Assistant/Associate Director of Career Education

Suffolk University is thrilled to announce a career opportunity as an Assistant/Associate Director of Career Education! Reporting to the Director of Career Education, the Assistant/Associate Director of Career Education will assist with efforts to integrate career education, exploration, and readiness into all aspects of the institution, working closely with faculty and administrators in the College of Arts & Sciences and the Sawyer Business School. The individual in this role will support the career education needs of undergraduate second year, third year, and transfer students specifically, with a focus on improving persistence to graduation for this “middle year” population. This will include developing systems to track student engagement and analyzing information to identify opportunities for improvement. This is a student-facing and on-campus (in-person) position. Our campus is located in downtown Boston.

Primary/Principal Responsibilities:

50% Supporting Faculty and Staff Through Career Education Curriculum Development

1. Support the College of Arts & Sciences and the Sawyer Business School Undergraduate Programs. Work with dean’s offices of each school to learn the curriculum guidelines and support in-class and academic department-wide initiatives related to career education. Develop for-credit course curriculum and assist with for-credit curriculum mapping and assessment as requested by chairs and administrators.
2. Partner with academic dean's offices to develop pedagogical workshops on teaching career competencies and integrating career competencies in courses. Create training and facilitation guides for faculty and staff to use Career Center software.
3. Work with the College of Arts & Sciences to advance career initiatives in General Education courses. Develop a faculty tool kit for NACE and other career competencies to be available for General Education, majors, and other interested parties.
4. Develop co-curricular and non-credit career education courses and programs in collaboration with other departments on campus.
5. Maintain a faculty and staff resources webpage for the Career Center to house career related information as well as a menu of services for faculty and staff. Partner with the Library to develop career research LibGuides and other resources for faculty, staff and students.
6. Work with colleagues in Student Affairs, Residence Life, Community Engagement, Student Activities, and other key units to identify strategic ways to integrate career education into new and existing programs, policies, and procedures.
7. Assist in working with the Office of Marketing and Communications (OMC), Enrollment and Admission to develop messaging and educational campaigns regarding the career experience that Suffolk provides for students.
8. Assist with Career Center efforts to develop a model and framework as well as rubrics for assessing career education that can steer the work of the entire team in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment.

50% Supporting Student Persistence to Graduation Through Career Education

1. Work to ensure Suffolk is providing a world class career experience for “middle year” undergraduate second year, third year, and transfer students that will help drive motivation toward degree completion.
2. Collect and analyze institutional persistence data in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA). Conduct ongoing focus groups and interviews with students to understand strengths and areas of improvement in persistence to graduation related to career experience. Develop career education-based strategies and interventions to improve key progress indicators. Create tracking and reporting mechanisms to measure progress and share success toward achieving goals.
3. Work closely with Academic Advising, Student Success, Registrar, faculty and others on campus on collaborative efforts to support students and embed career education into academic advising, especially for those students who are exploring or changing majors.
4. Explore the possibility of creating support groups in collaboration with the Counseling, Health and Wellness (CHW) office for second year, third year and transfer students.
5. Develop a fellowship advising program in collaboration with Academic Advising, Student Success, Academic Affairs, Honors and other departments on campus to increase the number of Suffolk students who receive prestigious national and international fellowships such as Fulbright and Rhodes.
6. Work with the Career Center’s Director of Equity and Access to develop and implement proactive initiatives to aid underrepresented and minoritized students in achieving career success. Pilot an initiative for “ongoing career planning” and “social identity reflection” to ensure every student is given the opportunity to understand the components of career planning and social identity and is provided with time and support to do so at least annually.
7. Work with other departments to establish a Student Employment Program that provides training for supervisors to incorporate elements of career development and NACE competencies into their work with student employees.
8. Utilize a CRM-based case management approach to career advising by maintaining active communication through social media, text messaging, targeted emails, and in-person or virtual engagement with students. Create workflows, email campaigns and other automation techniques to enhance the career experience of students and their connection with the Career Center and the University at large.

Minimum Requirements/Qualifications:

1. Holds a Bachelor’s degree with at least 3 years of professional experience in curriculum development, teaching, career education, or other related fields.
2. Possesses career curriculum development expertise, is credible with teaching faculty and staff.
3. Displays a dynamic, empathic teaching style that engages learners.
4. Has experience developing and assessing career-related learning outcomes.
5. Demonstrates competence and sensitivity in advising students who are broadly diverse with regard to various aspects of identity, such as race, ethnicity, ability status, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, nationality, and religion; committed to building and maintaining an inclusive environment, placing diversity, equity, inclusion and access at the forefront.
6. Demonstrates ability to help students craft a career strategy, articulate their professional value, reflect on their social identity, and build the skills and career readiness competencies required for internships and success after graduation.
7. Exhibits drive and motivation to learn on their own and takes initiative to solve problems.
8. Accepts feedback and direction, willing to be flexible and shift direction as we build and grow our department.
9. Follows up, follows through, is responsive, is a team player, is personable and collaborative.
10. Conveys a forward-thinking, strategic, results-oriented mindset that will help Suffolk innovate, automate, streamline, track and scale programs and services to achieve our goals.

Preferred Requirements/Qualifications

1. Holds a Master’s Degree with at least 5 years of professional experience, as this role is faculty facing and expected to provide training to faculty, to develop curriculum and to assist administrators with assessment of learning outcomes.
2. Maintains a technical aptitude and proficiency for using and teaching use of computer software and other applications. Has experience implementing and trouble-shooting new technology.
3. Creates systems to collect, analyze, and communicate actionable data to measure progress toward goals and identify areas for improvement.
4. Demonstrates understanding of marketing, communication, branding, graphic design and campaign messaging strategies and best practices.

Additional Information

1. This is a full time, 12 month position.
2. This position will require the ability work nights and weekends when necessary.
3. The position is student facing, and therefore will require the individual to work primarily onsite at the Boston campus, with potential for some remote work for given job tasks.
4. Applicants must be available to start work within 30 days of accepted offer.
5. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States now and in the future. We regret that we cannot sponsor a work visa.
6. The Suffolk University Career Center is dedicated to building a broadly diverse, inclusive, respectful, accessible and equitable work environment. Applicants of all race, ability, gender expression and identity, sexuality, religion, and national origin are encouraged to apply.
7. In order to be considered for this role, a cover letter is required.
8. Review of applications will begin immediately; applications are accepted until the position is filled.

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