"Director of Career Services"

Position Summary:

The Director of Career Services provides strategic administrative leadership and oversees the daily operations of the Career Center, ensuring the coordination of university-wide career services. This role advises students and alumni on career development in both individual and group settings, fosters campus-wide collaborations and strengthens partnerships with faculty, and administrative units. The Director designs student programming based on research and employer feedback to support career readiness and long-term success.

Specific Job Duties (Essential Functions and Responsibilities)

• Develops and implements a strategic career services plan to foster early career development, career readiness, occupational wellness, and employment success for students and alumni.
• Supervises Career Center staff including hiring, onboarding, training, professional development, performance evaluations and personnel management.
• Provides advanced career counseling to students and alumni on topics such as career exploration, resumes, cover letters, job/internship search strategies, interview preparation and mock interviews, professional development, etc.
• Partners with faculty and staff for the implementation of career readiness initiatives and enhance internship and employment opportunities.
• Develops and implements programs and resources accessible to students of all abilities.
• Plans and executes career related outreach/educational programs including local Career Fairs, etiquette dinners, workshops, and employer recruitment events, etc.
• Serves as a primary liaison between the university and employers at the state, regional, national, and international level to develop career pipelines and partnerships.
• Manages departmental budgets, grant and project proposals, and financial operations to support strategic initiatives.
• Represents the university in committees, meetings, events, and professional organizations which may require off-site travel.
• Establishes effective communication channels to share career opportunities and resources with internal and external stakeholders.
• Develops and implements methods to collect and analyze data on career readiness and employment outcomes and feedback from employers and faculty/staff to assess program effectiveness and improve career services.
• Collaborates with departments to participate and include career related components in New Student Orientation, Discover Days, Resident Assistant training, and other university programs.
• Coordinates with faculty members to assess career opportunities within the professional fields.
• Develops relationships with local businesses for corporate sponsorship opportunities.
• Chairs the Career Advisory Committee engaging internal and external stakeholders to guide the development of the curriculum and co-curriculum ensuring alignment with current industry trends and workforces needs.
• Promotes an inclusive, student-centered approach to career development incorporating diverse perspectives and equitable practices.
• Maintains a bias toward decision-making that is informed by research, data, and theory and that leverages students’ unique cultures, experiences, and backgrounds and abilities as strengths.
• Fosters collaboration, teamwork, and transparency within the department and across the university.
• Performs other duties as assigned to ensure success of the department, including occasional evening and weekend responsibilities.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, education, counseling, or a related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in Career Services or a closely related role, working directly with students on career development, job placement, or experiential learning opportunities.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement innovative career development and preparation programs.
• Proven experience collaborating with faculty and employers to enhance career opportunities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, grant proposals, project proposals, expenditures, and reconciliations, etc.
• Excellent customer service skills with a student-centered approach.
• Comprehensive knowledge of principles and practices of career counseling and employer relations in higher education.
• Demonstrated ability to work collegially and collaboratively with diverse internal and external constituencies.
• Proficiency with career management systems and first destination survey tools, particularly Handshake.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with diverse audiences.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in business, education, counseling, student affairs, or a related field.
• Minimum of five (5) years of supervisory experience in Career Services within Higher Education, including staff management, employer relations, and strategic planning.
• Proficiency with student information systems, preferably Workday.
• Proficiency with learning management systems, preferably Blackboard.
• Experience working with diverse student populations, including underserved groups in higher education.
• Bilingual, in Spanish with the ability to communicate effectively in both English and Spanish.

Salary and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $56,244-$63,972. In addition to salary, Adams State University offers a competitive benefits program including medical, dental, vision, disability insurance, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, and retirement savings plans. For detailed benefits information please visit our Human Resources Benefits Page.

How to Apply:

All interested candidates must submit application materials electronically through Adams State University’s Workday application portal. Completed applications include the following: Cover letter, Resume, Unofficial transcripts (official transcripts will be necessary at the time of appointment), Three professional references, including phone number and email for each. Review of completed applications will begin 7/24/2025 and continue until the position is filled.