Assistant Vice President for Career Readiness & Post-Graduate Success
A Gateway to Excellence & Opportunity
Assistant Vice President for Career Readiness & Post-Graduate Success
About the Position
The Assistant Vice President for Career Readiness & Post-Graduate Career Success provides
visionary leadership to guide the strategic direction of the University Career Center,
ensuring students are career-ready and able to achieve post-graduate success. This
role encompasses oversight of various areas, including the development, implementation,
and assessment of programs, continuous quality improvement, budget management, operational
strategies, partnership development, policy management, and both short and long-term
strategic planning. This role collaborates on Student Affairs and Academic Support's
active research related to career readiness and employment. A key aspect of this position
is fostering partnerships with employers while collaborating with academic and administrative
units to seamlessly integrate career readiness into the student experience.
Candidate Profile
Education and Experience:
Minimum: Bachelor’s degree with at least 10 years of experience, including prior management
experience.
Preferred: Ph.D. in higher education administration, counseling, or a related field. Demonstrated
leadership in career services within higher education, especially at an R1 university.
Core Competencies:
Strategic thinking and innovative leadership, combined with the ability to turn ideas
into actions.
A collaborative and data-driven approach to analyzing metrics, refining programs,
and improving operational workflows and systems to effectively serve stakeholders.
Proficiency with technology platforms relevant to career readiness and employer engagement.
Strong verbal and written communication skills that ensure messages are clear, concise,
and impactful.
Demonstrates strong supervisory and team management skills, taking input into account
while demonstrating timely and efficient action and decision-making.
Possesses a thorough understanding of labor market trends, employer expectations,
and career readiness strategies for college students.
Key Responsibilities:
Leadership and Strategic Vision:
Direct the University Career Center to align with the university’s mission and goals.
Ensure career readiness and post-graduate success through innovative strategies.
Monitor, evaluate, and refine career services to meet evolving needs.
Employer Engagement:
Establish relationships with local, national, and global employers.
Develop employment pipelines, internships, and high impact career experience to enhance
student opportunities.
Team Management:
Supervise and mentor career services staff to support their professional growth and
ensure high-quality service delivery.
Promote a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement through a data-driven approach to analyzing metrics, refining programs, and enhancing
operational workflows and systems to effectively serve stakeholders.
Integration with Academic Curriculum:
Collaborates on Student Affairs and Academic Support's active research related to
career readiness and employment.
Lead initiatives to provide high impact career experiences such as experiential learning
opportunities.
Research and External Engagement:
Conduct research on career readiness and labor trends.
Serve on university and external committees to advance career services initiatives.
Preferred Characteristics:
Proven ability to communicate the value and measurable impact of career services to
diverse stakeholders through clear and concise messaging.
Demonstrated agility in implementing innovative initiatives that align with strategic
goals and address emerging trends swiftly.
Commitment to integrating high-impact practices that enhance student career readiness
and post-graduate career success.
Operational Requirements:
Proven leadership skills in managing high-volume, fast-paced environments while ensuring
the effective execution of strategic goals.
Expertise in managing detailed reporting, budgeting, and assessment, with a focus
on leveraging data to refine and improve programs and operational workflows.
Commitment to inclusive excellence in career development initiatives, informed by
a deep understanding of student needs and labor market trends.
Proficiency in leveraging career readiness and employer engagement technology platforms
to enhance operational efficiency and program outcomes.
