Career Development - Director of Career & Professional Development

Sacred Heart University

$100K — $120K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Master's degree in a related field preferred, Bachelor's degree required.
  • 5+ years of experience in higher education career development or corporate talent acquisition.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office and internet tools, with willingness to learn new career management software.
  • Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
  • Ability to engage with large audiences effectively.
  • Strong customer service focus, enthusiastic with a creative mindset.
  • Knowledgeable about career development and current job market trends.

Responsibilities

  • Provide individualized career coaching on various aspects of job preparation and development.
  • Develop strategies to enhance student interaction with career resources and services.
  • Create a robust student engagement plan featuring outreach and coaching.
  • Collaborate with employer partners to secure internship and job opportunities for students.
  • Coordinate with faculty and administration on career programming and student support initiatives.
  • Manage marketing efforts for career services to students and employers alike.
  • Organize and oversee significant events such as career fairs and employer presentations.

Benefits

  • Opportunities for professional development and ongoing training.
  • Collaborative work environment with faculty and industry partners.
  • Flexibility for some evening and weekend hours to accommodate engagements and events.
  • Impactful role in shaping the career readiness of students.
  • Access to university resources for career-related growth.
Full Job Description
Position Summary

Oversee career engagement, career readiness, and student development functions for the Welch College of Business and Technology (WCBT). Develop and implement comprehensive strategies to increase student engagement with career and professional development resources, programs, services, and employer opportunities. Provide career planning and job search counseling to students and alumni in assigned majors and collaborate closely with WCBT faculty, administrators, and campus partners to integrate career development into the student experience.

The Director will oversee student-facing programming, workshops, class presentations, career education initiatives, internal marketing, and engagement strategies designed to prepare WCBT students for internships and post-graduate employment. The Director will use student engagement and career outcomes data to assess program effectiveness, identify opportunities for improvement, and support the strategic goals of the Center for Career & Professional Development and WCBT.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities
  • Provide comprehensive career coaching to WCBT students in skills such as self-exploration, branding, networking, resumes, cover letter creation, LinkedIn, interview preparation, career selection, internship and full-time employment and job offer negotiations.
  • Develop and implement strategies to increase student engagement with the Center for Career & Professional Development and WCBT
  • Create and oversee a comprehensive student engagement plan within WCBT including targeted outreach, career programing, workshops, class presentations and individual career coaching.
  • Work alongside Director spearheading employer relations efforts to maintain consistent communication with employer partners and proactively identify internship and full-time employment opportunities.
  • Partner with WCBT Director of Welch Experience on career related programming activities and events.
  • Proactively outreach to faculty and key administrators to increase collaboration with faculty in assigned College/majors and to support the career development needs of their students.
  • Identify and secure employer partners for participation in on-campus and events.
  • Oversee the marketing of WCBT services to employers, students and the University community.
  • Plan, implement and oversee office events and student programs including career fairs, etiquette dinners, employer information sessions, career panels, and on-campus interviews.
  • Assist with the gathering of internship and outcomes data for WCBT and for internal and external publications.
  • Develop and maintain an external presence with local employer partners.
  • Host employer partners strategy meetings to discuss student expectations and hiring process
  • Administer workshops, seminars and class presentations related to student and faculty needs.
  • Utilize Career Management Platform software to facilitate career development activities and communications.
  • Support Associate Directors and other Directors in execution of signature office programs/events.
  • Contribute to management of the departmental web site as needed.
  • Liaise with Alumni and leverage relationships related to existing students career planning and placement.
  • Attend University-wide functions or events, at the discretion of the Executive Director of Career Development or Vice-President of EP&SA.
  • Assist with departmental Strategic Planning and other collaboration with Executive Director and WCBT Dean.
  • Complete special projects as requested.
  • Participate and be visible in the University community, supporting the activities and achievements of students and alumni
  • Other duties as assigned.


Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, & Other Attributes
  • Master's degree in related field preferred. Bachelor's degree required.
  • Minimum of 5 years of experience in higher education in the career development function and/or relevant corporate talent acquisition.
  • Proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications and the Internet. Willingness and ability to learn new software including the office's career management system.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills
  • Comfort speaking to groups
  • Strong customer service orientation
  • Energetic and able to think 'out of the box'
  • Interest in working directly with students in a student services capacity
  • Strong knowledge of and interest in the field of career development and job market trends


Unusual Working Conditions

Some evening and weekend hours required; occasional travel required for events and professional development.

This job posting provides an overview of the role's general nature and expected tasks. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list of all duties performed. The university reserves the right to modify or reassign job responsibilities at any time. This posting description does not constitute an employment contract, either explicit or implied.

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