MPA Career Services Coordinator

Classification Title

Career Counselor II

FLSA

Exempt

FTE

1.00

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent and 2 years of professional experience

Position Summary

The MPA Career Services Coordinator serves as the primary representative for providing career services to over 170 Master of Public Administration (MPA) students by advising students on career and internship strategies and opportunities. The MPA Career Services Coordinator cultivates current and prospective employers of our students by facilitating on-campus information sessions with employers and hosting networking events with alumni and employers. This position also updates and maintains a University of Georgia ELC page displaying internship and job announcements, and other career-related resources. This work includes career counseling for students, including resume review, interview skill development, and professional development coaching.

The MPA Career Services Coordinator supports students at both the Athens and Gwinnett campuses. The position also involves participation in MPA student recruiting efforts, which includes sharing program information with prospective students and explaining career opportunities associated with the MPA degree. Recruiting includes engagement with undergraduate students on campus, participation in graduate recruiting events, and outreach with mid-career government professionals across Georgia.

There are other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and/or Competencies

The individual in this position frequently deals with issues of a highly confidential nature and the primary duties include:

• Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment with respect to matters of significance.
• Comprehensive understanding of how to work with graduate students;
• Possess a high-level of computer literacy and knowledge of MS Office, database management, and customer marketing applications;
• Ability to lead workshops; have administrative skills; and possess excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to travel to the UGA Gwinnett Campus and regional recruiting events

Physical Demands

• Lift and carry up to 20 lbs.
• Periodic travel to the Gwinnett Campus and recruiting events across the region

Duties/Responsibilities

Career Services & Internship Services

• Advises MPA students on career and internship opportunities.
• Facilitates on-campus information sessions with employers for the purposes of providing job and internship opportunities to students.
• Manages the MPA Mentor Program including alumni recruitment and communication, mentor/mentee matching process, assessment processes, and follow up communication with alumni and students as questions and issues arise.
• Coordinates with and supports the MPA Mentor Program and the Carl Vinson Institute of Government Professional Skills Seminar, external programs contributing to the professional development of MPA students.
• Coordinates resume, cover letter, mock interviews, and other professional development workshops.
• Updates and maintains website displaying internship and job announcements as well as career-related resources.
• Leads the assessment of internships for program graduations including deciding whether students are exempt from the internship requirement based on previous work experience. The internship requirement is part of the important accreditation process for the MPA program and supports the department’s overall rankings.
• Collects systematic data on internship supervisor and employer satisfaction with the MPA program and constructs reports to be used by the MPA Director and MPA Associate Director for program assessment.
• Collaborates with the SPIA Career Services Coordinator to manage and track SPIA-funded internship opportunities, such as Experiential Learning and Ralston (rural) internships.
• Coordinates employer relations among students and alumni.
• Works with alumni to build and expand the MPA network.
• Connects current students with alumni for networking and professional development.
• Supports the MPA Associate Director’s work with the MPA Advisory Board, organizing meetings each semester and coordinating student engagement with the advisory board.
• Assists with alumni events.

Percentage of time: 85

Recruitment

• Supports all MPA-related recruitment efforts for both the Athens and Gwinnett campuses as well as the Double Dawgs and MPA/JD programs.
• Supports recruitment of Double Dawgs and students for the undergraduate minor program which involves presenting to undergraduate classes and attending on-campus recruitment events.
• Attends off-campus graduate recruitment fairs at universities across the Southeast.
• Supports the execution of recruitment and orientations events such as Fall and Spring Visitation Days, Gwinnett information sessions, webinars, and Socialization.

Percentage of time: 15