Director, Career Design & Programming (Promotional Opportunity)

University of Massachusetts Lowell; Lowell (MA); On-site; USD 77,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Massachusetts Lowell's Career Services unit seeks a Director of Career Design and Programming to lead the university’s career development ecosystem and integrate career education across the student experience.

The role oversees a team of career development professionals, collaborates with colleges, employers, alumni, and community partners to build scalable, inclusive programming aligned with institutional priorities and workforce trends.

Qualifications

• Graduate degree required in relevant discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in a relevant role.
• Demonstrated skills in program management at scale and staff supervision.
• Prior experience with career advising with progressive responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of a comprehensive career programming strategy.
• Design and oversee a portfolio of career education programs (workshops, events, employer engagement).
• Create innovative programming addressing career exploration, major-to-career connections, internships, and graduate school planning.
• Ensure programs meet diverse student needs (undergrad, grad, international, first-gen, underserved).
• Identify workforce trends and translate them into student learning opportunities.

Skills

Program management

Staff supervision

Career advising

Education

Graduate degree

Job description

Job no: 530401

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:

The Director of Career Design and Programming provides leadership for the university's career development ecosystem, integrating career 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 create a scalable and inclusive career programming agenda aligned with institutional priorities and evolving workforce trends. The position serves as a key leader in advancing student success, career outcomes, career readiness, and employer partnerships.

Career Programming Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive career programming strategy that supports student success, career awareness and readiness, and post-graduation outcomes.
• Design and oversee a portfolio of career education programs, including workshops, career development series, networking events, industry panels, employer engagements, broad-access career development courses, and career-focused learning experiences.
• Create innovative programming that addresses career exploration, major-to-career connections, job, co-op and internship search preparation, graduate school planning, and lifelong career management.
• Ensure programming meets the needs of diverse student populations, including undergraduate, graduate, international, first-generation, and historically underserved students.
• Identify emerging workforce trends and translate them into relevant student learning opportunities.

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.
• Develop initiatives designed to prepare staff with knowledge and skills relevant to career design, experiential learning, workplace trends, etc.

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 career programs.
• 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 in program management at-scale and staff supervision
• Prior experience with career advising with progressive responsibilities

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in an administrative role in higher education

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.