Job Description

Executive Director of Career Services

We are searching for an experienced Executive Director of Career Services at our Goldsmith Campus - Westchester campus.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Reporting directly to the Vice President for Student Affairs, the Executive Director (ED) of Career Services manages the staff and operations of a career services department for both on and off campus student employment opportunities. Leads the strategic efforts to achieve our three year career success strategy with a goal of increasing student internship experiences, better job outcomes, and soft skill development. The ED links various constituencies (i.e., students, faculty, staff, alumni, and employers) in an effort to connect students to internship experiences and creative career opportunities. In partnership with Academic Affairs, this position is charged with developing and sustaining new and critical employer relations that are industry specific and meet the needs of current students and recent graduates. The ED will lead assessment efforts within their area to be able to communicate to the larger campus community and prospective students, parents/families, and employers. The ED will work in tandem with the Institutional Advancement, Academic Affairs, and Marketing to conduct coordinated outreach efforts to Otis College alumni in an effort to increase alumni relationships to the campus, further engaging them through new employer/internship leads.

• Manages a career services department including on and off campus employment opportunities. Sets goals, objectives, and priorities for the team members and department. Plans and develops new or enhanced programs for the delivery of services such as career planning, job search, internships, and job attainment for students. Measures effectiveness and quality of operations through coordinated assessment efforts internally (year over year) and externally with relevant benchmarking institutions.
• Directly supervises the Associate Director for Employer Relations and Alumni Engagement, Assistant Director for Career Education, Assistant Director for Student Employment and Operations, and the part-time Administrative Assistant.
• Recruits, screens, hires, orients, and trains staff. Evaluates employee performance and provides guidance and feedback. Counsels, disciplines, and/or terminates employees, in partnership with Human Resources as required.
• Provides strategic oversight of student employment and operations, ensuring effective design, implementation, compliance, and continuous improvement of the College's on-campus student employment program, including workforce planning, Federal Work Study administration, international student employment, and student employee relations.
• Oversees operational management of student employment systems and processes, including onboarding, payroll coordination, policy compliance (federal, state, and institutional), budget monitoring, data collection and assessment reporting, and cross-departmental collaboration with Career Services, Payroll, Financial Aid, Human Resources, and academic leadership.
• In partnership with the Primary Designated School Official (PDSO) and Assistant Director for Student Employment, ensures compliance with labor laws and immigration laws for international student workers. Manages and trains staff to provide counseling to international students seeking CPT work authorizations and OPT work permits and ensures that appropriate documentation and guidance is being offered.
• Plans activities, events, career and internship fairs, and other programs, which actively promote students and the College to local and national employers. Plans and delivers presentations, schedules site visits with employers, plans direct mail campaigns, and develops publications to support Career Services marketing efforts.
• Counsels/coaches or advises students and alumni regarding career development and education, job and internship search strategies, resume and portfolio preparation, and other related career search strategies. Provides professional guidance to career advisors and assists them in problem resolution as needed. Oversees the development of workshops and seminars covering career topics.
• Synthesizes industry intelligence into actionable guidance for students and faculty, ensuring career development strategies are aligned with real-time market demands and future employment trends. Proactively identifies and interprets emerging career pathways, translating them into scalable programming, employer engagement strategies, and student preparation initiatives that strengthen career outcomes.
• Collaborate with chairs and faculty to increase their involvement in developing services, programs, and other professional growth opportunities to benefit students and strengthen the working relationships between employers and the College.
• Provides strategic leadership and cross-divisional oversight for the development, implementation, and improvement of internship courses and related academic partnerships, including coordinated workflows with faculty and academic departments to identify relevant internship opportunities and prepare students professionally for their experiential learning opportunity.
• Lead and manage the Internship Equity Fund (IEF) strategy and administration in partnership with Institutional Advancement and the IEF review committee, ensuring alignment with institutional goals, equitable access and distribution, and assessment of impact.
• Identifies opportunities to network with alumni in order to augment recruitment, enhance alumni participation, and broaden the employer base for the College. Works directly with the Institutional Advancement team to develop critical leads related to employment and internship opportunities for students.
• Provides leadership and guidance in collaborative efforts toward the execution of the Annual Exhibition Weekend (O-Launch).
• Strategically engage and present in the Senior Team in discussions and decisions related to partnerships and opportunities to enhance career success strategies, including but not limited to, internship experiences, career development, and curricular alignment and integration of career-centered education.
• Manages departmental budget. Participates in budget planning by providing historical data and projections. Prioritizes requests for enhancements to existing resources and cost saving efforts.
• Ensures that Career Services activities are coordinated with other College offices to enhance the efficiency and quality of services delivered by ensuring integrated efforts.
• Manages departments' employment outcome surveys, first destination surveys, internship participation, and all department data collection, evaluation, and reporting.
• Develops and maintains information systems for managing records and data. Produces reports and analyzes information for use in planning and assessing operations. Integrates technology to increase the quality of services and programs.
• Stays informed of developments in the field. Reads pertinent literature, attends meetings, and participates in professional associations as appropriate. Establishes and maintains an active network of professional contacts.
• Travels for employer cultivation and participation in alumni and new student events as a representative of the College and/or the department as needed.
• Leads and chairs Career Success Strategy implementation team and Career Services Council.
• Performs other related duties as assigned. Must be responsive to work-related phone calls and emails during non-business hours on occasion.

Required Qualifications:

• A Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Business, or related higher education field or equivalent work experience.
• Five years of progressively responsible experience in managing teams and large projects.
• At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in business, human resources, counseling, educational administration, career development, student affairs, or related field required. Individual should have a thorough knowledge of theories, models, principles, and best practices of career development and counseling.
• Demonstrated experience in examining, improving operations and procedures, formulating policy, developing and implementing new strategies, procedures, and programs.
• Knowledge of marketing strategies, processes, and available resources to identify and attract students and potential employers.
• Successful candidates must be student-centered with a demonstrated commitment to developing networks with business and industry leaders, while also strengthening relationships with faculty and College administrators.
• Working knowledge of federal and state regulations related to employment
• Must be available to travel to alumni and new student events, as needed.
• Experience working closely with or directly in art and design industries and/or working in an advising capacity and supporting artists and designers through a career and professional development lens.
• Working knowledge of student CPT work authorizations and OPT work permit requirements highly desired.
• Working knowledge of higher education enterprise systems and career platforms (e.g. Handshake, Salesforce, Banner).

FLSA Status: Exempt

Compensation Type: Annual Salary

Salary Range: 84,233.00 - 103,103.00

Our company provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.