Career Planning and Development Coordinator (Student Employment Initiatives)

Southwestern University, located in Georgetown has an immediate opening for a Career Planning and Development Coordinator. The Career Planning and Development Coordinator empowers students and alumni to shape their professional identities and develop career-readiness skills by providing advising, programming, and resources to explore education and career options, and engage in successful searches for employment. The position also serves as the primary coordinator of student campus employment initiatives led by the Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD) and in keeping with the university’s tactical goal to “create a more robust student training and campus employment program”. This position is on-campus housing benefit eligible. This is a full-time, fully benefited, exempt position who reports to the Director of the Center for Career & Professional Development.

Primary Duties:

Services provided are represented in three functional areas:

Advising

• Provide career advising services to students and alumni, leveraging demonstrated knowledge of career development principles, industry trends, and graduate school processes to help clarify career objectives and transition from college to career.
Help students develop and refine resume writing, interviewing, and job-search skills.

Programming

• Design and manage standardized student employment resources for the campus, including policies, procedures, and processes, and in collaboration with a group of interdepartmental staff representatives.
• Host events related to student employment, including student presentations and supervisor training.
• Lead the development and execution of departmental events, which may include recruiting fairs, workshops, and panels, requiring professional discretion in shaping program content and aligning with broader department objectives.
Contribute to the strategic planning of the department, leveraging demonstrated knowledge of career development trends and the needs of students and alumni to set and achieve departmental goals.

Technology

• Leverage career development technology tools for database management, data collection, coordination, and reporting, requiring technical knowledge and the ability to interpret and apply data to improve department outcomes collaboratively and independently.
Support the department’s post-graduate survey collection and compilation of alumni outcomes data, employing advanced knowledge of data collection processes to further targeted outreach efforts that enhance the department’s impact.

Additional Duties:

• Assist with the overall administration and office operations.
• Troubleshoot concerns and inquiries by alumni, parents, students, and employers.
• Provide guidance and projects to departmental student employees as needed.
• Review and evaluate career development assessment tools and resources.
• May serve as liaison to student groups, clubs, and organizations.
• Assist with other Student Life efforts as needed.
• Will serve on the duty call schedule if utilizing an on-campus housing benefit.
Perform other duties as assigned by the director.

Position Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., education, psychology, student development) or equivalent professional experience demonstrating advanced knowledge and expertise.
• Minimum of one year of professional experience.
• Proven ability to use independent judgment and discretion to develop career strategies, advise individuals, and manage complex programs.
• Strong experience in strategic planning, event coordination, and data management, with an ability to apply professional expertise to real-world challenges in career development.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (oral, written, listening).
• Initiative and creativity to develop and spearhead new projects.
• Ability and willingness to do occasional evening and weekend work.
• Willingness to adhere to the university’s core values.
• Ability and willingness to travel utilizing standard, commercial, and/or personal modes of transportation.
• Skill utilizing software such as Microsoft Office and Google Suite.
Knowledge, understanding, and acceptance of cultural differences and the diversity within the campus and community.

Position Preferred Requirements:

• Knowledge of career-development theory and application.
• Basic understanding of career competencies and career-readiness skills.
• Previous experience working with student employment initiatives.

To apply: The University will only accept application materials through Interfolio at http://apply.interfolio.com/162487. Interested persons must submit a letter of interest, resume, the name and contact information of three professional references. Email and paper applications will not be accepted. Only completed applications will be reviewed by the Search Committee. The Committee will review all completed applications until the position is filled. All offers of employment are contingent on successful completion of the University’s Background Check Policy process. Southwestern University is an E-Verify employer. EO/M/F

Starting annual salary: $42,620. The final offer for the successful candidate will be commensurate with experience and may exceed the starting salary.

Inclusion is the deliberate effort to create an environment in which people from all backgrounds* are not only included but welcomed, valued, respected, considered, and supported within our community. People from marginalized (i.e., devalued) and/or minoritized (i.e, underrepresented) groups are heard, seen, respected and accepted in all aspects of our community. Southwestern University is committed to inclusive excellence that provides access and support, enables participation, and removes barriers so that all people within our community are empowered and can thrive in a campus that is welcoming and validating.

*including but not limited to people of color (race, ethnicity, nationality), sex, sexual identity, gender identity, age, physical and mental disabilities, socioeconomic status, religion, immigrants, and the intersection of these identities.