Associate Director of Career Development (Hybrid Opportunity)

About UMass Amherst

The flagship of the Commonwealth, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is a nationally ranked public land-grant research university that seeks to expand educational access, fuel innovation and creativity, and share and use its knowledge for the common good. Founded in 1863, UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1,450-acres in scenic Western Massachusetts and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for teaching, research, scholarship, and creative activity. The institution advances a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community where everyone feels connected and valued-and thrives, and offers a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, and 100 undergraduate majors. We believe every member of our university community can contribute to our ongoing success by striving for the highest level of excellence as we seek breakthrough solutions to mounting environmental, social, economic, and technological challenges in our world.

Job Summary

The Associate Director of Career Development, under the guidance of the Executive Director of Employer Relations and Operations, oversees a team of Assistant Directors of Career Development. This role involves delivering intricate and comprehensive career guidance to Isenberg students across seven majors, double majors, and dual degrees, ensuring top-tier services for a diverse student body. Additionally, the Associate Director assists in supervising Assistant Directors, including training and performance evaluations. Collaboration with the Executive Director is crucial in enhancing the role of undergraduate internships and co-ops for credit. This entails cultivating relationships with employers offering such opportunities, advocating for students to receive credit for their internships or co-ops during semesters, breaks, or summer sessions. Moreover, the Associate Director serves as a key liaison between the Office of Career Success and specific academic departments.

Essential Functions

• Leads and manages a team of Assistant Directors of Career Development. Trains, mentors, and supervises Assistant Directors to ensure high-quality and highly responsive career advising services for Isenberg undergraduates.
• Identifies, develops and maintains relationships with local, regional and national employers who offer undergraduate internships and co-ops for credit and extend opportunities to undergraduates across Isenberg's seven majors.
• Collaborates with individual academic departments to identify areas of opportunity for internship development and potential programming specific to majors. Communicates Isenberg program policies and procedures to faculty and work with departments to develop highly effective strategies for ensuring increased student participation in internships and co-ops for credit.
• Liaises with the University's Office of Career Development and Professional Connections to ensure and facilitate opportunities for Isenberg undergraduates; stays up-to-date on policies and procedures that affect internships and co-ops eligible for academic credit.
• Advises students across all majors about internships and co-ops for academic credit as well as all internship and job opportunities relevant to Isenberg majors.
• Advises students on complex matters that involve career planning, decision-making, and goal setting, including one-on-one career advising sessions as well as workshops and advising sessions for specific majors, student organizations, and other groups.
• Works in a leadership role with designated academic departments to develop a clear understanding of curriculum and academic programming and its relationship to career outcomes, stays current on relevant trends, skills, and certifications related to different majors and beneficial to students' career objectives.
• Executes special projects as needed to support the Executive Director of Employer Relations and Operations and the overall mission of the Office of Career Success.

Other Functions

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Bachelor's degree (preferably in education, business discipline, counseling, or related field) and five (5) years of relevant experience; OR master's degree in education, business discipline, counseling, or related field and three (3) years of relevant experience.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to diverse groups.
• Must have excellent management and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to use complex data to make decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to work well with students, business decision makers, employers, and faculty.
• Must have excellent written, oral, and presentation skills.
• Working knowledge of career services technologies such as online recruiting tools and management systems and other computer proficiencies.

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00 pm.
• Some night and weekends are required.
• This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employee's work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As
  this position falls within the Professional Staff Union, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the Professional Staff Union collective bargaining agreement.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Typical office environment.

Salary Information

Level 27

PSU Hiring Ranges

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references. Applications will be reviewed on a continuous basis until the position is filled. Early submissions are encouraged.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.