Assistant Director, Career Development Office

uchicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Chicago FinMath Career Development Office seeks an Assistant Director to prepare graduate students for internships and full-time roles in quantitative finance. Reporting to the CDO Director, the role provides key career event planning and one-on-one advising support for students and alumni.

The Assistant Director coordinates classroom and virtual workshops, practice labs, and panels, and collaborates with industry partners to support student outcomes and engagement across

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 2–5 years of related work experience.
• Experience in career services or student advising preferred.
• Experience with event planning and execution.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Advises and counsels students concerning employment opportunities and careers by acting as a liaison between students and prospective employers.
• Conducts mock interviews, reviews resumes and cover letters, and coordinates other interview related programming.
• Supports employer and alumni relations including coordinating outreach for career engagement opportunities with students.
• Collaborates with the CDO Director to engage industry partners for the Project Lab course and coordinates info sessions.
• Provides planning and logistical management for career events, including employer, alumni, and student-focused events.
• Communicates and distributes information about events and job opportunities to students and alumni weekly.
• Sources appropriate career opportunities from job boards and company websites weekly.
• Leads or participates in special projects as assigned by the Director.

Skills

Advising & coaching

Event planning

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Symplicity

Salesforce

Handshake

Job description

Department

PSD Financial Mathematics: Career Development

About the Department

The Financial Mathematics Program (FinMath) is a professional graduate program within the Department of Mathematics at The University of Chicago. As a pioneer in the field of quantitative finance, we have had the honor of shaping some of the brightest minds in the financial industry today. Bringing together top-performing students from around the world and highly accomplished faculty, FinMath prepares students for success in a variety of careers in quantitative finance. The FinMath Career Development Office serves students and alumni of the program by providing essential tools and resources to better prepare and position themselves in pursuing their professional career paths. Learn more about our program at https://finmath.uchicago.edu/ and our career services at https://finmath.uchicago.edu/careers/.

Job Summary

Reporting to the Career Development Office (CDO) Director, the Assistant Director works with the CDO team to prepare graduate students in the Financial Mathematics Program (FinMath) for securing internships and full-time employment. The Assistant Director provides key career event planning and execution support, provides one-on-one and group advising support for students, and facilitates career programming including classroom and virtual workshops, practice labs, special events and panels. Plays a key role to coordinate and plan events in support of alumni and employer relations.

Responsibilities

• Advises and counsels students concerning employment opportunities and careers by acting as a liaison between students and prospective employers - Topics include career exploration within the quant finance field, job search strategies, resumes and cover letters, networking and professional development, interview skills, salary negotiation, etc.

• Conducts mock interviews, reviews resumes and cover letters, and coordinates other interview related programming in both individual and group settings.

• Supports employer and alumni relations including coordinating outreach for career engagement opportunities with students.

• Collaborates with CDO Director to engage new and existing industry partners for the quarterly Project Lab course; coordinates quarterly info sessions and works with Project Lab instructor to support student, advisor, and company communications throughout each quarter.

• Provides planning and logistical management for career events, including employer, alumni, and student-focused events.

• Collaborates with campus partners to identify broader partnership opportunities for career support services and best practices.

• Completes data tracking and reporting, including on Canvas, FinMath Connect, and related external tools/systems used to track student/alumni/employer activities.

• Communicates and distributes information about events, and job/career opportunities to students and alumni on a weekly and ad hoc basis.

• Sources appropriate career opportunities from various job boards and company websites on a weekly basis.

• Leads or participates in special projects as assigned by CDO Director.

• Advises and counsels students concerning employment opportunities and careers by acting as a liaison between students and prospective employers.

• Conducts mock interviews, reviews resumes and cover letters, and coordinates other interview related programming in both individual and group settings.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications

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Preferred Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree.

Experience

• Career Services, Student Affairs, Advising, Human Resources or a related field.
• Experience with graduate-level and/or international students.
• Previous experience in event planning and execution.
• Previous customer service or sales experience.

Technical Knowledge or Skills

• Proficiency in office software such as Microsoft Office, Google Docs, etc.
• Experience with client management software such as Symplicity, Salesforce, Handshake.

Preferred Competencies

• Superb interpersonal skills and demonstrated success in maintaining strong collaborative relationships with diverse constituencies.
• Organizational skills and ability to multi-task on frequent and changing demands while meeting deadlines.
• Strong oral and written communication skills with a high degree of professionalism.
• Advising/coaching/counseling skills in individual and group settings.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, as well as attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently, as well as within a team.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to learn new technologies and skills.
• Commitment to excellent customer service, including tact, discretion, and proper judgement as necessary.
• Knowledge of mid to large-scale event coordination.
• Willingness to back-up partner offices on special projects as assigned.
• Ability to identify and implement process improvements.
• Innovative, problem solving and critical thinking skills.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)
• Cover letter (required)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

Job Family

Student Affairs & Services

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

Pay Range

$70,000.00 - $85,000.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University's good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.