Director, Career Design & Co-op (Promotional Opportunity)

University of Massachusetts Lowell; Lowell (MA); On-site; USD 86,000 - 111,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Massachusetts Lowell is seeking a Director of Career Design and Cooperative Education to lead the university's career design and cooperative education initiatives. You will guide a team of professionals, aligning curricula with experiential learning and fostering industry partnerships.

The role focuses on strategic vision, program quality, and student success, including assessment, advising, and collaboration with academic units.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree in relevant discipline.
• 10+ years of experience relevant to the role.
• Demonstrated skills for program management at-scale and staff supervision.
• Prior experience with cooperative education with progressive responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for the university's cooperative education program.
• Design and maintain policies, procedures, and quality standards for co-op experiences and the supporting curriculum.
• Collaborate with academic departments to integrate cooperative education into curricula and degree pathways.
• Expand the number and diversity of co-op opportunities available to students across disciplines.
• Ensure appropriate learning outcomes, reflection activities, and assessment measures are incorporated into co-op experiences.
• Monitor student participation, employer satisfaction, academic integration, and post‑graduation outcomes related to cooperative education.
• Promote cooperative education as a high‑impact practice that enhances career readiness and student success.
• Liaise with key campus departments, like International Students & Scholars
• Lead the integration of career design principles into career education programming and services.
• Promote student-centered approaches that encourage self-discovery, purpose exploration, career experimentation, reflection, and informed decision-making.
• Develop frameworks, resources, and learning experiences that help students connect academic experiences, co-curricular involvement, and career goals.
• Collaborate with career advisors to ensure alignment between individual advising and broader programming efforts.
• Provide individualized and group career advising supporting career exploration, decision-making, and professional development.
• Assist students with career planning, goal setting, and identifying career pathways aligned with their academic and personal interests.
• Advise students regarding cooperative education, internships, and other career-connected experiential learning opportunities.
• Review and provide feedback on resumes, cover letters, curricula vitae (CVs), LinkedIn profiles, portfolios, and graduate school application materials.
• Supervise and develop professional and student staff responsible for career education and programming initiatives.
• Establish priorities, goals, and performance expectations aligned with departmental objectives.
• Promote a culture of innovation, collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with employer relations staff to develop programs that connect students with industry professionals and employment opportunities.
• Build strategic partnerships with academic departments, student affairs units, alumni relations, and external organizations.
• Engage employers and alumni as presenters, mentors, panelists, and program partners.
• Foster cross‑campus collaboration to embed career readiness competencies throughout the student experience.
• Establish measurable learning outcomes and success metrics for co‑op program.
• Collect and analyze participation, engagement, and outcome data to evaluate program effectiveness.
• Utilize assessment findings to enhance program quality, student engagement, and institutional impact.
• Prepare reports and presentations demonstrating program outcomes and career center contributions to student success.

Skills

Program management at-scale

Staff supervision

Cooperative education

Higher education administration

Education

Graduate degree

Job description

Job no: 530402
Position type: Staff Full Time
Campus: UMass Lowell
Department: Career Services
Salary: See posting section for salary range details.
Applications Open: Oct 21 2026
Applications Close: Nov 03 2026

General Summary of Position:

This being a promotional opportunity, only current UML Employees with the same Bargaining unit are eligible to apply for this position.

The Director of Career Design and Cooperative Education provides leadership for the university's career development ecosystem, integrating career education and cooperative education into the student experience.

The Director leads a team of career development professionals and works collaboratively with academic colleges, employers, alumni, and community partners to expand experiential learning opportunities, especially cooperative education. The position serves as a key leader in advancing student success, career outcomes, career readiness, and employer partnerships.

Cooperative Education Leadership

• Provide leadership and strategic direction for the university's cooperative education program.
• Design and maintain policies, procedures, and quality standards for co-op experiences and the supporting curriculum.
• Collaborate with academic departments to integrate cooperative education into curricula and degree pathways.
• Expand the number and diversity of co-op opportunities available to students across disciplines.
• Ensure appropriate learning outcomes, reflection activities, and assessment measures are incorporated into co-op experiences.
• Monitor student participation, employer satisfaction, academic integration, and post‑graduation outcomes related to cooperative education.
• Promote cooperative education as a high‑impact practice that enhances career readiness and student success.
• Liaise with key campus departments, like International Students & Scholars

Career Design and Student Development

• Lead the integration of career design principles into career education programming and services.
• Promote student‑centered approaches that encourage self‑discovery, purpose exploration, career experimentation, reflection, and informed decision‑making.
• Develop frameworks, resources, and learning experiences that help students connect academic experiences, co‑curricular involvement, and career goals.
• Collaborate with career advisors to ensure alignment between individual advising and broader programming efforts.

Career & Co‑op Advising and Student/Alumni Coaching

• Provide individualized and group career advising supporting career exploration, decision‑making, and professional development.
• Assist students with career planning, goal setting, and identifying career pathways aligned with their academic and personal interests.
• Advise students regarding cooperative education, internships, and other career‑connected experiential learning opportunities.
• Review and provide feedback on resumes, cover letters, curricula vitae (CVs), LinkedIn profiles, portfolios, and graduate school application materials.

Staff Leadership and Management

• Supervise and develop professional and student staff responsible for career education and programming initiatives.
• Establish priorities, goals, and performance expectations aligned with departmental objectives.
• Promote a culture of innovation, collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

Employer and Campus Partnerships

• Collaborate with employer relations staff to develop programs that connect students with industry professionals and employment opportunities.
• Build strategic partnerships with academic departments, student affairs units, alumni relations, and external organizations.
• Engage employers and alumni as presenters, mentors, panelists, and program partners.
• Foster cross‑campus collaboration to embed career readiness competencies throughout the student experience.

Program Assessment and Continuous Improvement

• Establish measurable learning outcomes and success metrics for co‑op program.
• Collect and analyze participation, engagement, and outcome data to evaluate program effectiveness.
• Utilize assessment findings to enhance program quality, student engagement, and institutional impact.
• Prepare reports and presentations demonstrating program outcomes and career center contributions to student success.

Minimum Qualifications (Required):

• Graduate degree in relevant discipline
• 10+ years of experience relevant to the role
• Demonstrated skills for program management at-scale and staff supervision
• Prior experience with cooperative education with progressive responsibilities

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in an administrative role in higher education

Special Instructions to Applicants:

This being a promotional opportunity, only current UML Employees with the same Bargaining unit are eligible to apply for this position.

This is a full-time, benefited SEIU professional union position in grade P20. Anticipated salary based on qualifications/experience within range: minimum $85,689, 25th quartile: $98,542 and midpoint: $111,396.