Hiring Campus Director in Baltimore

Cortiva Institute is a national leader in vocational and professional training, with a focus on high-demand careers in healthcare, wellness, and personal services. Our network of campuses across the United States equips over 12,000 students annually with the skills required to secure stable, well-paying jobs, with a national graduate employment rate of 79% within six months of completing their program. We are committed to inclusive education, accessible pathways to professional growth, and strong partnerships with local employers to ensure our curricula align with real-world labor market needs.

We are currently seeking an experienced and strategic Campus Director to lead our Baltimore and Linthicum Heights, MD campus locations. This is a high-impact executive role responsible for the end-to-end performance of both sites, overseeing academic operations, student success, financial management, team leadership, and local partnership development. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of driving growth, improving retention, and building collaborative, high-performing teams in higher education settings.

Key responsibilities for this role include:
1. Overseeing daily campus operations across both Baltimore and Linthicum Heights sites, meeting quarterly student enrollment targets of a minimum of 120 new registrations, maintaining a student retention rate of 85% or higher, and ensuring all training programs are delivered on schedule and in line with accreditation standards.
2. Managing an annual operating budget of $2.8M for both campuses, identifying cost-saving opportunities to reduce operating expenses by 5% year-over-year without compromising educational quality, and hitting quarterly revenue targets set by the corporate headquarters.
3. Leading a cross-functional team of 18 staff members including instructors, student advisors, and administrative personnel, implementing ongoing professional development programs for faculty to achieve a minimum student satisfaction score of 4.2/5 on end-of-module evaluations, and reducing instructor turnover by 10% annually.
4. Ensuring full compliance with all federal and state regulatory requirements including FERPA, Title IX, ACCSC accreditation standards, and Maryland Department of Labor rules, successfully passing biennial accreditation audits with no critical findings, and resolving any compliance gaps within 5 business days of identification.
5. Building and maintaining a network of local employer partnerships, negotiating and signing a minimum of 8 new partnership agreements per year with hospitals, cosmetology salons, fitness centers, and healthcare clinics to provide student internship placements, and achieving a graduate employment rate of 78% within six months of program completion.
6. Developing targeted student support programs for at-risk learners, including personalized tutoring and academic coaching, reducing first-year dropout rates by 12% over a two-year period, and increasing campus recommendation rates by 15% annually via student satisfaction surveys.
7. Leading local student recruitment strategy, optimizing cost per enrollment by 10% annually via targeted social media and education fair campaigns, and building awareness of Cortiva programs among local high schools and vocational training centers.

The work environment at Cortiva is collaborative, mission-driven, and focused on measurable impact. As Campus Director, you will work closely with the Philadelphia-based corporate leadership team but have significant autonomy to adapt programs and support services to the specific needs of the Baltimore-area labor market. We value initiative, data-driven decision-making, and a commitment to equity in education. The role requires regular on-site presence across both campuses, with occasional evening and weekend attendance for graduation ceremonies, recruitment events, and community outreach activities, with flexible time-off policies to accommodate these requirements.

Candidate requirements:
We are looking for a leader with at least 7 years of experience in higher education administration or vocational training campus leadership, with a proven track record of managing teams of 15+ staff and budgets exceeding $2M. You must be proficient in student information systems such as PowerCampus or Banner, data analysis tools including Tableau, and project management platforms such as Jira. Familiarity with U.S. higher education regulatory frameworks and experience leading successful accreditation audits is required. Prior experience in the healthcare or wellness training sector is a strong plus. You must demonstrate excellent cross-functional communication skills, the ability to make strategic decisions in fast-paced environments, and a commitment to student success.

Technical skills required for this role include: advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Excel for budget tracking and data analysis, PowerPoint for stakeholder presentations, Teams for cross-team collaboration), student information systems (PowerCampus/Banner), data visualization tools (Tableau), project management software (Jira), and digital recruitment tools (LinkedIn Recruiter, Zoom for virtual events). Familiarity with admissions CRM platforms such as Slate or TargetX is an asset.

Compensation and benefits:
This permanent full-time role offers a base salary between $95,000 and $125,000 per year, adjusted based on relevant experience. Annual performance bonuses of up to 15% of base salary are available, tied to campus-level targets for enrollment, retention, and graduate employment rates. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including 80% employer-paid health, dental, and vision insurance for you and your dependents, 20 days of paid time off annually plus 10 paid sick days, a 4% employer 401(k) match, and an annual professional development budget of $3,000 to support leadership and industry-specific training. After a 3-month onboarding period, you will be eligible for 1 day of remote work per week, and we offer discounted access to all Cortiva professional training programs for you and your family members.

Career growth opportunities:
This role serves as a key stepping stone for advancement within the Cortiva network. High-performing Campus Directors are regularly promoted to Regional Director roles overseeing 5-7 campus locations, or to corporate headquarters positions in operations strategy, academic affairs, or business development. You will receive dedicated 1:1 coaching from the Vice President of Campus Operations for your first 6 months in the role, and access to our annual national leadership summit for education administrators.

Hiring process and next steps:
The recruitment process for this role consists of 4 steps, with an expected timeline of 3 weeks from initial application to offer:
1. 30-minute phone screening with the corporate recruitment lead to confirm alignment between your experience and the role requirements.
2. 45-minute virtual interview with the Vice President of Campus Operations to discuss your leadership philosophy and experience managing academic teams.
3. 1-hour in-person interview at the Baltimore campus, including a 20-minute presentation of your 100-day action plan for the campus, followed by a meet-and-greet with the campus leadership team.
4. Reference and background checks.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and the position is available immediately. To be considered, submit your CV and a brief overview of your campus leadership experience to [email protected]. No cover letter is required, but candidates who include a 1-page summary of their proposed initial priorities for the Baltimore campus will be prioritized.