Assistant Director, Careers in Business and Entrepreneurship

Department

ESA Careers in Business

About the Department

Career Advancement serves a student population of approximately 6,000 arts and sciences undergraduate students, in addition to alumni who have graduated within the last five years. Career Advancement plays a vital role in ensuring our students’ success after graduation. Career Advancement offers innovative and comprehensive career development services focusing on pre-professional preparation, experiential education, and access to internship and full-time opportunities. Through career advising, programs, and comprehensive resources, Career Advancement supports undergraduate students and alumni as they develop the skills necessary to manage their career development while working with alumni and employers to provide students with meaningful opportunities. For more information, please visit the Career Advancement website at careeradvancement.uchicago.edu.

Job Summary

UChicago Career Advancement’s Careers in Business and Careers in Entrepreneurship programs build on the world-class UChicago liberal arts foundation to give students a competitive edge in their professional development and recruiting in a wide range of businesses and entrepreneurial ventures. The person in this role will utilize previous industry expertise to prepare students for a business career, providing one-on-one advising and coaching for students, plan and execute programs, workshops, and large-scale events, and support program administration including reporting and analytics.

Reporting to the Office of Career Advancement, the Assistant Director, Careers in Business and Entrepreneurship will support student advising and career programming for students pursuing a broad range of business and start-up careers. This position will play a key role in supporting UChicago’s new entrepreneurship cohort and mentorship program, the Careers in Entrepreneurship employer portfolio, the College New Venture Challenge, and partnerships with Registered Student Organizations (RSOs).Responsibilities

• Serves as career adviser for a cohort of 1st – 4th year students in the undergraduate College, primarily Entrepreneurship cohort members, as well as Economics majors and other business-focused students. Engages in proactive communication and engagement to support career development and success in securing internships and full-time jobs.
• Uses industry and company knowledge to provide targeted, outcomes-driven guidance and support for students launching their own start-ups and interested in working at a start-up or in VC. Identifies and sources job and internship opportunities that match student career interests.
• Communicates frequently with students to share opportunities and help them stay on track for success.
• Conducts mock interviews, reviews resumes and cover letters, and coordinates other interview related programming in both individual and group settings.
• Develops program strategy and oversees management of Careers in Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital curricula, designed to prepare populations for a successful career and support student engagement and recruiting outcomes.
• Plans, designs and executes workshops and employer site visits, virtual or on-site, as relevant. Leverages virtual technology to provide innovative programs and fosters student engagement and satisfaction.
• Maintains portfolio of employers for the Careers in Entrepreneurship Program that lead to successful internship recruiting for students.
• Stewards key donors and campus partners to ensure their needs are met and students are taking full advantage of priority programs.
• Advises and counsels students concerning employment opportunities and careers by acting as a liaison between students and prospective employers.
• Supports weekly Careers in Entrepreneurship communications promoting workshops, events, and job opportunities.
• Manages and maintains efficient methods to track student data, quantify student engagement, and report on student outcomes. Tracks student progress in securing a job or internship using Salesforce.
• Writes annual reports and regular program updates or presentations for program donors and university senior leadership.
• Provides support as necessary for data management and analytics, correspondence, and reporting to senior leadership and other constituents.
• Manages and administers Treks and Career Exploration Week visits to domestic and international business centers, virtual or on-site, as relevant. This includes, but is not limited to, connecting with firms and alumni, and developing the visit schedule and logistics.
• Conducts job search and career management related large lectures, hands-on workshops, special events, training programs, and one-on-one career coaching sessions. Acts as a resource for and directs students to other career resources as needed.
• Analyzes markets and trends as they relate to job searches. Assesses student feedback and evaluations and collaborates with other career services staff members, student organizations, or other staff to determine program offerings and innovations.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Background working with college-aged students and/or new recent college graduates.
• Developing and managing an internship program.
• Professional experience working in a business setting, preferably in partnership with start-ups, venture capital firms, and founders.
• Expertise in program development, or a related area.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Utilize Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or other digital platform for meetings and events.
• Expertise in counseling, program development, or a related area.
• Knowledge of career development theory and strong coaching or counseling skills.

Preferred Competencies

• Deep commitment to customer service, strong interpersonal skills and a high level of professionalism when interacting with internal and external clients.
• Multitask, meet deadlines, and work successfully and positively in a fast-paced environment.
• Demonstrated success in maintaining collaborative relationships with diverse constituencies.
• Strong coaching or counseling skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills; strong interpersonal, quantitative, and networking skills.
• Develop and deliver presentations; communicate to large groups as well as one-on-one with students, senior management, faculty, and alumni.
• Develop strong relationships with a wide variety of constituents, including employers and external partners like alumni and parents, students, faculty, staff, and senior leadership.
• Outcomes-driven and action-oriented attitude; prioritize work and meet deadlines.
• Problem-solving and reasoning, critical thinking and decision-making skills.
• Exemplary organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Handle sensitive matters with tact and discretion and maintain confidentiality.

Working Conditions

• Work evening hours and weekends on an occasional basis, generally 1-2 days per month.
• Travel, generally two or three times per year.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter/Statement of Interest (required)
• Three Professional References Contact Information (required)