MBA Lead Career Strategy Specialist

The Ohio State University • Columbus, OH

7d • Onsite

About The Position

As part of the Office of Career Management, the MBA Lead Career Strategy Specialist in coordination with the Senior Director serves as the strategic lead and architect for MBA and WPMBA career management services, overseeing the entire student lifecycle from orientation through post-graduate outcomes while ensuring program quality, success, and continuous improvement. Central to the position is proactively monitoring shifts in the labor market such as AI-assisted screening, industry trends, and employer expectations, and translating those insights into updated programming, coaching frameworks, and employer engagement strategies; leads Fisher’s signature programs such as Career Pathways, Career Treks, Industry Immersion, and Employer Panels that deepen students’ sector-specific knowledge and create a competitive advantage in the MBA hiring market, while also introducing new processes, metrics, and models that elevate the institution’s overall career programming; working cross functionally with college and university partners such as MBA Student Relations to align with the goals and expectations of the institution and supports employer and alumni engagement by cultivating strategic relationships, proactively expanding recruiting pipelines, facilitating mentorship opportunities, and ensuring accurate tracking and reporting of employment outcomes to support benchmarking, accreditation, and long-term strategic planning. The position provides high-impact, individualized and cohort-based coaching to MBA and WPMBA students, guiding them through the complexities of internships and MBA recruiting cycles, career pivots, and leadership positioning through nuanced conversations around executive presence, crafting a compelling career narrative, navigating experienced-hire expectations, and negotiating compensation. The MBA Lead Career Strategy Specialist incorporates evidence-based assessments, individual development planning, and structured reflection to help students align their strengths, values, and goals with realistic market opportunities, while proactively anticipating challenges such as economic fluctuations, recruiting volatility, and the added complexity of non-traditional or transitioning career paths. The role also includes leading the MBA Career Coaching team, setting clear performance expectations, delivering ongoing feedback, supporting professional development and ensuring staff remain current on business trends, employer needs, and modern coaching methodologies. It requires modeling proactive leadership, fostering innovation, and guiding the team through complex student scenarios, including international recruiting strategies and significant career pivots.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Higher Education, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 6 years’ experience in career advising, student development, or a related area.
• Outstanding communication skills with individuals and large groups.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and duties simultaneously.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong ability to connect with people and build relationships.
• Knowledge of online education platforms.
• Proficiency with technology tools including Canvas (or similar), Handshake (or similar), Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
• Familiarity with career development theory.
• Understanding of the graduate career management industry.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree and 8-12 years of experience in a higher education setting, or equivalent combination of education and professional experience.
• Experience in corporate learning and development, talent acquisition, or human resources.
• Experience working with graduate students.
• Experience working with employers seeking MBA talent.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the strategic lead and architect for MBA and WPMBA career management services.
• Oversee the entire student lifecycle from orientation through post-graduate outcomes.
• Ensure program quality, success, and continuous improvement.
• Proactively monitor shifts in the labor market (e.g., AI-assisted screening, industry trends, employer expectations) and translate insights into updated programming, coaching frameworks, and employer engagement strategies.
• Lead signature programs such as Career Pathways, Career Treks, Industry Immersion, and Employer Panels.
• Introduce new processes, metrics, and models to elevate overall career programming.
• Work cross-functionally with college and university partners to align with institutional goals.
• Support employer and alumni engagement by cultivating strategic relationships.
• Proactively expand recruiting pipelines.
• Facilitate mentorship opportunities.
• Ensure accurate tracking and reporting of employment outcomes.
• Provide high-impact, individualized and cohort-based coaching to MBA and WPMBA students.
• Guide students through internships, MBA recruiting cycles, career pivots, and leadership positioning.
• Conduct nuanced conversations around executive presence, crafting a compelling career narrative, navigating experienced-hire expectations, and negotiating compensation.
• Incorporate evidence-based assessments, individual development planning, and structured reflection.
• Lead the MBA Career Coaching team.
• Set clear performance expectations for the coaching team.
• Deliver ongoing feedback to the coaching team.
• Support professional development for the coaching team.
• Ensure staff remain current on business trends, employer needs, and modern coaching methodologies.
• Model proactive leadership and foster innovation.
• Guide the team through complex student scenarios, including international recruiting strategies and significant career pivots.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision coverage, with Ohio State paying a significant portion of the cost.
• Paid time off, including sick and vacation time and 11 holidays.
• State retirement plan or an alternative retirement plan, both with generous employer contributions.

What This Job Offers

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