Director of Career Advancement & Program Services

Position Number: 40029185

Payroll Title: CAREER SVC SPEC 4

Job Code: 004983

Job Open Date: 11/05/2026

Application Review Begins: 11/20/2026; open until filled

Department Code (Name): ESMS (DEAN-SCHOOL OF ENV SCI & MGMT)

Percentage of Time: 100%

Union Code (Name): SV - Student Services & Advising Professionals

Employee Class (Appointment Type): Staff: Career

FLSA Status: Exempt

Classified Indicator (Personnel Program): PSS

Salary Grade: STEPS

Budgeted/Hiring Salary Range: $80,850 to $100,283.40/yr.

Full Salary Range: Salary offers are based on final candidate qualifications and experience; the budget for the position; and the application of fair, equitable and consistent pay practices at the University. The full range for this position is $80,850 to $146,160/yr.

Work Location: Bren Hall 2518

Working Days and Hours: M-F; 8am - 5pm

Benefits Eligibility: Full Benefits

Type of Remote or Hybrid Work Arrangement, if applicable: Hybrid (Both UC & Non-UC locations) Hybrid work schedule will be considered after the probationary period has been completed and as long as hybrid arrangements are approved by the Dean. The University has the authority to change or revoke hybrid scheduling with reasonable notice. Incumbent must be available to be in the office as requested or full time should operational needs require it.

Special Instructions:

For full consideration, please include a resume and a cover letter as part of your application.

Department Marketing Statement:

At the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, we develop interdisciplinary solutions to environmental problems, train environmental leaders, and work for a sustainable future.

Located steps from the beach on the beautiful UCSB campus, the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management is home to two professional master's programs, the Master of Environmental Data Science and Master of Environmental Science and Management, a dynamic PhD in Environmental Science and Management, and research leaders who contribute meaningful work in their fields.

Bren is a leading center of environmental research. Bren faculty are experts in their disciplines of environmental and natural resources research, collaborating across disciplines from the natural sciences, social sciences, and data science, as well as environmental economics, policy, and law.

Benefits of Belonging:

Working at UC means being part of this vibrant institution that shines a light on what is possible. People make UC great, and UC recognizes your contributions by making this a great place to work. Excellent retirement and health are just one of the rewards. Learn more about the benefits of working at UC

Brief Summary of Job Duties:

Works closely with the Executive Director of Career Development, Employer Relations, Professional Development, and Alumni Relations on managing all aspects of the PhD, Master of Environmental Science and Management (MESM), and the Master of Environmental Data Science (MEDS) Career Development and Alumni Relations Programs.

In partnership with Executive Director, sets the short- and long-term strategic direction and oversees day-to-day operations, including executing career development services, operating enterprise systems, implementing the alumni relations program, and conducting partner engagement (employers, Bren staff in development, events, and admissions, and other UCSB personnel). With guidance and in collaboration alongside Executive Director, works with students (MEDS, MESM, and PhD), alumni, employers, corporate partners, prospective students, Bren staff, and UCSB personnel on simple to complex career and professional development tasks.

Supervises the Career Development and Alumni Relations Coordinator (BLANK AST 3) and the Career Development and Alumni Relations Program Manager (CAREER SVC SPEC 3), and student assistant(s).

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelors' degree in a related areas and/or equivalent experience and training
• 1-3 years' experience working with students in career development and/or student affairs.
• 1-3 years' experience planning and executing workshops (both in person and remote).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Masters' degree in one or more of the follows: Career Counseling, Counseling, Business, Environmental Science and Management, Human Resources
• Strong knowledge of career development theories, adult development theory, counseling process, career coaching techniques, career decision making, learning styles, and job search techniques.
• Thorough knowledge of needs assessment theory, processes, and practice; workshop and program design.
• Knowledge of UC programs, career services, employer, alumni, and faculty needs and expectations, recruiting and staffing methods, and employment trends.
• Ability to design and modify computer applications to meet program needs, problem identification, presentation skills, verbal communication, written communication, and organization skills.
• Ability to work with people from diverse cultures.
• Basic knowledge of counseling theories and practices and coaching techniques.
• Basic knowledge of Alumni Relations.
• Basic knowledge of planning and executing events
• Customer service mindset with emphasis on care and empathy while providing services to students, staff, and faculty.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Special Conditions of Employment:

• Ability and willingness to travel and to work some weekends and evenings.
• Satisfactory criminal history background check
• UCSB is a Tobacco-Free environment

Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegation or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Job Functions and Percentages of Time:

45% Career Development Program Management

Supervision & Budgets:

Co-manages three staff along with Executive Director: 1) Career Development and Alumni Relations Coordinator (Blank Ast 3), MESM Career Development and Alumni Relations Program Manager (Career Service Specialist 3) and manages student assistant(s). Manages MESM Career Development & Alumni Relations Budget(s). Serves as back-up to the Executive Director in his/her absence.

Career Development Services & Advising:

Assists with strategic direction of MESM/MEDS Career Development Program working with Executive Director. Establishes a vision for the MESM Career Development Program and sets yearly and quarterly goals. "Staff Coordinator" for Bren's Career Development and Alumni Relations Committee with 2+ Bren faculty members. Conducts one-on-one, in-person career advising sessions on the following topics: career direction, job/internship search strategy, networking, document review (resumes, cover letters, CVs, and other application documents), interviewing, salary negotiation, workplace issues, and more. Works with admissions team, Sr. Managers, development team, and other Bren staff on a variety of diversity initiatives and implementation of Bren's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan. Provides content, design, and marketing changes to application documents (resumes, cover letters and writing samples). Conducts individual email career advising on career direction, job/internship search strategy, networking, document review (resumes, cover letters, CVs, and other application documents), interviewing, salary negotiation, workplace issues, and more.

Counsels graduate students on employment opportunities by thoroughly assessing students' career goals and assisting with job search strategies. Works with prospective, incoming, and current students (as well as alumni). Works with Career Development Director to oversee fellowships programs and professional student associations. Works with the Office of International Students and Scholars to ensure employment eligibility requirements for international students. Monitors students' needs and works with the MESM Program Manager (and MEDS Program Manager when applicable) to provide online resources on BrenConnect for students and alumni. Works with the MESM Coordinator to manage the job search postings process. Writes sections of grant proposals.

Career Statistics, Placement Reporting, and Feedback Surveys:

Runs annual yearly MESM statistics and placement reporting for MESM Career Development Program. Works with the Coordinator to create annual placement reports and communicate placement statistics. Manages and takes the lead on checking in with MESM who graduated each year to capture placement information and see if they need support on their post-graduation job search. Generates, designs, distributes, and analyzes annual feedback surveys (student, alumni, speakers, employers, and placement surveys) and to help monitor performance, quality, efficiency, and customer service. Prepares placement reports and presentations for faculty, development, and staff as needed. Analyzes work environment and processes, and seeks ways to improve quality and customer service.

10% Workshops, Speakers and Web Based Training Sessions

Co-develops, designs, and facilitates career workshop/speaker series. Co-develops, designs, and facilitates career and professional in-person and/or web-based career-related workshops. Coordinates in-person and virtual web-based speakers. Develops and administers MESM career orientation workshops. Designs student and alumni feedback surveys to collect reviews, comments, and suggestions. Works with other career team staff to coordinate and implement Bren School career webinars. Collaborates with MEDS staff to leverage existing events and workshop (when appropriate; e.g. annual Orientation or school-wide Art of Mingling Reception).

Arranges to have employer and alumni speakers talk to students. Oversees process from start to finish. Makes presentations and introductions. Facilitates and co-facilitates speakers and workshops. Handles issues or problems that arise during these sessions (workshop or speakers).

20% Enterprise Systems

Salesforce:

Manages MESM student and alumni contact data (after it is uploaded by Bren's Admission team). Manages case tracking for MESM student and alumni advising on document reviews, mock interviews, career advising (job search, salary negotiations, networking, job offers, and career path). Manages MESM student job placement tracking in Salesforce, including creating forms, cleaning up data, reporting results, and building dashboards. Manages employer accounts, keeping data clean and up-to-date.

BrenConnect:

Serves as primary staff MESM Community Manager and Administrator. Responsible for overseeing online social media platform BrenConnect (a professional and social networking site powered by Salesforce) by: providing user support; moderating user-generated content and community content; and escalating any issues to the appropriate internal teams. Partners with MESM Program Manager to develop MESM career- and alumni-related web-based content on BrenConnect. Help develop blogs, knowledge articles and other customer success content.

Builds relationships with internal stakeholders (students, staff, faculty) in order to address community needs and align them with resources on BrenConnect. Provides one-on-one attention to BrenConnect members (students, alumni, staff, faculty) that need assistance in the BrenConnect community; addresses any issues and provides trouble-shooting guidance to users as needed; answers questions; modifies pages and permissions; creates member types; and sets up monthly monitoring systems to keep tabs on user groups. Adds to and contributes instructions for Bren's Salesforce and BrenConnect "How to Training Guide." With the Salesforce database, maintains networking contact lists for employers. Assists with creation, conception, and presentation of BrenConnect community strategies to MESM/MEDS staff, and Bren Sr. Managers.

Maintains and manages MESM student, alumni, employer, and other key contact database information in Salesforce and BrenConnect. Designs, implements and oversees updates and changes to BrenConnect.

Works with student assistants and the Career Development Coordinator to locate and post job and internship position announcements in BrenConnect.

Constant Contact (CC) & Email Lists:

Manages MESM student and alumni email list that sync between CC and Salesforce. Tracks student and alumni who unsubscribe in CC.

Creates RAD emails, speaker announcements, alumni newsletters, and other student and alumni communications sent out via CC in partnership with the Career Development Coordinator. Responsible for working in partnership with the Compute Team to create and maintain up-to-date email lists (google groups), email aliases, and other email information in business systems.

Bren Website:

Maintains/updates MESM career development and alumni website content making pages interactive and working in partnership with the Career Development Coordinator and Bren School Media Communications Director. Works closely with the Bren Media Communications Director on new website development as needed.

Canva:

Designs PPT, website, social media, and other visual content in "Canva For Work."

Computer, Website, and Data Privacy:

Researches computer systems, technology and website resources and recommends relevant software platforms or tools to increase business operations and online presence capabilities. Protects privacy of students, alumni, and employers in all email systems (Salesforce, CC and Google Group email lists). Oversees the use data analytics pulled from Google and other search engines to prevent caching of private pages in coordination with the Program Manager.

15% Alumni Relations

Manages operational tasks involved in the MESM Alumni Relations Program.

Supervision:

Manages alumni budget(s). Manages alumni CRM database.

General:

Oversees the alumni events and activities, maintaining the alumni network, keeping the alumni engaged in the Bren School social networking platform, the alumni restricted career site (BrenConnect MESM portal). Sets up and coordinates alumni panels and speaker series. Connects students with alumni through BrenConnect or LinkedIn. In coordination with the Coordinator, organizes and coordinates alumni career panels and speaker series. Handles webinar alumni talks. Plans, manages, and implements other alumni communications in CC. Works with the Media Communications Director to provide alumni and student social media content.

Career Development Services and Advising:

Conducts one-on-one, in-person and phone career advising on career direction, job search strategy, networking, document review (resumes, cover letters, CVs, and other application documents), interviewing, salary negotiation, workplace issues, and more on an as needed basis with alumni.

Enterprise Systems (Salesforce, BrenConnect, Constant Contact, Bren Website):

Tracks and updates alumni career and contact information via BrenConnect and Salesforce. Creates effective system for maintaining updated alumni records on BrenConnect through Salesforce, including current employment information. Manages alumni online resources, including design and updates within Salesforce/BrenConnect. Maintains the MESM alumni group on BrenConnect; creates and administers BrenConnect alumni Networking Groups. Provides alumni with resources to look up key Bren community contacts (BrenConnect, LinkedIn) and develops systems and groups for providing better networking opportunities. Works closely with the Director of Development to connect alumni with the Bren School and engage Corporate Partners and other donors. Targets key alumni for website spotlight sections. Works with the Coordinator to manages and implement the MESM alumni birthday notice/contact information update process. Conducts and monitors post-graduation placement for MESM cohort up to 6 months after graduation for stats and placement tracking and also to check-in on those who might need additional job search support.

Alumni Programs/Events:

In coordination with the Bren School Events Manager, handles all MESM alumni-related events and activities and acts as the alumni liaison at larger (non-alumni specific) events. Attends regional receptions in southern and northern California when appropriate. Coordinates alumni-related on-campus recruitment sessions and speaker visits.

5% Employer Relations, Student Networking and Professional Development

Coordinates and implements networking events between students, alumni, and employers. Contacts employers to assist in developing job opportunities and a strong employer network. Attends conferences and other events as needed to develop employer contacts. Works closely with the Executive Director of Development to provide leads and other employer information for the Corporate Partners Program and other opportunities. Plans, coordinates, and manages speaker lunches and/or round table sessions. Takes part in employer sponsored events to help promote the Bren School and Career Development Program.

5% Events and Other Duties

General:

Develops and coordinates career-related MESM events.

Works with the Events Manager to coordinate career and professional alumni-related events and activities, including job fairs, employer functions, networking activities, on-campus recruitment sessions, mentor programs, professional development workshops, and alumni-related functions. Acts as the liaison between the Career Development Office, the Development Office, UCSB Alumni Office and other offices on campus. Works with other UCSB departments to provide additional services to Bren students. Assists with numerous events, including new student orientation, recruitment, open houses, and seminars. Works closely with the Coordinator on all event logistics, including room reservations, invitations, event fliers, written and verbal correspondence, mailings, and follow-up. Interacts closely with employers, faculty members, students, and staff members to coordinate activities and events. Creates announcements and reports on career development activities and events. Works with the MESM student chapter representatives to help organize student association events.

Takes part in events to help promote the Bren School and the MESM Career Development Programs.

Admissions, Recruiting, & Student Affairs:

Works closely with the Career Development Directors and Student Affairs staff on recruitment strategies. Involved in a variety of recruitment activities and presentations:

Creates and distributes career guidelines and messaging for incoming students. Handles career-related questions from prospective, admitted, and incoming MESM students. Works with students, employers, alumni, and faculty members to coordinate career- or alumni-related events and on-campus recruitment sessions. Designs and prepares annual recruitment and career development documents.

UC Vaccination Programs Policy

As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs.

As a condition of Physical Presence at a Location or in a University Program, all Covered Individuals* must participate in any applicable Vaccination Program by providing proof that they are Up-to-Date with any required Vaccines or submitting a request for Exception in a Mandate Program or properly declining vaccination in an Opt-Out Program no later than the Compliance Date (Capitalized terms in this paragraph are defined in the policy.). Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.

For more information:

UC Santa Barbara COVID-19 Information

University of California Policy on Vaccinations

* Covered Individuals: A Covered Individual includes anyone designated as Personnel or Students under this Policy who physically access a University Facility or Program in connection with their employment, appointment, or education/training. A person accessing a Healthcare Location as a patient, or an art, athletics, entertainment, or other publicly accessible venue at a Location as a member of the public, is not a Covered Individual.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

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