Career and Life Design Advisor – NEW!

(posted 4/17/26)

Hollins University, a private, liberal arts university in Roanoke, Virginia that is recognized as one of the oldest institutions of higher education for women in the United States, invites applications from qualified candidates for the position of Career and Life Design Advisor.

About the Role

The Career and Life Design Advisor is a high-impact role dedicated to facilitating student success from matriculation through graduation by bridging the gap between the classroom and the workforce. This position serves as a coach, connector, and strategist, ensuring every student at Hollins is equipped to pursue meaningful opportunities related to their career journey. The advisor serves as the lead for the internship process, including finding faculty sponsors, coordinating registration logistics, and preparing students. This role reports to the Director of Career and Life Design and supervises two work-study students.

Specific responsibilities include the following:

Internship Coordination

• Works to promote the importance of internships to students, while maintaining liaison relationships with faculty, Academic Affairs, the Registrar’s Office, and other university administrators regarding the processing and registration of for-credit internships
• Provides classroom, campus, and new student orientation presentations for students about internship processes and career-related information
• Assists in preparing students for experiential learning and internships through coaching, identifying opportunities, and securing the desired role or experience
• Manages Handshake for employer and student use including the posting of and applications for internships

Career Coaching

• Assists students with resume and cover letter writing, interview tips, job and internship search strategies, salary negotiation, career exploration, etc. and relevant tools for such
• Collaborates with campus partners to better serve the career-related needs of students who may be undeclared majors or in focus areas outside declared majors
• Creates specific programmatic offerings for students to assist them in generating career goals in relation to their majors
• Provides educational sessions related to career readiness
• Participates in office events, including but not limited to, job and internship fairs, networking events, etc.

Management and Measurement

• Manages office work-study students including tasks and projects, scheduling, and evaluating
• Maintains the internship budget including student stipends and housing funds
• Oversees reporting from career event surveys and post-internship RATE (reflect, articulate, translate, and evaluate) reports

Position Qualifications

Successful applicants will have the following qualifications and experience:

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of three years of experience providing career coaching/counseling
• Deep understanding and competency of career exploration resources
• Thorough understanding of the job market and current trends and issues
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including oral, written, and listening communication capabilities
• Abilities to effectively plan, organize, coordinate, implement, and evaluate events and programs
• Strong computer skills with proficiency in Microsoft Office, Canva (or similar program), and CRM tools

Preferred candidates will have the following:

• Career coaching certification
• Experience in a higher education career center
• Experience with Handshake
• Supervisory experience

Application Process

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to hollinshr@hollins.edu. Candidates are encouraged to comment in their cover letter on how their contributions will further the university’s efforts to ensure student academic success and engagement. Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Semi-final candidates will be asked to submit contact information for three references.

About Hollins

Hollins University is dedicated to academic excellence, creativity, belonging, and preparing students for lives of purpose. Hollins provides an outstanding and academically rigorous undergraduate liberal arts education for women and entrepreneurial and innovative graduate programs for all in a gender-inclusive environment. The university promotes opportunities for research, education abroad, and leadership training, and offers real-world experience through global internships supported by an extensive alumnae/i network.

Hollins University is committed to providing equal opportunity in employment. No employee or applicant shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including transgender status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, and gender identity), national or ethnic origin, age, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other category protected by applicable state and federal laws.

Visit www.hollins.edu for more information.