Director of Career Education

Department: Center for Experiential Learning and Career Success (CELCS)

Type: Full Time

Compensation: $66,708.45 - $83,385.56 (salary based on experience and education)

Job Overview: The Director of Career Education is a senior leadership role within CELCS, responsible for strategic leadership and oversight of career readiness, faculty engagement, and student‑facing services. This position works closely with institutional partners to embed career learning outcomes across curricula, co‑curricula, and experiential learning experiences.

Responsibilities: Provide senior‑level leadership across CELCS operations, fostering alignment and collaboration within the team and with institutional and community partners. Lead the center’s Career Readiness team, oversee assessment, and coordinate center‑wide initiatives to elevate student career readiness and outcomes. Design, implement, and scale the university’s career ecosystem by integrating career learning and readiness throughout curricular, co‑curricular, and experiential learning environments. Collaborate with senior leadership on strategic planning, business operations, assessment, and evaluation of department activities. Define and direct career readiness assessment strategy and metrics, establishing continuous evaluation cycles aligned with institutional goals. Oversee staff development of scalable career readiness initiatives, including projects, workshops, presentations, and services. Represent CELCS at internal and external meetings, serving in the absence of the Senior Director when authorized. Lead and serve on university‑wide committees and initiatives related to student success and career development. Provide oversight of systems infrastructure (CRM such as Handshake, Salesforce; SIS platforms like Workday; LMS such as Canvas).Manage budgets related to career readiness and student‑facing functions of the Center. Lead institutional efforts to align academic, experiential, and co‑curricular learning experiences with career readiness and NACE competencies. Collaborate with faculty and academic leaders to develop high‑impact experiential learning and career education practices. Develop professional development for faculty and staff on career readiness frameworks, experiential learning best practices, and assessment processes. Champion faculty‑community collaboration and embed career learning across the undergraduate experience. Lead performance management and staff development initiatives, fostering inclusive and high‑performing culture. Oversee service‑learning and civic engagement portfolio, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities. Supervise team responsible for community‑based experiential learning opportunities and civic programming. Lead the design and implementation of career education and development programs, ensuring alignment with workforce trends and institutional goals. Lead assessment of career readiness initiatives and use data to drive improvement and reporting.

Education: Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Higher Education, Business, Leadership, or a closely related field.

Experience: Minimum five (5) years of progressive experience in higher education career services, student development, experiential learning, or a related field. At least two (2) years of supervisory experience with multiple direct reports. Demonstrated experience in effective budgetary management. Experience leveraging departmental data to shape strategic vision and priorities. Experience with student systems such as Handshake, GivePulse, Canvas, etc. Highly preferred: Seven (7) years of progressive experience in higher education career services, experiential learning, or student development, with four (4) years in a supervisory capacity; direct experience leading faculty engagement and curriculum integration; experience leading or co‑leading strategic planning or assessment cycles.

Skills & Abilities: Strong evaluation and assessment acumen; ability to define success metrics and translate findings to strategic decisions. Knowledge of career development practices and ability to leverage reflection, coaching, and frameworks in a liberal arts context. Ability to manage and develop high‑performing teams through coaching and inclusive leadership. Fluency with emerging technologies and platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Handshake) and data integration. Capacity to operate effectively as part of a unified leadership team; transparent and collaborative. Ability to cultivate trust‑based relationships across constituencies and influence without direct authority. Experience translating vision into actionable plans and achieving measurable outcomes. Skill in communicating narratives to elevate career readiness with stakeholders. Highly preferred: Experience implementing and scaling technology‑enabled career readiness or experiential learning; leading cross‑functional initiatives and translating priorities into actions.

Certifications: Certification in career coaching (e.g., NACE, NCDA, GCDF) and/or completion of the Experiential Educators Academy (SEE) is preferred.

Other Requirements: All candidates require a current Criminal Background Check (CBC).Work may include occasional evenings and weekends. Must be willing to travel for conferences, site visits, and student/faculty trips as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Direct supervisor for Assistant Directors, other staff, and oversight of student workers (4‑6 direct reports).Indirect reports: 1‑6.