Assistant Director, Career Connections

Montana State University - Office of Student Engagement; Bozeman (MT); On-site; USD 32,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Montana State University invites applications for the Assistant Director, Career Connections within Career Services. This role leads university-wide systems and engagement efforts that connect students with internships, employment, and career pathways, coordinating with employers, academic units, and workforce partners.

The position emphasizes technology platforms, operations, and engagement, with supervision of staff and student workers, contributing to planning and assessment as part of the

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, organizational leadership, workforce development, social sciences, or related field, or equivalent.
• Professional experience leading projects, programs, initiatives or partnerships with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience utilizing technology platforms, enterprise systems, databases, and data analytics for implementation, assessment and decision making.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships, manage priorities, communicate effectively, and lead initiatives across diverse groups.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership for career-connected technology platforms, systems, services, and operations supporting access to opportunities.
• Coordinates university-wide initiatives connecting students with opportunities and workforce pathways; manages employer engagement activities.
• Provides leadership and supervision for staff and student employees; leads planning, assessment, and continuous improvement as part of the leadership team.

Skills

Project leadership

Stakeholder collaboration

Technology platforms

Effective communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or related field

Master's degree preferred

Job description

Position Details

Position Information

Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 27109

Classification Title Program Mgr Working Title Assistant Director, Career Connections Brief Position Overview

The Assistant Director of Career Connections leads university-wide systems, services, and initiatives that connect students with career-connected opportunities and experiences. The position advances Career Services’ role as a coordinating, facilitating, and enabling resource by strengthening connections among students, employers, academic units, and workforce partners while managing the infrastructure, operations, and engagement activities that support career pathways.

Position Number 4M0401 Department Career Services Division Division of Student Success Appointment Type Classified Contract Term Fiscal Year Semester If other, specify From date If other, specify End date FLSA Non-Exempt Union Affiliation FOCUS-MFPE FTE 1.0 Benefits Eligible Eligible Salary $27.00 per hour, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications Contract Type Classified Salary If other, please specify Recruitment Type Open

General Statement

From Orientation to Graduation and Beyond, Career Services empowers students to explore possibilities, build purpose, and launch their futures. As part of the Career Services leadership team, the Assistant Director of Career Connections works collaboratively with the Assistant Director of Career Education & Development to support student success and career outcomes. While the Career Education & Development portfolio focuses on career readiness, coaching, and student development, the Career Connections portfolio focuses on connecting students to opportunities through technology, employer engagement, workforce alignment, and career-connected infrastructure. The position serves as a key liaison among students, employers, academic units, workforce organizations, and campus partners to strengthen access to internships, employment, research, mentoring, and other career-connected experiences.

Duties and Responsibilities

Career Connections Systems, Operations & Infrastructure (40%)

• Provides leadership for career-connected technology platforms, systems, services, and operational processes that support student access to career-connected opportunities.
• Leads implementation, assessment, reporting, continuous improvement, and adoption efforts while developing workflows, resources, and infrastructure that strengthen participation, access, and student outcomes.

Career Connections, Employer Engagement & Opportunity Development (35%)

• Coordinates university-wide initiatives that connect students with career-connected opportunities, experiences, and workforce pathways.
• Facilitates collaboration among employers, workforce organizations, academic units, alumni, and campus partners; manages employer engagement activities and contracted career fair services; and supports development of talent pipelines aligned with student interests, workforce needs, and institutional priorities.

Leadership, Planning & Supervision (25%)

• Provides leadership and supervision for assigned staff and student employees supporting career connections, engagement, technology platforms, outreach, and operational initiatives.
• Leads planning, assessment, reporting, resource coordination, and continuous improvement efforts while contributing to departmental leadership, goal setting, and implementation as a member of the Career Services leadership team.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, organizational leadership, workforce development, social sciences, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• Professional experience leading projects, programs, initiatives or partnerships involving multiple stakeholders and complex organizational processes.
• Demonstrated experience utilizing technology platforms, enterprise systems, databases, and data analytics to support implementation, assessment, reporting, and decision making.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships, manage competing priorities, communicate effectively, and independently lead initiatives across diverse stakeholder groups.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Experience in workforce development, employer engagement, talent development, career services, higher education, or a related field.
• Experience working with labor market information, workforce trends, career outcomes data, assessment, or related analytics.
• Experience leading operational improvements, process development, or organizational change initiatives.
• Experience collaborating with diverse stakeholder groups across multiple departments, organizations, or sectors.

The Successful Candidate Will

Ability To

• Build collaborative relationships and work effectively with a range of stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively through written, verbal, and presentation formats.
• Manage multiple priorities and lead projects in a complex organizational environment.
• Analyze information, identify opportunities, and support data-informed decision-making.
• Exercise sound judgment, initiative, and discretion while advancing cross-functional initiatives.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Posting Detail Information

Number Of Vacancies 1 Desired Start Date Upon Completion Of a Successful Search. Position End Date (if Temporary) Open Date Close Date Applications Will Be

Special Instructions

This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.

EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

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