Director, Career Services (Senior Director, Career & Professional Development)

Texas A&M•Canyon, TX

22h•Onsite

About The Position

West Texas A&M University is seeking a visionary and strategic leader for the role of Director, Career Services (Senior Director, Career & Professional Development). This position will provide leadership to ensure the department is innovative and continuously improving to assist students with their career development needs. The Director will build strong relationships with students, staff, employers, alumni, and faculty, and will be responsible for developing departmental strategic plans, learning outcomes, procedures, and programs. This role involves creating partnerships with academic colleges, employers, alumni, departments, and student organizations, as well as preparing and administering budgets and ensuring compliance with university policies. The Director will conduct periodic program evaluations, develop and maintain statistical records for data-informed decisions, and implement engaging marketing and communication plans. This position represents Career and Professional Development on campus and in the community, and participates in division, departmental, and committee meetings. A key aspect of this role is caring for staff members, overseeing hiring, supervision, staff development, and performance evaluation. The Director will uphold the standard of excellence for customer service and career-focused events, directing and assisting with the planning, coordination, and hosting of career development programs such as fairs, on-campus interviews, internships, mock interviews, professional speakers, presentations, and networking events. The role involves working with local, state, and national employers to promote employment opportunities for WTAMU students and graduates, facilitating relationships between employers and the University community, and collaborating with faculty and staff to increase career development opportunities for students. The Director will be a dynamic communicator, able to present and lead events and workshops for various audiences, and will advise students and alumni throughout their job search. This document outlines the major duties, responsibilities, and authorities of this job, and other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

Master’s degree or equivalent combination of experience and education.
Seven years of related experience.
Demonstrated successful leadership experience in higher education, public relations, public speaking, program planning, records management, staff supervision, budget development, and/or strategic planning.
Excellent leadership skills.
Ability to work in a team environment, under pressure.
Outstanding organizational skills including the ability to coordinate multiple demanding projects simultaneously.
Ability to work with community leaders, business and industry leaders, and all levels of college personnel.
Exceptional and authentic interpersonal, public speaking, and written communication skills.
Genuine care for advising and assisting students.
Ability to use database systems and other current technologies.
Comfortable in and familiar with a team-centered, cross-trained, collaborative environment.
Professional demeanor.

Nice To Haves

Master’s or Doctorate in higher education, human resources, business, communications, student personnel administration or related field.
Experience working with a college student population.
Experience with career advising and/or development.
Certified Career/Vocational Counselor.
Knowledgeable about current trends in the job market.

Responsibilities

Provides visionary, strategic leadership to ensure that department is innovative and continuously improving to assist students with their career development needs.
Builds strong relationships with students, staff, employers, alumni, and faculty.
Develops departmental strategic plans and learning outcomes on a yearly basis and develops procedures and programs to meet those goals and objectives.
Creates partnerships with academic colleges, employers, alumni, departments, and student organizations to meet the strategic objectives of the department.
Prepares and administers budgets and ensures compliance with university policies.
Conducts periodic program evaluations of operations, personnel, and use of resources.
Develops and maintains statistical records and uses the information to make data-informed decisions to expand services to additional students and employers.
Implements engaging marketing and communication plans to tell the story of the department and to attract employers and students to departmental programs.
Represents Career and Professional Development on campus and in the community.
Participates in division, departmental, and committee meetings as needed.
Cares for staff members of the department, and oversees hiring, supervision, staff development, and performance evaluation for those on the team.
Upholds the standard of excellence for customer service and all career-focused events for the department.
Directs and assists with the planning, coordination, and hosting of career development programs including fairs, on-campus interviews, internships, mock interviews, professional speakers, presentations, and networking events.
Works with local, state and national employers to promote employment opportunities for WTAMU students and graduates of all majors.
Facilitates relationships between employers and the University community, including students, faculty, staff, and the Alumni Association.
Collaborates with faculty and staff to increase career development opportunities for students.
Presents and leads events and workshops for different internal and external audiences.
Advises students and alumni during all stages of the job search.