Coordinator

The Universities at Shady Grove (USG) is a unique, highly successful regional higher education center developed as a part of the University System of Maryland. The campus offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs from nine Maryland public universities on one convenient campus in Montgomery County. USG helps prepare students for rewarding careers in the region’s most high-demand fields. Students who complete their coursework on the USG campus graduate with a degree from one of its nine partner universities. Through on-campus services such as academic coaching, career advising, internship preparation, personal counseling, and leadership training, students leave the USG campus with the academic skills and real-world experiences needed for successful careers.

The USG partnership universities provide programs with current enrollments of nearly 4000 students with the capacity to grow to 8000 students and beyond. STEM-based programs will be expanding. A state-of-the-art Biomedical Sciences & Engineering opened in 2019 that includes interactive learning labs, classrooms, a dental clinic, and new student affairs offices, including an expansive Career & Internship Services Center (CISC).

This position is needed to provide critical support for the Career and Internship Services Center including student support services and academic outreach, with a particular emphasis on STEM student populations. This position will play a fundamental role in CISC’s collaboration with academic partners, faculty, and the regional business community to deliver co-curricular career readiness support to students at USG. Key responsibilities include, but not limited to oversight of direct service to students, group career coaching, development of career exploration programs and events, coordination of experiential learning activities and both traditional and non-traditional internship placements, coordination of professional development programming, quantitative and qualitative assessment and reporting, coordination and presentation of workshops and group career development activities, event planning, outreach to USG’s academic partners, outreach to the regional business community, and development of programs and services tailored to individual student cohorts at USG.

Minimum Qualifications:
Required Education:
 Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education required.
Required Experience:
 Minimum 3 years of professional, full-time equivalent experience in career services
including career coaching and consultation as well as experience with the delivery
of career readiness related programming.

Preferences:
Education:
 Master’s degree with an emphasis on counseling, higher education, student affairs,
workforce development, business management, or human resources.
Preferred Coaching Certification:
 Career coaching certification issued by NACE, PARW/CC, NCDA, or other
professionally recognized certifying agency.
Preferred Experience
 Previous professional experience with the University System of Maryland, its
partner institutions, regional higher education centers, or other college/university
setting strongly preferred. Some experience with STEM populations,
graduate/professional students, nontraditional students, veterans, or other special
populations preferred. Previous professional experience and understanding of the
Montgomery County and State of Maryland regional business communities
preferred. Previous experience with experiential and co-curricular learning
activities preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
 Candidates must possess knowledge, skills, and abilities in the areas of career
coaching and consultation, career readiness programming, project management,
and event planning. Demonstrate leadership skills, the ability to work well both
individually and within a group, and the ability to successfully collaborate with
USG’s partner institutions, partner Career Centers, and academic program
representatives. Possess strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Demonstrate excellent written and communication skills and strong public speaking skills. Strong interpersonal and communication skills consistent with counseling and building developmentally supportive relationships with students. Candidate must possess excellent customer service skills and an ability to handle a fast-paced work environment. Professional demeanor a must.

 Candidates should possess knowledge and experience in the areas of strategy implementation, service delivery, project management, performance management, strategic partnerships, and talent management. Demonstrate skills to be able to successfully navigate in a higher education environment, with the ability to manage direct services and programming for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as other constituents. Candidates should have an understanding of career readiness competencies, general employment guidelines and trends, employer hiring/human resources processes, and regional workforce needs.

 Candidates will demonstrate an understanding of the policies, practices, and procedures involved in a career services operation in a university environment, including knowledge of business and industry opportunities. Strong candidates will possess some knowledge and understanding of strategic planning, development of meaningful learning outcomes, and both qualitative and quantitative assessment.

Physical Demands
 Professional environment. Light lifting, event set up, and the ability to set up of materials to and from various events (outreach activities, employer events, job fairs, etc.) both on and off-campus required. Some regional travel to partner institutions, various employer sites, workforce and community events, career- related events, and training activities required. Some evening and Saturday work required.