ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR / CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Central Michigan University; Mount Pleasant (MI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

NACEWeb is seeking a Director of the Career Development Center to lead goal setting and program development for staff and services at the university level. You will supervise four Assistant Directors and guide career development initiatives for students, alumni, faculty, and external partners.

The role emphasizes research-driven planning, collaboration, and strategic alignment with campus goals, with a focus on career readiness and workforce trends.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with emphasis in career development, counseling, higher education, psychology or related fields.
• Five years of related professional experience.
• Demonstrated success in relationship building with staff, faculty, students, parents and colleagues.
• Proven leadership and supervisory skills in a professional environment.
• Knowledge of career theory and practice including career exploration, assessments and job search strategies.
• Ability to travel and work non-standard hours, including some nights and weekends.

Responsibilities

• Develops goals and objectives for CDC staff and programs, along with the Director.
• Responsible for research, development, direction and implementation of a university-wide career development model.
• Provides planning for career development including internal and external initiatives and programs.
• Manages relationships with staff, faculty, alumni, students and colleges.
• Provides supervision of four Assistant Directors of Career Development and acts as point person for Career Services matters in the Director's absence.
• Represents the CDC on University committees and special projects.

Skills

Leadership

Relationship building

Communication

Program development

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master’s degree

Tools

12twenty

Microsoft Office

Graphic design tools

Internet research

Job description

Along with Director, develops goals and objectives for Career Development Center (CDC) staff and programs. Responsible for research, development, direction and implementation of a university wide career development model. Provides planning for career development, including internal and external initiatives and programs. Manages multifaceted relationships with staff, faculty, alumni, students and colleges. Provides supervision of three (4) Assistant Directors of Career Development and in the absence of the Director, serves as the point person for overall Career Services matters with the Associate Director of Employer Relations.

Develops goals and objectives for CDC staff and programs, along with the Director.
Responsible for research, development, direction and implementation of a university wide career development model.
Provides planning for career development, including internal and external initiatives and programs. Direction will be based on career development research, economic and workforce conditions, current trends and issues in today ‘s and tomorrow’s work world, and benchmarking our programs and services with key educational institutions. Goals and initiatives will be aligned with overall department, division and campus strategic goals.
Aids students on-campus, online and alumni in the form of student appointments, presentations, workshops and various other ways.
Manages multifaceted relationships with staff, faculty, alumni, students and colleges. Represents the CDC on University committees and special projects.
Serves as an active member of Career Development Center leadership team.
Provides supervision for Three (4) Assistant Directors of Career Development.
Responsible for monitoring key metrics for Assistant Directors of Career Development.
In the absence of the Director, serves as the point person with the Associate Director of Employer Relations for overall Career Services matters.
Other duties as assigned.

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or equivalent with emphasis in career development, career counseling, higher education, psychology or related fields.
Five years of related professional experience.
Demonstrated success in relationship building with staff, faculty, students, parents and colleagues. Proven leadership and supervisory skills in a professional environment.
Ability to develop and maintain productive relationships with a wide range of internal and external constituents, including faculty, staff, students and alumni.
Demonstrated skills in a focused educational and service approach to productive career development, including the ability to provide career coaching and programming to currently enrolled students and alumni, individually and in groups.
Knowledge of career theory and practice including career exploration and assessment, National Association for Career Education (NACE) Career Readiness competences, informational interviewing, applied learning/internships, resume and cover letter writing, job interviewing, job search strategies, and preparing for graduate or professional school.
Ability to infuse skill/competency development in programs and services to increase the career readiness of our students and alumni. Strong collaboration/team, organizational, program development, interpersonal and presentation skills.
Ability to maintain the highest level of professionalism, and provide exceptional customer service.
Innovative thinking and analytical abilities to assess, organize, and prioritize multiple tasks with attention to detail.
In-depth understanding and application of best practices in collegiate career development, workplace trends, impacts of technology and social media.
Strong technical skills including experience with career management systems such as 12twenty, as well as Microsoft Office suite, graphic design programs, internet research, and career interest assessments.
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including presentation skills appropriate for small and large audiences, including one-on-one career coaching, student classrooms, faculty groups, professional associations, community organizations and the general public. Skills in strategic planning and data analysis, supporting an ability to make complex, independent decisions and programmatic recommendations.
Ability to leverage career data to support messages to external and on-campus constituents.
Capability to solicit and analyze student feedback and evaluations, and strategize with other Career Services staff members, student groups, and other campus staff and faculty to determine program offerings and innovations.
Ability to travel and work non-standard hours, including some nights and weekends.

Preferred Qualifications
Master’s Degree
Certified in MBTI and SII Assessment
Ability to interpret Focus 2 assessment
Knowledge and understanding of the Brain-Based Career Development Model
Knowledge and understanding of the Career Ecosystem Model