Director of Career Readiness & Workforce Strategy

Colorado State University Pueblo • Pueblo, CO

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Career Readiness & Workforce Strategy provides leadership for Colorado State University Pueblo’s workforce development strategy, tracking workforce initiatives, labor market trends, funding opportunities, and employer needs. The director builds partnerships with employers, workforce centers, government agencies, and economic development organizations; leads the university’s workforce development efforts; manages its WIOA strategy; pursues grants; and supports timely responses to workforce trends.

The position directs workforce readiness initiatives and career programming that improve student career outcomes and demonstrate the return on educational investment. It oversees employer engagement, internships, career fairs, networking events, and experiential learning, and works with academic affairs to expand internships and embed workforce readiness in curricula. The director also leads workforce education pathways, including stackable credentials, microcredentials, prior learning assessment, and other workforce-aligned educational offerings that respond to student, university, and employer needs.

The role includes maintaining a professional development plan, attending conferences and training, participating in campus committees and groups, and taking part in relevant professional associations. This is an on-site position at the Pueblo Campus. Employment-based immigration sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

• Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution.
• Two years of experience supervising others.
• Two years of experience working in higher education or an adjacent field.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of local, state, and federal workforce initiatives and policies.
• Experience with Handshake or other software, platforms, and assessments used for career services operations.

Responsibilities

• Monitor state and federal workforce initiatives, labor market trends, funding opportunities, and employer needs.
• Develop partnerships with employers, local workforce centers, state and government agencies, and economic development councils to align university programs with workforce demands and create student employment and career advancement opportunities.
• Serve as CSU Pueblo’s workforce development lead, monitor CDHE and Department of Labor activity, manage the campus WIOA strategy, pursue grants, and help the university respond to workforce trends.
• Direct workforce readiness initiatives intended to improve student career outcomes and demonstrate return on educational investment.
• Oversee career readiness programming, employer engagement, internships, career fairs, and experiential learning opportunities.
• Collaborate with academic affairs to expand internships and embed workforce readiness in the curriculum.
• Recruit employers for campus engagement and oversee career fairs and networking events for students locally and via distance.
• Lead development and implementation of workforce education pathways that increase access, accelerate degree completion, and respond to employer demand.
• Direct stackable credential initiatives and scale current microcredential operations.
• Seek and expand prior learning assessment opportunities for students, employers, and faculty.
• Develop and enhance workforce-aligned educational offerings and credential pathways for CSU Pueblo and industry.
• Develop a personal professional development plan and attend conferences, seminars, and workshops.
• Participate in campus committees, councils, user groups, and relevant local, state, and national professional association activities.

Benefits

• Medical and prescription insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Flexible benefit plan
• Basic term life insurance
• Voluntary term life and AD&D insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Travel accident insurance
• Voluntary critical illness and accident insurance
• Annual and sick leave
• Retirement plans
• Employee and dependent tuition discounts
• State employee discounts via BenefitHub
• On-campus event, recreation, and meal discounts

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director