Director, Career and Professional Development

POSITION OBJECTIVE

The Weatherhead School of Management's Director Career and Professional Development is a part of a specialized team focused on the development and execution of strategic initiatives to further the mission of the school by preparing and placing its graduates in meaningful careers. This position will focus on the following key objectives: 1) to provide students with the tools, resources and skills which allow them to conduct an effective job search 2) to prepare future graduates for professional careers as business leaders 3) to operationalize the strategy including designing pre-enrollment bootcamps, communication plans, leveraging alumni to deliver engaging and impactful workshops and sessions, identifying and utilizing systems to track student engagement and progress, developing relevant programming and one on one career advising and coaching 4) to execute on this strategy in a repeatable and systematic way which results in student satisfaction and long-lasting employer relationships.

This position is directly responsible for developing and managing all career strategy, career coaching and advising, and career search skill development, including workshop development. The director oversees the career development onboarding and orientation process at the point of admissions. The director will offer unique insights into the multidisciplinary world of management and be capable of developing mutually beneficial relationships with students, faculty, alumni, and employers.

Essential Functions

• Lead career and professional development initiatives including preparing and delivering effective, engaging and interactive workshops, speaker series and practice sessions. Collaborate with program and student success directors and program advisory boards to develop career readiness curriculum. Remain current in latest hiring trends and knowledgeable of core competencies and skills desired by employers. (30%)
• In collaboration with faculty directors and program advisory boards, ensure program candidates are aware of their career options. Select and interpret assessment tools. Design onboarding process to reinforce the importance of career readiness and design and provide programming for students who are undecided. Assist students and alumni develop an ¿inside track¿ regarding how to best prepare for a variety of management-related careers. Conduct mock interviews and other skill building practice sessions. (25%)
• Lead and manage off-site National Career Fair treks to provide students opportunities to engage with national employers and increase school visibility among employers and peer schools. (6%)
• Identify opportunities to increase student engagement and participation in career development activities and ensure that all school resources are used to advance future classes and career opportunities for students. Participate in the development of school strategies regarding market trends and opportunities. Provide support and guidance in the development of other professional development initiatives. Perform evaluation on an annual basis to measure the success of the strategies and to identify areas for improvement. Ensure that critical information is uniformly gathered, documented, and kept confidential as required. (10%)
• Increase industry knowledge to maintain and improve the positive and productive relationships with hiring executives, recruiters and Weatherhead students and alumni. Work with clients to prepare students who meet their organizational needs; including internships, project work, and case studies. (10%)
• Select and provide annual career information systems and resource updates (Handshake, VMOCK, Career Leader, 12Twenty, Virtual Career Library and other resources) to ensure students have access to best-in-class tools to conduct an effective internship or job search in the United States or abroad. (10%)
• Organize and facilitate the alumni advisory career council meetings and ensure that measurable objectives are being met each year. (8%)
  
  
  

Nonessential Functions

Perform other duties as assigned. (1%)

CONTACTS

Department: Regular and frequent contact with all department staff, dean's office, faculty, and staff.

University: Regular contact with faculty and staff, especially the other Case Western Reserve University career services offices and external relations.

External: Regular contact with employers, alumni, other university career services offices and vendors/suppliers.

Students: Daily contact with students.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

No supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

Experience: 4 years of professional experience, preferably in human resources, training and development or career development, in a corporation, university, public agency or consulting/staffing firm. Experience in recruitment and selection for professional level roles in finance, marketing, healthcare, law, consulting, or other professional fields.

Education/Licensing: MBA or master's degree in business related area or master in higher education. Additional education credentials (JD, PhD, Coaching or HR certifications) preferred.

Required Skills

• Proven abilities as a creative, innovative, team-oriented professional with demonstrated abilities to influence students, establish priorities and maintain focus on goals while managing various projects.
• Ability to counsel students/clients on career decision making. Ability to instruct, mentor and otherwise assist in the professional development of staff.
• Ability, both in demeanor and experience, to successfully engage employers in the mentoring and hiring of students.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to interact with colleagues, supervisors, and customers face-to-face. Superior writing skills. Ability to communicate and market the services and programs of the Career Management office to potential students, current students, alumni, employers, faculty, and other staff.
• Strong problem-solving and organizational abilities. Ability to effectively handle and meet deadlines. High motivational and follow-up skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with students, alumni, staff, faculty, and employers.
• Competent with spreadsheet and presentation skills (I.e., EXCEL and PowerPoint). Skilled user of communications platforms commonly used by today's students (i.e., Slack and WeChat). Must have a working knowledge of admissions student information and career software (such as Slate, SIS and Handshake).
• Ability to meet consistent attendance.
  
  
  

WORKING CONDITIONS

Office setting with frequent interaction with students, faculty and staff. Domestic and international travel required. Evenings and weekends are a part of this position's responsibility on an as need basis.

This position is eligible for hybrid work arrangement up to two remote days per week at the discretion of the department. New employees may begin a hybrid schedule upon approval from the supervisor, successful completion of an orientation period and signing the remote work checklist certification form.

In employment, as in education, Case Western Reserve University is committed to Equal Opportunity and Diversity. Women, veterans, members of underrepresented minority groups, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Case Western Reserve University provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the Office of Equity at 216-368-3066 to request a reasonable accommodation. Determinations as to granting reasonable accommodations for any applicant will be made on a case-by-case basis.