Career Center Operations & Programs Lead

Socket.dev; Lake Forest (IL); On-site; USD 49,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Lake Forest College invites applications for a full-time Operations and Program Coordinator within the Gorter Family Career Advancement Center. This role provides strategic oversight of CAC office operations, front-line triage, leads the Career Ambassador student staff program, and manages the logistical execution of major career events.

Reporting to the Senior Associate Director for Communication, Operations, and Data, you will supervise student staff, coordinate events (100+ annually), manage

Qualifications

• Two years or more of administrative and office management experience and/or background in event planning or higher education preferred.
• Strong administrative and project management skills; able to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook); Excel, CRM systems, and Smartsheet preferred.
• Ability to work within established systems and create new ones where needed.
• Excellent problem-solving and written/verbal communication skills; team-oriented with customer service focus.
• Supervisory experience mentoring students and new staff; commitment to diverse backgrounds and college values.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational leadership for CAC office management and scheduling, designing administrative workflows and supervising front-desk coverage.
• Supervise and coach student staff to deliver excellent customer service and coordinate CAC operations and standards of service.
• Lead the student peer resume review program, including training and project management for peer advisors.
• Oversee CAC operations like the Forester Career Closet, forecast resources, and coordinate supplies.
• Coordinate and execute transportation logistics for programs or events as needed.
• Support CAC leadership team with administrative duties.
• Serve as project manager for 100+ career programs annually, from workshops to large networking events.
• Manage event planning, deadlines, facilities, catering, vendor relationships, and on-campus partners.
• Optimize attendance reporting to support data-driven event planning and evaluation.
• Engage employers and campus stakeholders, connecting needs to resources and ensuring continuity.

Skills

Administrative experience

Project management

Event planning

Microsoft Office

Customer service

Leadership / supervision

Tools

Smartsheet

OneDrive

Slate

LinkedIn

Handshake

Job description

Lake Forest College invites applications for a full-time Operations and Program Coordinator within the Gorter Family Career Advancement Center. This role provides strategic oversight of CAC office operations, front-line triage, leads the Career Ambassador student staff program, and manages the logistical execution of major career events.

Reporting to the Senior Associate Director for Communication, Operations, and Data, you will supervise student staff, coordinate events (100+ annually), manage