"Associate Director of Career and Community - Penn Engineering Online"

Job Description Summary

The Associate Director of Career & Community provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for career development, community engagement, and student success programming for Penn Engineering Online's 3000+ online learners. The Associate Director creates scalable structures that ensure that online students receive high-quality career advising, professional development opportunities, and meaningful community connections that enrich their academic experience and support post-graduate success.

The Associate Director supervises a full-time Community Engagement Manager and two part-time Career Advisors and is responsible for designing and delivering programs that support career readiness, onboarding and orientation, peer connection, networking, and academic engagement. The role also maintains key employer and campus partnerships, ensures consistent career advising and coaching operations, and fosters opportunities for learners to engage with faculty, alumni, and industry professionals. This position is ideal for a dynamic, student-centered professional committed to advancing both career mobility and engagement for online learners.

Job Responsibilities

Program and Event Management

• Lead the strategy, planning, and execution of in-person and virtual academic, career, and community-focused programs, including Road Trips, webinars, workshops, elective showcases, skill-building sessions, faculty Q&As, SPARC-like initiatives, networking events, onboarding activities, and student clubs.
• In collaboration with the Director for Student Engagement and the Event Director, assist in planning and supporting large-scale community events, including graduation, Homecoming, and other institutional engagement opportunities.
• Develop and oversee program timelines, communications, registration workflows, participant materials, and event tracking in collaboration with the Community Engagement Manager.
• Manage community engagement efforts, including Slack and LinkedIn group oversight, student newsletters, and initiatives that foster belonging and peer connection.
• Develop and implement alumni engagement programming to strengthen connections across the Penn Engineering Online community.

Career Development & Advising

• Collaborate closely with the on-campus Assistant Director of Career Services to align programming, share resources, and ensure consistent, high-quality career support across online and residential student populations.
• Oversee career advising operations and coordinate schedules, caseload distribution, and workflow with part-time career advisors.
• Ensure accessible career advising on exploration, job search strategy, networking, resume/LinkedIn development, and professional communication.
• Develop and refine a structured career support, onboarding, and advising experience that integrates career readiness into the student lifecycle.
• Support mentorship pathways among students, alumni, employer partners, and program directors.
• Track student engagement with career services and identify gaps or opportunities for resource development.

Staff Supervision & Operational Leadership

• Supervise the Community Engagement Manager and part-time career advisors, providing clear priorities, expectations, and ongoing coaching.
• Coordinate onboarding, contracts, renewals, and delegation of work for part-time staff.
• Maintain standard operating procedures, documentation, and continuity plans across community and career programs.

Employer & Industry Engagement

• Serve as the intake point for employer inquiries related to online student engagement.
• Coordinate employer involvement in events, workshops, mock interviews, networking programs, and career panels.
• Maintain awareness of industry trends and skills in demand to inform programming and advising.
• Build relationships with campus partners such as Career Services to expand opportunities for online learners.

Systems, Platforms & Strategic Initiatives

• Manage systems that support community engagement and career programming, including Slate, Handshake, Canvas modules, and event tracking tools.
• Oversee asynchronous learning materials related to professional development and student onboarding.
• Evaluate workflows and propose enhancements to improve scalability, efficiency, and student experience.
• Regularly solicit and analyze feedback from students and use data to inform decisions and refine programs. Specifically, work with the Penn Engineering lead data scientist to produce and analyze post-graduation data, integrating data from engineering survey, and data gathered from other sources.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree and 3-5 years of progressively responsible experience in career services, employer relations, student affairs, workforce development, or a related field; or equivalent combination of education and direct experience.
• Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff and/or high-volume advising operations, especially in professional/career development settings.
• Familiarity with job search strategy, resume/LinkedIn optimization, interviewing, and networking.
• Fluency with career platforms and CRM/event tools (e.g., Handshake; experience with Slate/Canvas or similar is a plus).
• Ability to participate in events and trainings outside of normal business hours and to travel occasionally as required.
• Strong data literacy: ability to design surveys, interpret outcomes metrics, and make data-informed decisions.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and project management skills; commitment to student success.
• Proficient with Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and communication tools (e.g., Slack, Teams), and able to adapt to new tools and technologies.

Preferred

• Master's degree in Higher Education Administration or a relevant field.
• Experience in an R1 or highly decentralized research university; familiarity with STEM/engineering labor markets (e.g., software/data/AI); familiarity with supporting students in an online degree program.
• Direct experience advising master's-level or advanced professional students on job search strategy, resume/LinkedIn, interviewing, and networking.
• Proven record of delivering scalable programs (workshops, panels, recruiting events).
• Prior responsibility for hiring, onboarding, and developing professional advising teams.
• Demonstrated success coordinating with a central career office and/or multi-unit employer-relations ecosystem.
• Background in creating asynchronous learning modules or credit-adjacent career content.
• Knowledge of NACE standards and outcomes reporting; experience improving knowledge rate and storytelling with data.
• Comfort engaging with alumni, corporate partners, and faculty to co-create experiential programming.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing community engagement initiatives for large and diverse student populations, preferably in an online environment.

Job Location

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Pay Range

$66,000.00 - $80,000.00 Annual Rate

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