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.