"Associate Director, Career Development"

• All interested applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation's top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice's culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name -- RICE -- Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

The Associate Director of Career Development plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of career education at Rice University. As the Center for Career Development (CCD) advances a career ecosystem model, this role serves as a strategic architect--designing, leading, and scaling high-impact initiatives that integrate career readiness across the student experience.

This is a rare opportunity to:

• Influence institutional strategy at a top-20 university
• Design and advise on equitable, outcomes-driven career pathways
• Build innovative programs with real-world impact on student lives

The Center for Career Development (CCD) at Rice University is a recognized leader in career education, serving one of the most talented and diverse student populations in the country. The Associate Director of Career Development reports to the Director of Career Development and Counseling and serves as a senior member of a collaborative, high-impact team. Moving beyond transactional advising, the Associate Director functions as a portfolio lead for one or more strategically prioritized career pathways, building bridges between academic learning and professional practice. This role is designed for a builder and systems thinker who uses data to inform strategy and centers equity in program design and delivery.

The Associate Director leads high-impact programming, teaches career decision-making courses, delivers individualized and group career counseling, and cultivates strong partnerships with faculty, employers, alumni, and campus stakeholders. This is a visible leadership role with broad influence across the university, as well as an opportunity to join a collaborative, high-impact team at a pivotal time of growth and transformation.

Your work will directly support a diverse and globally engaged student community, including:
* ~8,500 undergraduate and graduate students
* ~20% Pell Grant-eligible domestic undergraduates
* ~18-20% first-generation college students
* Students from nearly 100 countries

The ideal candidate is an equity-minded, innovative career development professional with a strong foundation in career counseling and program design. They bring a strategic, data-informed lens to their work and are motivated by the opportunity to build scalable systems that expand access to high-impact career experiences. They are a collaborative relationship builder who communicates effectively with students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and employers. They are energized by fast-paced, student-centered environments and view equity and inclusion as core design principles rather than add-ons.

This position is currently offered as a hybrid full-time role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration.

Regular office hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-5 PM, and require occasional evening or weekend hours, depending on the needs of the office. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

• Bachelor's degree
• 3+ years' experience in university career services, talent development, recruiting, workforce development, student success, advising, or related people-facing roles in higher education, nonprofit, government, or corporate environments

• Master's degree in Counseling, Higher Education, or related field
• Demonstrated experience designing, scaling, and assessing career development programs
• Experience leading cross-functional partnerships or complex initiatives
• Familiarity with nationally recognized career readiness frameworks (e.g., NACE competencies, High-Impact Practices)

• Evidence-based individual and group career counseling, including use of career assessments (e.g., MBTI, Strong Interest Inventory, Focus2)
• Strong facilitation, presentation, and communication skills
• Ability to build trust and rapport across diverse student, alumni, employer, faculty, staff, and family audiences
• Knowledge of labor market trends, hiring practices, and equity-focused advising models
• Strong project management, organizational, and analytical skills
• Comfort using career management and student information systems (e.g., Handshake, 12twenty, Symplicity)

• Serve as portfolio lead for one or more assigned career pathways (e.g., Engineering and Architecture; Arts, Communication, and Entertainment; Computer, Information Technology, and Mathematics; Education, Non-Profit, and Social Enterprise; Finance, Consulting, and Enterprise; Sciences and Health; Public Policy, Government, and Law)
• Design and execute pathway strategies aligned with institutional priorities and workforce trends
• Partner with faculty, campus units, alumni, and employers to embed career readiness across academic and co-curricular experiences
• Facilitate educational sessions for students, faculty, and staff to promote shared responsibility for career development

• Create, implement, and assess scalable, inclusive programs (workshops, digital resources, and credit-bearing courses) aligned with career readiness competencies and high-impact practices
• Use disaggregated data to identify and address equity gaps in access to career development programs
• Mentor and develop student leadership groups to expand peer-to-peer engagement and extend CCD's reach

• Deliver individualized and group career counseling using structured coaching frameworks and assessments to support complex career decision-making
• Track, analyze, and report program outcomes; present insights and recommendations to the team and senior leadership
• Represent Rice CCD on university committees, professional associations, and at regional and national conferences, contributing to best-practice conversations and elevating institutional visibility

Rice University is committed to the growth and development of its staff. This role offers opportunities for:

• Leadership development and cross-campus collaboration
• Professional association involvement
• Visibility with senior leaders and external partners

• Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required in support of events and programs
• May be asked to represent the CCD or act on behalf of senior leadership as needed
• Perform all other duties as assigned
• All employees serve as representatives of the university, displaying courtesy, tact, and discretion in all interactions with other members of the Rice community and with the public

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University's Human Resources Office via email at facstaffada@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.