Associate Director, Career Development

Rice University•Houston, TX

4d•$76,000 - $80,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director of Career Development plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of career education at Rice University. As the Center for Career Development (CCD) advances a career ecosystem model, this role serves as a strategic architect—designing, leading, and scaling high-impact initiatives that integrate career readiness across the student experience. The Center for Career Development (CCD) at Rice University is a recognized leader in career education, serving one of the most talented and diverse student populations in the country. The Associate Director of Career Development reports to the Director of Career Development and Counseling and serves as a senior member of a collaborative, high-impact team. Moving beyond transactional advising, the Associate Director functions as a portfolio lead for one or more strategically prioritized career pathways, building bridges between academic learning and professional practice. This role is designed for a builder and systems thinker who uses data to inform strategy and centers equity in program design and delivery. The Associate Director leads high-impact programming, teaches career decision-making courses, delivers individualized and group career counseling, and cultivates strong partnerships with faculty, employers, alumni, and campus stakeholders. This is a visible leadership role with broad influence across the university, as well as an opportunity to join a collaborative, high-impact team at a pivotal time of growth and transformation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree
3+ years’ experience in university career services, talent development, recruiting, workforce development, student success, advising, or related people-facing roles in higher education, nonprofit, government, or corporate environments
Evidence-based individual and group career counseling, including use of career assessments (e.g., MBTI, Strong Interest Inventory, Focus2)
Strong facilitation, presentation, and communication skills
Ability to build trust and rapport across diverse student, alumni, employer, faculty, staff, and family audiences
Knowledge of labor market trends, hiring practices, and equity-focused advising models
Strong project management, organizational, and analytical skills
Comfort using career management and student information systems (e.g., Handshake, 12twenty, Symplicity)

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in Counseling, Higher Education, or related field
Demonstrated experience designing, scaling, and assessing career development programs
Experience leading cross-functional partnerships or complex initiatives
Familiarity with nationally recognized career readiness frameworks (e.g., NACE competencies, High-Impact Practices)

Responsibilities

Serve as portfolio lead for one or more assigned career pathways (e.g., Engineering and Architecture; Arts, Communication, and Entertainment; Computer, Information Technology, and Mathematics; Education, Non-Profit, and Social Enterprise; Finance, Consulting, and Enterprise; Sciences and Health; Public Policy, Government, and Law)
Design and execute pathway strategies aligned with institutional priorities and workforce trends
Partner with faculty, campus units, alumni, and employers to embed career readiness across academic and co-curricular experiences
Facilitate educational sessions for students, faculty, and staff to promote shared responsibility for career development
Create, implement, and assess scalable, inclusive programs (workshops, digital resources, and credit-bearing courses) aligned with career readiness competencies and high-impact practices
Use disaggregated data to identify and address equity gaps in access to career development programs
Mentor and develop student leadership groups to expand peer-to-peer engagement and extend CCD’s reach
Deliver individualized and group career counseling using structured coaching frameworks and assessments to support complex career decision-making
Track, analyze, and report program outcomes; present insights and recommendations to the team and senior leadership
Represent Rice CCD on university committees, professional associations, and at regional and national conferences, contributing to best-practice conversations and elevating institutional visibility
Perform all other duties as assigned
All employees serve as representatives of the university, displaying courtesy, tact, and discretion in all interactions with other members of the Rice community and with the public