North Carolina State University

Associate Director for Career Education

Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Master's degree in Counseling, Higher Education Administration, Student Development, or related field.
  • 5+ years of experience in career services, counseling, or higher education.
  • Experience supervising full-time staff and graduate interns.
  • Proficient knowledge of career development theories and counseling techniques.
  • Strong skills in designing and assessing career programs and workshops.
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.
  • Familiarity with career services management platforms like Symplicity/ePACK.

Responsibilities

  • Lead the career counseling team in setting operational goals and service strategies.
  • Collaborate with university departments to promote career services and develop specialized programming.
  • Support career counseling staff in providing effective career development services to students.
  • Select and implement career management tools, ensuring staff training.
  • Coordinate Career Development Center's orientation participation and presentations for new students.
  • Act as a resource for university practitioners and oversee major center initiatives.
  • Engage in professional development and integrate modern career practices.

Benefits

  • Professional development opportunities to enhance skills and knowledge.
  • Collaboration with a diverse team focused on student success.
  • Access to resources for nurturing mental health and well-being.
  • Involvement in strategic projects and initiatives across the university.
  • Opportunity to influence and shape career development services.
Full Job Description
Posting Details

Posting Information

Posting Number
PG194756EP

Internal Recruitment
No

Working Title
Associate Director for Career Education

Anticipated Hiring Range
$80,000 - $85,000 (commensurate with experience)

Work Schedule
Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm; evening and weekend hours as required.

Job Location
Raleigh, NC

Department
Career Development Center

Essential Job Duties

The Associate Director for Career Education will provide guidance and leadership in the development and implementation of intentional, ongoing career development services for NC State students through programming and utilization of the varied skills and experiences of the Career Development Center's career counseling staff. In addition, the position will serve as a member of the Career Development Center's strategic leadership team.

Career Development Strategy & Operations
  • Provide strategic leadership for the career counseling team by establishing operational priorities, goals, and service delivery strategies that align with the Career Development Center's mission and broader university strategic plan.
  • Engage and collaborate with university entities, academic departments, and faculty to position the Career Development Center staff as campus-wide career development experts and build specialized programming for targeted student populations.
  • Coordinate with and support career counseling staff in developing and providing programming and services to encourage and promote career development among students across all of NC State University's colleges and majors served by the Career Development Center.
  • Lead the selection, implementation, and staff training for career management tools, ePACK utilization, and foundational career programming.
  • Coordinate the Career Development Center's participation in new student orientation sessions through tabling and presentations.
  • Serve as an information resource and strategic consultant for departmental practitioners; support major center-wide events, initiatives, and special projects as requested by the Executive Director.
  • Engage in continuous professional development by leveraging industry literature, professional associations, trainings, and conferences to ensure the Career Development Center integrates modern and forward-thinking career practices.
  • Serve as the internal escalation point for career counseling staff handling intensive student interventions; manage the strategic partnership and referral pipeline with the university's Counseling Center.

Staff Supervision & Leadership
  • Serve as the supervisor of record for the career counseling staff and graduate assistants; lead recruitment, hiring, and onboarding efforts for career counseling personnel in consultation with the Executive Director.
  • Conduct annual evaluations of career counseling staff to assess performance, foster professional growth, and provide strategic input to the Executive Director regarding team impact.
  • Lead regular individual (one-on-one) and career counseling team meetings to monitor workflow, address operational challenges, advocate for resource needs, and maintain high team morale.
  • Facilitate and promote professional development opportunities for graduate student workers and new professionals.
  • Address issues related to professional conduct or responsibilities; initiate timely coaching conversations or interventions as needed.

Direct Student & College Liaison Services
  • Direct dedicated career services for the College of Education; develop tailored programming, conduct career counseling, review resumes, and facilitate mock interviews customized for these majors.
  • Build and sustain strategic relationships with College of Education administrators, faculty, and advisors to promote Career Development Center services, secure stakeholder buy-in, and gather feedback on service effectiveness.
  • Provide cross-functional career counseling support for first-year students across all majors and assist with general departmental counseling overflow/drop-in hours as needed.


Other Responsibilities
  • Other tasks and responsibilities may be assigned based on the needs of the organization and evolving priorities.


Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience
  • Master's degree in Counseling, Higher Education Administration, Student Development, or a closely related field.
  • Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in career services, counseling, student development, or higher education.


Other Required Qualifications
  • Proven experience supervising full-time professional staff and/or graduate student interns, including establishing operational priorities and conducting performance evaluations.
  • Deep knowledge of career development theories, counseling/coaching techniques, and NACE career readiness competencies.
  • Demonstrated ability to design, facilitate, and assess career programs and workshops, using data to improve services.
  • Experience administering and interpreting career assessment tools (e.g., Focus 2 Career), training staff, and handling sensitive student referrals or crisis management.
  • Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills, with a demonstrated ability to motivate teams and advocate for staff and program needs.
  • Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to take initiative, think creatively, and manage multiple priorities.
  • Proficiency with career services management platforms (e.g., Symplicity/ePACK), web-based tools, and standard office computing software.


Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience cultivating collaborative partnerships with college faculty, staff, and university administrators to advocate for student-centered initiatives.
  • Proven experience developing, managing, and scaling comprehensive projects or departmental initiatives from inception to evaluation.
  • Strong track record of working effectively and empathetically with undergraduate students from varied academic backgrounds.


Required License(s) or Certification(s)
  • N/A


Valid NC Driver's License required
No

Commercial Driver's License required
No

Recruitment Dates and Special Instructions

Job Open Date
07/13/2026

Anticipated Close Date
07/31/2026

Special Instructions to Applicants

In addition to your application, please upload your resume, cover letter, and contact information for at least 3 professional references.

Position Details

Position Number
00001619

Position Type
EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week)
1.00

Appointment
12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather
Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events
Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID
244010 - Career Development Center

About North Carolina State University

North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land-, sea-, and space-grant institution. The university forms one of the corners of the Research Triangle together with Duke University in Durham and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Enrollment is over 36,000 students. NC State was founded in 1887 as a land-grant institution.
Learn more about North Carolina State University

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