Career Coach /Alumni & Employer Manager

Wheaton College•Wheaton, IL

13d•Onsite

About The Position

This role combines the responsibilities of a Career Coach and an Alumni & Employer Manager. The Career Coach focuses on developing and delivering programming and curriculum for career development for Wheaton College students and young alumni, conducting one-on-one coaching, and designing career education content. The Alumni & Employer Manager identifies and cultivates strategic partnerships with employers and alumni to bridge the gap between academic preparation and professional outcomes, acting as a liaison between the Center for Vocation and Career (CVC) and the professional community. This is a full-time position.

Requirements

Minimum of two years’ experience in the marketplace.
Bachelor’s degree required.
Experience working with college-age students.
Team player with excellent written and oral communication, organizational, and presentation skills.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously, be creative, and self-motivate.
Ability to work with faculty, employers, and alumni.
Affirmation of the Wheaton College Statement of Faith.
Affirmation of the biblical standards for Christian character and God-honoring behavior described throughout the Wheaton College Community Covenant, and promise to adhere to them in personal practice.
Support of the Wheaton College Christ-Centered Diversity Commitment, the Gender Equity Vision Statement, and the College’s Convictions on Human Sexuality.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the corporate, nonprofit, and/or government sectors is preferred.
Liberal arts degree is preferred.
Experience developing programs for ethnically diverse students, First Generation college students, and other underserved student populations.
Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced, student-focused environment.

Responsibilities

Conducts one-on-one career coaching appointments and drop-in sessions for Wheaton College students and young alumni.
Designs career education content with a particular focus on reaching current students through classroom presentations and short workshops.
Collaborates with the Associate Director to identify job and/or internship opportunities and communicates those opportunities to a wide range of students.
Stays informed about key employers and trends in the marketplace.
Builds and maintains a diverse network of Wheaton alumni and industry professionals to serve as resources to Wheaton students and CVC team.
Participates in larger CVC team, including engagement with the CVC Ambassador team to provide supervision and training to equip student staff for their role, supporting and leading Career Education events as required, and various projects to support the mission of the CVC.
Functions as a thought leader to help build a wider culture of career development at Wheaton College; tracks engagement to measure effectiveness of efforts.
Builds strong partnerships with student leader groups and campus offices to facilitate student engagement in career development.
Identifies and cultivates strategic partnerships to bridge the gap between academic preparation and professional outcomes.
Acts as a primary liaison between the Center for Vocation and Career (CVC) and the broader professional community, fostering a culture of career readiness through intentional employer engagement, alumni networking, and collaborative programming.
Translates the needs of students and the mission of the college into meaningful opportunities.
Creates a "Wheaton-to-Work" ecosystem by identifying and recruiting alumni who are willing to serve as mentors, host Externships, or advocate for hiring Wheaton graduates.
Builds on the CVC’s strategy to segment employers to ensure the most valuable partnerships receive high-touch, personalized service.
Designs and hosts events that go beyond traditional career fairs, such as alumni-student networking mixers, industry panels, or "Employer-in-Residence" days.
Works with the CVC team to identify and promote internship, micro-internship, or project-based learning opportunities provided by employer partners.
Organizes site visits to companies where students can experience company culture firsthand.
Regularly surveys recruiters and alumni mentors regarding the preparedness of Wheaton students and informs the coaching team about emerging skill gaps.
Utilizes platforms (like Handshake) to track and report on employer engagement metrics, ensuring that the work is directly impacting student placement and internship rates.