Director of Experiential Education and Career Development, Oakland

Northeastern University•Oakland, CA

2d•$108,915 - $157,924•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor of Experiential Education, the Director leads the strategy, operations, and continuous improvement of experiential education and career development programs for the Oakland campus. A forward-thinking leader and problem solver, the Director builds high-performing teams, designs innovative and equitable experiences for a diverse student population, and drives efficiencies that allow the program to scale without sacrificing quality. The role is deeply collaborative partnering with faculty, college leadership, Academic Advising, and both Network and Central Co-op functions to deliver a seamless, well-supported student experience. The Director brings a data-informed approach to goal setting and accountability and leads with genuine curiosity and an unwavering commitment to the success of a predominantly first-year student population. This position will oversee 1-2 Associate Directors.

Requirements

Demonstrated leadership experience in career services or experiential education
A strong track record in employer engagement and team development
A genuine commitment to student success
Minimum 5–7 years of progressive experience in cooperative education, career services, or experiential learning in higher education, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or leadership role
Demonstrated ability to lead, develop, and motivate a team of professionals in a fast-paced, evolving environment
Strong employer engagement and relationship management skills, including experience with alumni networks, industry outreach, and employer site visits
Familiarity with the advising and support needs of first-year students navigating early career experiences for the first time
Strategic mindset with the ability to use data to inform decisions, set goals, and measure program outcomes
Experience with CRM platforms (Salesforce preferred) and comfort with data-driven reporting and analysis
Excellent interpersonal, written, and presentation skills, with the ability to represent the program credibly to academic leadership, employer partners, and university stakeholders
Collaborative orientation and proven ability to work effectively across departments, colleges, campuses, and administrative units
Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and culturally responsive practice

Nice To Haves

Professional experience in a corporate or industry setting preferred; candidates who have worked in both higher education and industry bring valuable perspective to employer engagement and student coaching

Responsibilities

Provides day-to-day leadership, coaching, and performance management for a team of experiential learning advisors and career educators. Sets clear expectations, champions professional growth, and fosters a collaborative, inclusive team culture grounded in continuous learning and shared accountability.
Consults on complex student situations, serves as a primary point of escalation, and models a problem-solving mindset that balances immediate responsiveness with long-term program health.
Sets and drives the strategic direction of the career education and co-op programs, ensuring goals are clear, measurable, and connected to meaningful outcomes for students and the institution.
Proactively identifies opportunities to enhance the student experience and build more equitable and scalable approaches.
Brings a forward-thinking perspective to program design, exploring innovative models for career preparation, experiential learning, and student support that reflect the diverse needs of a predominantly first-year student population.
Incorporates data, student feedback, and emerging best practices into annual program reviews, positioning the program to expand in scope and impact as campus and organizational needs evolve.
Provides strategic oversight of the team’s employer and alumni engagement efforts, ensuring activity is purposeful, well-documented in Salesforce, and aligned with student program areas.
Activates alumni networks where possible as a resource for student connection and opportunity development.
Contributes to employer engagement strategy and supports relationship-building with key partners as appropriate.
Builds and maintains strong partnerships across academic and institutional stakeholders to ensure the experiential education and career programs are well-integrated, consistently supported, and responsive to student needs.
Engages regularly with faculty as meaningful collaborators in shaping the student experience and strengthening connections to industry.
Partners with campus leadership, including the Dean’s office and department chairs, as key stakeholders in career and co-op strategy as well as student success.
Collaborates closely with Academic Advising to ensure a seamless and well-coordinated student journey, managing escalations and problem-solving with various stakeholders as needed.
Serves as the primary institutional touch point with the Boston-based Career Education and Central Co-op teams, maintaining alignment on operations, data and reporting, compliance, and shared strategic initiatives and efficiencies.
Contributes to campus and university initiatives including student programming, career fairs, and networking events.
Engages actively in professional development to stay current with higher education trends, emerging co-op and career models, and the evolving needs of early career and international student populations.
Participates in relevant professional organizations and contributes to special projects and initiatives as assigned.