This position is fully in-person (not remote or
hybrid)
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB
The Director of The Smith Institute for Career Services and
Career-Connected Learning is responsible for the implementation of
ongoing strategic and student success-related initiatives. The
Director of The Smith Institute for Career Services and
Career-Connected Learning is a vital role in the implementation of
ongoing strategic and student success-related initiatives. This
role is responsible for the management and coordination of the
university's career development and post-graduate opportunities for
student success. The Director oversees the ways in which the
University supports career exploration, preparation, and
postgraduate readiness for all of our students. This includes
career assessment, experiential learning, job search processes,
work-study, post-graduation pathways, the graduate school
application process, and registration of credit and non-credit
internships. Additionally, the director is responsible for moving
Career Services toward being not only a student resource but also a
strategic revenue and partnership generator.
The Director will work collaboratively across various departments
and divisions within the University, including Academic Affairs,
Student Affairs, Alumni Relations, and Admissions to create a
career development pipeline that facilitates social mobility
through equitable access to connections and experiences for all
students regardless of background or social capital. The director
is responsible for external relations including internal and
external relations, postgraduate relations supporting internships,
job development, and mentoring. The Director is instrumental in
creating a clear narrative for the institution and its stakeholder
on the central function of The Gold(en) Blueprint Strategic
Objective and Outcomes. The Director reports to the Senior Vice
President of Strategic Enrollment and Retention Management.
SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ESSENTIAL JOB
FUNCTIONS
- Manages the Smith Institute for Career Services and
Career-Connected Learning, including the supervision of career
staff, the assistant directors, campus internship and recruitment
manager, employer relations manager, student workers, and
interns.
Establish strategic goals for the Smith Institute for Career
Services and Career-Connected Learning, including long-range
planning and assessment.
Collects and analyzes data on career services outcomes,
preparing reports to assess program effectiveness and inform future
strategies.
Develop and lead a comprehensive corporate engagement strategy
to build and strengthen partnerships with local, regional, and
national employers.
Establish mutually beneficial agreements that expand
internship, co-op, and full-time employment opportunities for
students while also generating investments in the University
through sponsorships, program funding, and strategic
partnerships.
Create tiered partnership models (e.g., annual memberships,
sponsorship levels, or signature event partnerships) that encourage
corporations to invest in student success initiatives, career
readiness programming, and experiential learning.
Collaborate with Advancement, Academic Affairs, and other
university divisions to ensure alignments of corporate engagement
activities with institutional goals and fundraising
priorities.
Track, measure, and report the return on investment (ROI) of
corporate partnerships for both employers and the University.
Partner with faculty to systematically integrate career
exploration, career development, and preparation for post-graduate
life into academic curricula.
Work closely with potential employers to secure experiential
learning opportunities, internships, and job opportunities for
students.
Collaborate with the Golden Bull Academy and First-Year Program
faculty to integrate career exploration early into students' campus
experiences.
Works collaboratively with the faculty and other administrators
across various divisions to assist students and faculty in
understanding processes and procedures for finding and securing
experiential learning opportunities, including access to
Handshake.
Work closely with academic advising, employer partners, and
faculty to create career pathways from college entrance to
post-graduate opportunities.
Explore ways to incorporate digital badging into the career
development experience for students.
Supervise the development and implementation of career
exploration workshops and fairs designed to help students explore
and clarify their career paths and offer internship, work study,
and job opportunities.
Support professional development and learning for Smith
Institute staff.
Oversees the online posting of internship and student job
opportunities, both on the JCSU website, Student Opportunity
Center, and Handshake.
Responsible for multiple grants and department budgets,
including the allocation of funds, and ensures that expenses are
under budget and reported timely.
Track and assess programs, functions, and activities in order
to ensure equity in access, enhance services, and contribute to
institutional assessment and reporting, with special attention paid
to the Sr. Exit/First Destination Survey.
MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
A Bachelor's degree required, Master’s degree preferred in Higher
Education Administration, Counseling, Student Personnel Services,
Business or related area; and experience that equates to an
advanced degree in knowledge of student services, apprenticeships,
internships, and other experiential learning activities. Excellent
communication and interpersonal skills are required. The equivalent
combination of Education and related work experience may be
considered.