Associate Director, Student-Athlete Professional Development

Position Purpose

The Associate Director, Student-Athlete Professional Development supports the design and implementation of a career-development strategy tailored to the unique needs of Dartmouth's varsity student-athletes. Reporting to the Director, External Partnerships & Special Projects (Center for Career Design), this role coordinates career programming within Dartmouth Peak Performance (DP2), cultivates alumni and employer relationships, and serves as a subject-matter resource for the Center for Career Design's sports-and-recreation career track. The Associate Director works collaboratively across campus units, leveraging existing career resources while developing targeted initiatives that align with the career-development process for student-athletes.

Description

DP2 Career Development - Dartmouth College Athletics
DP2 Career Development is focused on maximizing programming and services to help Dartmouth student-athletes access career education, skills, connections, and internship and job placement opportunities. More on DP2:

• Behind every Big Green victory: The 31-person support system for Dartmouth athletics - The Dartmouth
  DP2's mission extends beyond immediate athletic performance-the program uses sport as a vehicle to develop leaders for life.
• Austin Driggers, Spaht Family Executive Assoc AD for Peak Performance: "The purpose of athletics at Dartmouth and other Ivy League institutions is to enhance the learning and the growth and development of our student athletes."
• Lyndsay Ostler, Senior Assoc AD for Student-Athlete Development assists the coaches with the recruitment process in evaluating student-athletes' academics and navigating the admissions application process and deadlines while providing strategic leadership to Academic Support and Career Development.

Center for Carer Design
DP2 works closely with Center for Career Design, which supports all Dartmouth undergraduates in exploring career interests, identifying strengths and opportunities, applying for jobs and internships, preparing for interviews, and learning about the professional world. Working collaboratively with employers, alumni, faculty, parents, and other colleagues - all of whom help educate students about the ever-changing world of work.

• Joe Hayes, Director of External Partnerships & Special Projects within the Dartmouth Center for Career Design, leads strategy for employer, alumni, and family supporter engagement in order to expand access to opportunities, strengthen meaningful connections, and drive impactful career outcomes for students.

Required Qualifications - Education and Yrs Exp

Bachelors plus 3-5 years' experience or equivalent combination of education and experience

Required Qualifications - Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Bachelor's degree in career development, student affairs, sports management, business, or a related field and three to five years of relevant experience (career services, student-athlete support, employer relations, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated experience in career development, coaching, or advising, preferably with student-athletes or within higher education.
• Proven ability to support the development and implementation of career-related programming, including networking events, employer-engagement initiatives, and career-readiness workshops.
• Strong relationship-building skills with experience cultivating partnerships with employers, alumni, and external stakeholders.
• Knowledge of career pathways in the sports and recreation industries and the ability to guide students interested in these fields.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills; ability to engage effectively with students, faculty, staff, and external partners.
• Ability to assess program effectiveness and utilize data to inform decision-making and enhance student outcomes.
• Understanding of the unique career-development needs of varsity student-athletes and familiarity with NCAA regulations as they pertain to career and professional development.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across multiple departments and initiatives.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with an understanding of how to support diverse student populations in career development.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in higher education, career development, sports management, business, or a related field.
• Experience working in career services within a college or university setting, particularly with student-athletes.
• Knowledge of employer-engagement strategies and experience building partnerships that create career opportunities.
• Familiarity with career-assessment tools (e.g., CliftonStrengths, MBTI) to support student career exploration.
• Experience developing and managing mentorship or alumni networking programs at the program/project level.
• Knowledge of NCAA compliance regulations related to student-athlete professional development and career opportunities.
• Understanding of design-thinking or life-design methodologies and their application to career coaching and advising.
• Proficiency with career-management platforms (Handshake, LinkedIn, PeopleGrove) and other digital tools used in career services.
• Experience facilitating workshops, trainings, or presentations for diverse audiences, including students, employers, and faculty.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in developing and delivering career- & life-design programming for varsity student-athletes, ensuring alignment with the career discernment process, networking opportunities, and experiential-learning initiatives
  Percentage Of Time 25
• Support the expansion of the Big Green athletic career network by managing specific outreach projects, cultivating relationships with alumni, employers, and industry professionals, and helping to broaden career opportunities for student-athletes
  Percentage Of Time 25
• Act as a subject-matter resource for DCCD's sports-and-recreation career track, creating specialized resources, programs, and advising opportunities for students and alumni under the guidance of the Director
  Percentage Of Time 15
• Partner with DCCD, DP2, and other campus partners to integrate existing career-development resources while tailoring initiatives for student-athletes; propose enhancements to senior leadership
  Percentage Of Time 15
• Gather and report program effectiveness data, preparing concise summaries for the Director and other key stakeholders
  Percentage Of Time 10
• Coordinate career-related events, employer-engagement initiatives, and networking opportunities, overseeing logistics and student-assistant support to ensure high-impact connections for student-athletes
  Percentage Of Time 10