Associate Director for Experiential Learning

newschool; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The New School seeks an Associate Director for Experience to lead the university-wide experiential learning and internship programs, ensuring compliance and robust employer engagement. You will guide strategic development in cooperation with Center leadership and academic partners.

You will collaborate with Academic Affairs, support CPT for international students, and oversee assessment and reporting of program outcomes to advance student career readiness and success.

Qualifications

• Experience leading experiential learning and internship programs.
• Strong collaboration with academic and administrative partners.
• Ability to analyze trends in education and employment.

Responsibilities

• Lead experiential learning initiatives and compliance programs university-wide.
• Collaborate with academic affairs to align policies with curriculum and programs.
• Engage employers and partners to grow internship and cooperative education opportunities.
• Oversee assessment, reporting, and continuous improvement of program outcomes.

Skills

Strategic Leadership

Operations Management

Policy & Compliance

Stakeholder Engagement

Job description

Join The New School

At The New School, we redefine the boundaries of education, creativity, and innovation. Founded in 1919 and located in the heart of New York City, we are home to approximately 8,300 students from over 100 countries, offering more than 135 degree and diploma programs across our renowned colleges, including Parsons School of Design and the College of Performing Arts (Mannes, Jazz, and Drama), Lang College and the New School for Social Research, and Parsons Paris. Our progressive, interdisciplinary approach has earned us recognition as one of the most forward-thinking institutions in the world.

The Center for Career Development is dedicated to helping students make connections between their academic experiences and professional paths. We empower students in their career journeys by providing comprehensive resources, guidance, and support. Our aim is to assist students and alumni to explore career options, developing essential skills, and navigating the job market effectively. Through personalized counseling, workshops, networking opportunities, and access to relevant tools and information, we strive to foster confidence, resilience, and success in every stage of career development.

The Associate Director for Experience reports to the Senior Director of the Center for Career Design and Development and serves as a key member of the Center's leadership team. The Associate Director assists in the management and long-term strategic planning of experiential learning initiatives across the university. The primary role of the Associate Director, Experience is to provide leadership and oversight of The New School's experiential learning and internship programs, including compliance, assessment, employer engagement, student support, and cross-functional collaboration with academic and administrative partners.

CORE CAPABILITIES, PRIMARY DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Operations

• Support Strategic Development: Support the strategic development and expansion of cooperative education, internships, and other experiential learning initiatives for the university in collaboration with Center leadership, academic programs, employers, and university partners.
• Oversight & Compliance: Provide strategic leadership and operations for university-wide experiential learning processes, policies, procedures, and systems, including the Experiential Learning Agreement (ELA) process, to ensure efficient service delivery and institutional compliance.
• Strategic Projects & Technology: Collaborate with Center leadership on special projects, strategic initiatives, and the implementation of technologies and digital resources that advance student success, career readiness, and experiential learning outcomes.
• Industry & Regulatory Trends: Identify emerging trends, best practices, and relevant changes in experiential education, employment, labor, and immigration regulations, and recommend innovative approaches, policy updates, and operational improvements as appropriate.
• Reporting & Assessment: Prepare reports, assessments, and recommendations for Center leadership regarding experiential learning participation, student engagement, service delivery, and outcomes.

Academic & Campus Partnerships

• Academic Affairs Alignment: Partner closely with Curriculum Learning and Academic Affairs (CLAA) to ensure alignment of experiential learning initiatives with academic policy, curriculum, assessment, international programs and partnerships, and other university-wide academic priorities.
• Faculty & Curriculum Integration: Collaborate with faculty, academic departments, and university partners to promote experiential learning opportunities, strengthen student participation, and integrate career-connected learning across the student experience.
• International Student Support: Collaborate closely with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) and other university partners to support Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and experiential learning opportunities for international students.
• Advisory & Resource Point: Serve as a primary resource for students, faculty, staff, employers, and campus partners regarding experiential learning opportunities, internship administration, policies, procedures, and related compliance matters.

Employer Relations & Partnerships

• Employer & Partner Engagement: Develop and maintain relationships with employers, nonprofit organizations, community partners, and industry representatives to expand high-quality internship, cooperative education, and other experiential learning opportunities, in collaboration with Center leadership and Industry Engagement colleagues.
• Quality & Standards Alignment: Collaborate with employers and campus partners to ensure experiential learning opportunities align with university standards, student learning objectives, and applicable policies and regulations.

Student Advising, Training & Programming

• Student Preparation & Programming: In collaboration with Center