What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Director of Career Programs and Employer Relations position at Dominican University?
Position Title: Senior Director of Career Programs and Employer Relations
Department: Office of the Provost
Reports To: Special Assistant to the Provost
Location: On Campus (River Forest, IL)
Position Summary:
Reporting to the Special Assistant to the Provost of Dominican University, the Senior Director of Career Programs and Employer Relations (CPER) is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the CPER Office, including required undergraduate Career and Vocation (CV) courses and Career Practicum, the Experts/Executives in Residence Program, and leading employer relations and engagement efforts. The Senior Director is ultimately responsible for ensuring that career development programming at Dominican creates opportunities for all undergraduate students to prepare for successful placement upon graduation in career ladder positions or in graduate or professional school, and for providing graduate students and alumni with access to career networks and professional development opportunities. To achieve these goals, the Senior Director is responsible for leading the development and management of relationships with employers across various industries to secure job and internship opportunities for students across all majors and programs. The Office of Career Programs and Employer Relations partners with various internal departments, including academic and student support services, and external organizations, to contribute to the University’s Strategic Priority 2: Ensuring Student Success in Completion and Career Outcomes, in addition to other strategic priorities.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Administrative Leadership:
- Serve as the primary point of contact and leader in the Office of Career Programs and Employer Relations for the university, its students and alumnae/i, and employer partners.
- Collaborate with the Director of the Core Curriculum and Director of the Honors Program to ensure continuous alignment on the implementation and outcomes of the CV curriculum & Career Practicum requirements.
- Work with internal partners to identify, secure, and manage grant-funded opportunities.
- Communicate regularly with internal stakeholders and leadership through presentations, campus-wide communications, and engagement.
- Oversee the CPER team to develop applications for conference presentations and awards.
External Relations:
- Lead efforts to develop and maintain partnerships with external employers for internship and full-time job placement opportunities.
- Review and supervise on-campus employer partner recruitment activities, career fair, and other procedures that relate to hiring students for on- and off-campus internships, fellowships, and job opportunities.
- Build and expand programs that receive financial support from partner organizations (i.e., career fair, employer tabling, scholarship/fellowship opportunities, etc.).
- In collaboration with academic units, coordinate programming to support graduate and professional advising, experiential opportunities, and applications.
- Regularly represent Dominican University and the Office of Career Programs and Employer Relations at external events and through various external organizations such as NACE, CEIA, etc.
Office Management:
- Recruit, support, and develop CPER team members.
- Manage a team of seven full-time employees and (up to)18 EIRs.
- Oversee day-to-day operations of the Office of Career Programs and Employer Relations to ensure that services reflect best practices in career development programming.
- Manage the Office’s budget to ensure effective operations and staffing.
- Ensure data collection efforts are relevant, accurate, and used for the continuous improvement of Career programming.
- Oversee marketing and communication strategies for the Office of Career Programs and Employer Relations for internal and external promotion of materials and programming.
- Collaborate regularly with Information Technology to implement platforms and tools to support students’ career and professional development needs.
- Perform other duties as requested by the supervisor.
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree.
- At least 5 years of experience in a career center/office.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Strong relationship-building skills and experience engaging with corporate and employer partners.
- Familiarity with analytics on industry trends and employer expectations.
- Proficiency in career services management tools and platforms, including Applicant Tracking systems (ATS), Learning Management systems (LMS), Career Management Systems (CMS), Customer Relations Management systems (CRM), and Microsoft Office Suite.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Prior experience working within a Hispanic Serving Institution.
- Prior experience with curriculum development and/or teaching.
- Experience collaborating with faculty, staff, and students in a university setting with positive outcomes.
- Experience engaging with corporate and employer partners.
Physical Demands:
- Ability to spend long durations of the workday sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Ability to lift up to 15 pounds at times
- Note: accommodations will be made for applicants who cannot meet these physical demands
Salary and FLSA Status
- Salary: $90,000 - $95,000
- FLSA Status: Exempt, Full-time, 37.5 hours
Benefits
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
- Retirement plan with employer matching contributions
- Professional development opportunities
- Tuition remission for employees and their dependents
- Flexible spending accounts (FSA)
- Generous paid time off (PTO)
Employment at Dominican University is contingent upon the successful completion of a background investigation.
About Dominican University
Dominican University is a Catholic, comprehensive teaching university located in River Forest, a suburb of Chicago, with an additional campus in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Dominican University offers associate, baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees. It is highly regarded for its academic rigor, thoughtful accompaniment of students, intentional affordability, and values-based, relationship-centered learning environment.
Dominican currently enrolls over 3,800 students, including 2,690 undergraduates and 1,114 graduate students. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of undergraduate students identify as Latinx, 5% as Black or African American, and 3% as Asian. Under-represented minority students comprise 77% of the undergraduate enrollment and 38% of the graduate enrollment. Over 90 percent of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid. Nearly half of all undergraduates are first-generation college students; over half are federal Pell Grant recipients, illustrating their families’ level of income; and 58% are eligible for low-income MAP grants from the State of Illinois.
Recognized since 2011 as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) by the U.S. Department of Education, Dominican is committed to expanding and enhancing educational opportunities for Latinx students and all students from historically underrepresented groups. For more information, visit www.dom.edu.
Expectations for all Dominican Employees
To support the University's mission of preparing students to pursue truth, give compassionate service, and participate in the creation of a more just and humane world, engage in university service work that promotes collaboration and community building. This includes participating in organizational initiatives, supporting campus events, contributing to community outreach, and fostering a supportive environment through involvement in various staff-driven activities and groups.
Institutional Statement
Dominican University is committed to fostering a supportive academic community that provides access and opportunity for all our students.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Dominican University is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all federal and state employment regulations. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
If you need accommodations due to a disability, you may contact us at opc@dom.edu for assistance.
Salary : $90,000 - $95,000
