Director of Professional Development and External Engagement

Wilkes University; Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Wilkes University invites applications for a Director of Professional Development and External Engagement in the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. This role leads initiatives to strengthen students’ career readiness, leadership development, and connections with employers and alumni.

The director oversees the PPD program, guides curriculum development, ensures instructional quality, and teaches up to six credits of PPD per semester.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in business administration or related field is required.
• Experience in curriculum development and professional development programming.
• Experience with program assessment and continuous improvement.
• Ability to build partnerships with employers, alumni, and the business community.
• Familiarity with AACSB accreditation processes is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Personal and Professional Development (PPD) program, including curriculum development and assessment.
• Teach up to six credits of PPD courses per semester.
• Cultivate corporate and community partnerships to support internships and opportunities for students.
• Coordinate the Dean's Executive Advisory Board and Student Advisory Board activities and engage with campus partners.
• Track graduate and alumni employment outcomes and contribute to strategic planning and AACSB accreditation efforts.

Skills

Curriculum development

Professional development programming

Program assessment

Strategic partnership building

Stakeholder communication

Relationship-building

Organizational skills

Analytical thinking

Fiscal planning

Data-informed initiatives

Education

Master's degree in MBA or related field

Job description

Wilkes University invites applications for a Director of Professional Development and External Engagement in the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. This full-time, 12-month position leads initiatives that strengthen students' career readiness, leadership development, and connections with employers, alumni, and the business community.

The Director oversees the Personal and Professional Development (PPD) program, including curriculum development, instructional quality, assessment, and continuous improvement, and teaches up to six credits of PPD courses per semester. The position also provides individual career guidance to seniors and develops innovative programs and events that connect students with industry leaders and professional opportunities.

A central responsibility is cultivating corporate and community partnerships that support internships, employment opportunities, financial support, and meaningful student engagement. The Director coordinates the College of Business and Engineering Dean's Executive Advisory Board and Student Advisory Board programs, collaborates with campus partners, tracks graduate and alumni employment outcomes, and contributes to strategic planning and AACSB accreditation efforts.

A master's degree in business administration or a related field is required. Candidates should bring experience in curriculum development, professional development programming, program assessment, and strategic partnership building, along with knowledge of workforce trends, employer recruitment practices, and experiential education. Strong communication, relationship-building, organizational, analytical, and fiscal planning skills are essential. Understanding of business school accreditation processes, preferably AACSB, and the ability to lead collaborative, data-informed initiatives are also highly preferred.

Wilkes University is an independent, comprehensive university dedicated to academic excellence in the liberal arts, sciences, and selected professional programs. The University has approximately 2,000 students at the undergraduate level and over 1,500 full time equivalent students at the graduate and first professional levels.

Its institutional focus is on developing strong mentoring relationships with each of its students and contributing vitally to economic development of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The University is located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a revitalized city that is located on the lovely Susquehanna River and is within two and one-half hours driving distance of New York City and Philadelphia.

Wilkes University is constantly seeking to become a more diverse community and to enhance its capacity to value and capitalize on the cultural richness that diversity brings. The University strongly encourages applications from persons with diverse backgrounds. Wilkes University does not discriminate in its employment practices or in its educational programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, pregnancy, sex/gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, marital or family status, military or veteran status, or genetic information.

Employment at Wilkes is contingent upon the results of a thorough background screening. PA Act 153 requires that persons working in positions with regular and unsupervised contact with minors complete additional clearances, including FBI fingerprinting and PA criminal and child abuse clearances.