid Leave: generous annual leave (accrual of 2 days per month), sick leave (granted 30 days at time of hire), 12 paid holidays, and paid family leave.
• Education Benefit: employees and their qualified dependents may take advantage of a tuition savings benefit. Faculty may take up to six credits per semester at a reduced rate and their dependents may access an unlimited number of credits, if they meet specific criteria.
• Additional Perks: Employee assistance programs and professional development opportunities.

*Pursuant NSHE Policy: “Initial placement must fall between the minimum salary and Q2/median/mid-range on the applicable salary schedule.” To view the salary range for this position, please visit: Salary Schedules and select NSHE Administrative Salary Schedule, Grade D.

Approximate Starting Date: September 1, 2026

Minimum Qualifications

• A Master’s or a professional degree from a regionally accredited institution with five years of higher education experience in compliance and academic or student affairs directly applicable to the position, including experience supervising employees.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Successful candidates must possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities. Recommend that applicants for this position address some of the following elements in the resume or cover letter:

• Public policy making, including knowledge of higher education and the Nevada Legislature;
• NSHE Board policy, state and federal laws relating to higher education;
• Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS);
• Drafting policies, procedures, and guidelines; and
• Institutional experience in academic and/or student affairs.

Additionally, successful candidates must:

• Exercise judgement to solve administrative problems where the answer is not apparent;
• Communicate effectively in both an oral and written manner;
• Present information in a public setting to various constituencies, including the Board of Regents, legislative committees, local boards, etc.;
• Adhere to stringent deadlines;
• Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with staff members, and administrators;
• Process large amounts of information and break it down into critical elements;
• Determine most appropriate format for conveying information as it relates to other critical processes within the NSHE;
• Resolve problems, analyze and apply laws, regulations, theories and methodology, and program specifications, plan and evaluate activities, research and programs, research, analyze, apply and articulate results; and
• Build consensus with stakeholders, including institutional faculty, staff, and administrators.

Moreover, candidates must be proficient in:

• Using a variety of computer applications and reporting tools (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation and report applications);
• Setting priorities which accurately reflect the relative importance of job responsibilities;
• Working independently and following through on assignments with minimal direction; and
• Analyzing information, problems, situations, practices, or procedures to define a problem or objective, identify relevant concerns or factors, identify patterns, tendencies, and relationships, formulate logical and objective conclusions, and recognize alternatives and their implications.

Responsibilities

The duties of this position will include, but not be limited to, the following areas of responsibility:

• Research and develop Board policies: conduct and compile research as it relates to the codification and implementation of Board policy and NSHE procedures and guidelines; draft policy and procedures; work with all stakeholders to formulate policy and procedural recommendations; maintain policy central.
• Monitor policy developments at the state and federal level: keep abreast of impacts to the NSHE system and institutions and take appropriate action for System compliance.
• Build reports and presentations: create materials for the Board and Nevada Legislature as well as other internal and external audiences; assist in review of other System-produced reports.
• Serve as the State Portal Entity contact for State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreements (SARA): manage the approval process for institution participation; monitor federal regulations as they pertain to distance and online education.

To Apply

The application process will be managed through the Workday on-line search process. Application materials must include a current resume, detailed cover letter, and names, addresses, and telephone numbers of four professional references willing to be contacted. Applicants should fully describe qualifications and experience, since the initial review will serve to evaluate applicants based on documented, relevant qualifications and professional work experience. Applications will be considered incomplete without all requested materials. References will only be contacted for those who advance to the final phase of the search and with prior consent of the applicant. The review of materials will begin immediately. Materials should be addressed to Sherry Olson, Human Resources, and are to be submitted via on-line application at http://system.nevada.edu/Careers/index.htm. For assistance with NSHE’s on-line applicant portal, contact Sherry Olson at (775) 784-4901.

Internal Applicants

Current employees within the Nevada System of Higher Education MUST use the “Find Jobs” process within Workday to find and apply for jobs at NSHE institutions. Once you log into Workday and type “Find Jobs” in the search box which will navigate to the internal job posting site. Locate the specific job posting by typing the requisition number (e.g., R0000000) in the search box.

Application Deadline: Applications may be submitted until the position is filled. The review of materials will begin immediately, however, for full consideration applications should be submitted by Sunday, August 9, 2026.

For more information about the Nevada System of Higher Education, please visit our website at www.nevada.edu. The Nevada System of Higher Education hires only United States citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. The NSHE is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex