What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of the Career Accelerator position at Lewis & Clark?
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Working at Lewis & Clark College
The campus is located on 137 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds in Portland’s southwest hills. Our strong commitment to sustainability is reinforced through recycling programs, energy conservation, alternative transportation options, and farm to fork initiatives. For benefit-eligible positions, we offer a competitive
benefits package
that includes options for health, dental, vision, tuition, life insurance, retirement and more.
Lewis & Clark College is committed to achieving a diverse workforce. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to status as a protected veteran or a qualified individual with a disability, or other protected status, such as race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or age.
PRIMARY PURPOSE
The Director of the Career Accelerator (CA) will provide vision, leadership, and strategic direction and will be responsible for transforming and managing Lewis & Clark College’s new Career Accelerator initiative. This role will integrate innovative career readiness programming with the college’s liberal arts curriculum, ensuring all students gain access to skills development, paid internships, and career competencies critical for success in the evolving world of work. Reporting to TBD, the Director will lead a dynamic team to elevate the college’s national profile as a leader in career preparation for liberal arts students.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute the vision for the Career Accelerator, aligning it with Lewis & Clark’s mission and strategic priorities.
- Establish a culture of career readiness and experiential learning as core components of a Lewis & Clark education.
- Collaborate with and build strong relationships with faculty, staff, and external stakeholders to champion the Career Accelerator.
- Design and implement innovative programming that integrates career competencies across academic and co-curricular experiences that is recognized and valued by employers.
Program Development and Oversight
- Lead the creation and scaling of skills-based courses, paid credit-bearing internships, and applied academic minors in partnership with the Bates Center and other college departments.
- Oversee the integration of NACE career competencies into student employment, skills and internship coursework, and co-curricular programs.
- Ensure robust and equitable access to career resources, internships, and networking opportunities for all students, with a particular focus on first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students.
- Oversee the creation of robust assessment and evaluation of career competencies and internship placement outcomes. Work closely with Institutional Research to develop reporting tools that will document the successful placement outcomes and career readiness of our students.
Partnership Development
- Build and maintain strategic partnerships with employers, alumni, industry experts, and community organizations to expand internship, mentorship, and job opportunities.
- Serve as the primary liaison to Portland-area employers, leveraging the city’s unique opportunities to support students’ career readiness.
- Represent the CA in institutional fundraising efforts, working closely with the Advancement Office to secure transformational gifts and build the CA endowment.
- Identify and pursue funding opportunities to support CA’s initiatives, including grant funding, work-study funding, state and federal funding, and industry funding and training initiatives.
- Work with Admissions and public relations efforts to disseminate messaging so that prospective students and parents, as well as donors, are aware and motivated.
- Work with Institutional Research to create assessment and evaluation tools of career outcomes.
Team Leadership and Administration
- Recruit, mentor, and supervise a high-performing team, including professionals responsible for career advising, internship and skills class teaching, skills development, employer engagement, and program management.
- Oversee the training and engagement of faculty fellows who contribute to the CA’s academic programming and strategic goals.
- Manage the CA’s budget, ensuring responsible allocation of resources to sustain and grow operations.
- Implement and oversee data-driven systems to track student outcomes, assess program effectiveness, and inform continuous improvement and strategic decision-making.
- Work closely with the Bates Center and other academic departments to ensure the quality and rigor of CA’s academic offerings and its integration with the CA’s efforts to ensure students are prepared for high value/paid jobs post-graduation.
Teaching and Mentorship
- Serve as an instructional leader, teaching within the internship program and contributing to curriculum development for credit-bearing courses.
- Actively mentor students, providing guidance in career planning, skill-building, and internship preparation.
Other Duties as Assigned
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, & BEHAVIORS
- Deep understanding of the liberal arts model and its integration with career readiness initiatives.
- Proven ability to build strategic partnerships with employers, alumni, and community stakeholders.
- Expertise in experiential learning, skills development, and internship program management.
- Strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in career readiness and experiential learning.
- Exceptional communication, writing, relationship-building, and interpersonal skills.
- Experience managing budgets, fundraising, and securing institutional investments.
- Proven experience in supervising, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams.
REQUIRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE
- Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., higher education administration, business, organizational development, or a discipline aligned with Lewis & Clark’s liberal arts curriculum).
- At least 8 years leadership experience in career services, higher education, workforce development, business administration or a related field.
PREFERRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE
- Deep ties and familiarity with the Portland professional community (for- profit and nonprofit).
- Demonstrated success in leading transformative organizational initiatives.
- Familiarity with career management platforms and technologies, such as Suitable, LinkedIn Learning, and uConnect.
- Experience in teaching or facilitating career readiness programs.
WORK SCHEDULE
- Full Time
- 37.5 hours/week
- Benefits Eligible: Yes
PAY RATE
- FLSA Status: Exempt
- $100-130k annually depending on experience
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- General office environment
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk, working on a computer
- Communicate effectively via phone, email, online meetings, and in person
- Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times
Directions for Cover Letter
Please include a cover letter describing your interest in joining Lewis & Clark and the ways you can contribute to a culture of inclusion on our campus.
Lewis & Clark College adheres to a nondiscriminatory policy with respect to educational programs, activities, employment, and admission. We do not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, sex, religion, age, marital status, national origin, the presence of any physical or sensory disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other basis prohibited by applicable federal, state, and local laws. The Associate Vice President of Human Resources has been designated to handle inquiries regarding employment- and disability-related non-discrimination policies. Title IX inquiries may be directed to the Title IX coordinator or deputy Title IX coordinators
(
https://www.lclark.edu/about/title_ix_compliance
).
Reasonable Accommodation
Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job or to perform your job. Examples of reasonable accommodation include making a change to the application process or work procedures, providing documents in an alternate format, using a sign language interpreter, or using specialized equipment.
Background Check
Lewis & Clark College will conduct a background check on the finalist, which will include a criminal record check. If a conviction is discovered, a determination will be made whether the conviction is related to the position for which the individual is applying or would present safety or security risks before an employment decision is made. A criminal conviction does not necessarily automatically bar an applicant from employment.
Eligibility to Work
In order to comply with US Homeland Security Department regulations, all employees must complete an I-9 form in Workday prior to or no later than the first day of work and bring originals (no photocopies) of their supporting documentation to Human Resources no later than the 3rd business day of employment. Failure to have a completed I-9 form on file with the College will result in immediate termination of employment.
Salary : $100,000 - $130,000
