Assistant Director of Career Education – Visual & Performing Arts

SU01 Seattle University; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision plans

Tuition assistance

Retirement plan with employer match

Hybrid work eligibility

Job summary

Seattle University is seeking an Assistant Director of Career Education – Visual & Performing Arts to join the Career Engagement Office. The role supports students and alumni in creative disciplines including music, dance, theater, and design, guiding professional formation, portfolio-building, and experiential learning.

Responsibilities include career coaching, workshops, and industry networking; developing programs with faculty, employers, and alumni; and fostering equity, inclusion, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus 2–5 years in career services or related field.
• Experience developing employer and alumni partnerships.
• Ability to manage multiple programs and projects.
• Commitment to social justice, equity, and inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Provide career coaching and portfolio development for arts students.
• Plan and run career education programs, workshops, and events.
• Engage with employers, alumni, and industry partners to create opportunities.
• Lead and assess programs to inform strategic decisions.
• Support office operations and use CRM tools for relationships.

Skills

Career Coaching

Program Development

Assessment & Evaluation

Employer Relationships

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Handshake

Slate

Redhawk Hub

ConnectSU

Job description

Months Per Year: 12 Work Model: Onsite Seattle University will be one of the most innovative and progressive Jesuit and Catholic universities in the world, educating with excellence at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels.

We embrace an intersectional framework for defining diversity in its broadest sense, including differences in gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, generational history, culture, socioeconomic class, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship status, political perspectives, geographic origin and physical ability.

Seattle University strives to be a welcome, open and safe campus climate for all who learn, live and work at Seattle University.

Seattle University's Core Competencies: Effective Team Collaboration: Works harmoniously with others towards a common goal, leveraging individual strengths to achieve shared objectives.

Emotionally Intelligent Communication: Engages in a skillful exchange of information, thoughts, and feelings, verbally and non-verbally.

Ethics and Integrity: Demonstrates an unwavering commitment to honesty, professionalism, and alignment with our Jesuit mission in all actions and decisions.

Flexibility and Innovation: Embraces change, approaching problems with curiosity adaptability, and is committed to making a positive impact.

Mindful Inclusion: Fosters mindful inclusion by consciously creating a workplace that celebrates differences, embraces cultural humility, and empowers uniqueness.

Outcomes-Driven Orientation: Sets clear objectives, pursues excellence, and delivers measurable outcomes while upholding Jesuit Catholic values.

Job Description Summary

Seattle University has an exciting and dynamic opportunity for an Assistant Director of Career Education – Visual & Performing Arts to join our community. This position sits within the Division of Academic and Student Affairs and the Career Engagement Office, supporting students and recent alumni—particularly those studying or interested in creative disciplines including music, dance, theater, visual arts, digital media, and design. The Assistant Director of Career Education – Visual & Performing Arts will guide students in their professional formation and exploration of experiential learning, portfolio-building, and post-graduation opportunities tailored to the creative and performing arts industries. This includes career coaching, industry networking, workshops, and collaborations with faculty, student organizations, alumni, and employer partners. The successful candidate for this position will demonstrate a commitment to the mission of Seattle University, social justice, equity, and inclusion of practices. Unlike a primarily student-service or specialist position, this role carries responsibility for the strategy, development, execution, assessment, and continuous improvement of an academic and industry portfolio while contributing to broader Career Engagement priorities and university-wide initiatives.

Position Description:

• Career Coaching (40%) Provide 1:1 and group career coaching with a focus on the unique needs of creatives, including portfolio development, audition prep, artist statements, personal branding, grad school prep, and gig/freelance planning. Guide students in pursuing fellowships, residencies, grants, apprenticeships, and freelance/personal business strategies in the arts. Collect and input data related to career coaching services Engage in research and information seeking to stay up to date and familiar with industry trends, as well as hiring needs and practices Apply a lens for diversity, equity, and inclusion to promote greater access to opportunities for students from underrepresented and/or marginalized communities
• Career Education Program Development, Assessment, and Evaluation (35%) Collaborate and facilitate partnerships with on-campus partners in assigned lead areas (e.g. academic, student groups, and on-campus employment) to increase outreach and strategize integration of career education into the student experience and curriculum Plan, develop content, facilitate and execute career education programs, workshops, in-classroom presentations, and virtual resources that cultivate learning and connection between students and industryand prepare students for the multifaceted nature of artistic careers—freelance work, entrepreneurship, performance, creative production, and cultural leadership. Develop experiential learning opportunities in partnership with faculty, employers, alumni, and community organizations. Monitor student engagement and trends in the arts ecosystem (e.g., grants, residencies, and new media platforms) to inform strategic initiatives. Collect and analyze program outcomes and First Destinations data to refine programming, offerings, and share insights with stakeholders. Participate in and support Associate Director and the career education team strategy planning and implementation of team initiatives Support external and internal departmental initiatives, as prioritized by overall career education goals.
• Employer, Industry & Alumni Engagement (15%) Manage Career Engagement's employer, industry, and alumni relationships supporting Cornish and the creative and performing arts portfolio and connect students with professionals working across creative industries. Develop and maintain a portfolio of relationships with employers, arts organizations, creative agencies, cultural institutions, nonprofit organizations, alumni, independent professionals, and other partners. Proactively identify and cultivate new organizations and individuals that can provide internships, employment, freelance/project work, mentorship, networking, experiential learning, and other professional opportunities. Partner with Alumni Engagement and other university stakeholders to identify and engage alumni relevant to creative and performing arts career pathways. Create opportunities for employers and alumni to engage with students through panels, workshops, networking, portfolio reviews, mentorship, site visits, classroom engagement, and recruiting activities.
• Operations and Teams (10%) Familiarize, troubleshoot, and empower students to maximize usage of career development tools and technology e.g., Handshake, Slate, Redhawk Hub, ConnectSU Conduct intake advising supporting various constituent groups (students, faculty, employers, etc.) and refer appropriate resources or services Utilize CRM to track and document external relationships with arts community leaders to share with team Participate in professional development opportunities as a group and self-identify opportunities to pursue as part of a professional development plan. Support in the supervision of student employees for the office Assist in planning and provide day-of event assistance at department-wide events, such as career fairs, career treks, and other employer/industry eventswith an arts-informed perspective. Actively participate in and/or assist in the coordination or facilitation of staff meetings and training sessions. Support the Associate Director in training and supervising department student employees. Support the division/university by serving on committees or task forces as appropriate. Other duties as assigned.

Essential Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

Demonstrated success in student mentoring, coaching, and/or advising and creating and implementing educational, career-related, or relationship development programs Commitment to ongoing learning, development, and giving and receiving feedback is important Demonstrated commitment to social justice Ability to creatively problem-solve and work in collaboration with others Undergraduate degree preferably in a creative field or related discipline, plus one to two years of experience in higher education administration, human resource management, counseling, or related field. Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree plus approximately 2–5 years of progressively responsible experience in career services, higher education, employer relations, alumni engagement, arts administration, recruiting, creative industries, or a related field. Equivalent combinations of education and experience will be considered. Demonstrated experience developing and managing relationships with employers, alumni, community organizations, industry professionals, faculty, or other external partners. Demonstrated experience developing career education, student success, experiential learning, or related programs. Experience coaching, advising, mentoring, or supporting students or early-career professionals. Strong relationship management, communication, program development, presentation, and organizational skills. Ability to independently manage a portfolio of programs, relationships, and priorities. Demonstrated ability to collaborate across organizational and academic boundaries. Ability to use data and assessment to evaluate programs and inform decision-making. Understanding of or demonstrated ability to learn the distinctive employment landscape of creative and performing arts fields. Commitment to Seattle University's Jesuit mission, professional formation, social justice, equity, and inclusion.

Preferred Experience

Working within creative and performing arts industries or supporting students pursuing creative careers. Experience developing employer or alumni partnerships. Experience with experiential learning, mentorship, internships, or industry engagement. Experience collaborating with faculty or integrating career development into academic environments. Familiarity with career technology, CRM systems, digital career resources, and emerging AI tools for career development.

About Seattle University and the Career Engagement Office:

The Career Engagement Office supports the University Mission, being dedicated to educating the whole person, to professional formation, and to empowering leaders for a just and humane world. Our values are consistent with the University Values: Care: We put the good of students first. Academic Excellence: We value excellence in learning with great teachers who are active scholars. Diversity: We celebrate educational excellence achieved through diversity. Faith: We treasure our Jesuit Catholic ethos and the enrichment from many faiths of our university community. Justice: We foster a concern for justice and the competence to promote it. Leadership: We seek to develop responsible leaders committed to the common good.

Compensation at a Glance $55,473 - $62,400

Benefits at a Glance

• Consistent with its fundamental Jesuit values, Seattle University offers a wide range of benefits designed to care for the whole person.
• Benefits are available to eligible employees working at an FTE of 0.53 or greater.
• Eligible employees may choose from three medical plans, as well as dental and vision insurance programs.
• Protect your income with life, short- and long-term disability coverage.
• Plan for your future with up to a 10% employer contribution toward retirement benefits, comprised of a 5% nonelective employer contribution and an additional dollar-for-dollar match of your voluntary contributions, up to a maximum of 5%.
• Eligible employees may also take advantage of 100% paid tuition benefits for themselves and eligible dependents, a subsidized transportation benefit, a wellness program with free access to an on-site fitness facility, and a wide variety of campus events.
• Enjoy a generous holiday schedule, including a paid December holiday break closure, vacation and paid sick leave, and paid community service leave.
• Positions designated as hybrid eligible may offer the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule after successful completion of an introductory period of 3–6 months.
• In these cases, the role typically begins fully on campus to support onboarding and training, with the potential to transition to a hybrid arrangement thereafter.
• Positions designated as on-site are not eligible for hybrid work and are expected to remain fully on campus.
• All flexible work arrangements are subject to periodic review and may be modified or discontinued at any time at the university’s discretion.

With a career at Seattle University, you’re joining a community of passionate people dedicated to empowering the next generation of leaders and thinkers.

Founded in 1891, Seattle University is a Jesuit Catholic university located on a beautiful campus of more than 50 acres in the dynamic heart of Seattle.

Seattle University is an equal opportunity employer. In support of its pursuit of academic and scholarly excellence, Seattle University is committed to creating a diverse community of students, faculty and staff that is dedicated to the fundamental principles of equal opportunity and treatment in education and employment regardless of age, color, disability, gender identity, national origin, political ideology, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. The university encourages applications from, and nominations of, individuals who will further enrich the diversity of our educational community.

Our Mission - Seattle University is dedicated to educating the whole person, to professional formation, and to empowering leaders for a just and humane world.

Our Vision - We will be one of the most innovative and progressive Jesuit and Catholic universities in the world, educating with excellence at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels.

Our Values

• Care – We put the good of students