Program Manager for Career Readiness

Newberry-College; Newberry (SC); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Newberry College seeks a Program Manager for Career Readiness to lead and coordinate the Career Ready Guide and related initiatives. You will work with faculty, academic programs, and student-support offices to integrate career planning into curricular and co-curricular experiences.

You will provide individualized career coaching, workshops, and outreach to assigned student populations, while ensuring program alignment with grant objectives and institutional needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in higher education, career development, student affairs, counseling, education, workforce development, human resources, communication, business, or a related field.
• Experience in career services, academic advising, student success, workforce development, counseling, education, or a related field.
• Ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, and campus partners.
• Ability to collect, interpret, and communicate participation, learning, and outcome data for program assessment and reporting.
• Strong interpersonal, written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated project management and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead implementation and ongoing coordination of the Career Ready Guide and related initiatives.
• Coordinate the integration of career readiness into first-year and transfer experiences.
• Build collaborative relationships with faculty, course coordinators, academic departments, and student-support offices.
• Develop faculty implementation plans, communication materials, instructional resources, classroom activities, and assessment tools.
• Provide faculty and staff training and implementation support.
• Provide student-facing coaching, workshops, and group learning experiences.
• Develop outreach and engagement strategies for first-year, transfer, and other populations.
• Facilitate career planning, goal-setting, and workforce-readiness activities.
• Coordinate cohort-based career readiness programming for first-year and transfer students.
• Develop program design recommendations and align outreach with grant objectives and center priorities.
• Monitor participation, completion, engagement, and outcome data; support grant reporting and improvement.

Skills

Project management

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Collaboration

Data interpretation

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

The Program Manager for Career Readiness leads the implementation, integration, assessment, and continuous improvement of the Career Ready Guide and approved related career readiness initiatives. Working directly with designated student populations and in collaboration with faculty, academic programs, student-support offices, and campus partners, the Program Manager integrates career planning, goal-setting, and workforce readiness into curricular and co-curricular experiences. Through faculty support and data-informed program development, the position helps students recognize, develop, and communicate the competencies needed for academic, professional, and post-graduate success. The position provides individualized career coaching, proactive outreach, and career readiness programming to assigned student populations. The Program Manager plans and carries out this work in coordination with the Director of the Muller Center for Careers & Purpose, ensuring that priorities, content, timelines, student-engagement strategies, and program development remain aligned with Center priorities, grant objectives, established program goals, and institutional needs.JOB FUNCTIONS:Program Implementation and Curricular IntegrationLead implementation and ongoing coordination of the Career Ready Guide and related initiatives.Coordinate the integration of career readiness into first-year and transfer experiences.Build collaborative relationships with faculty, course coordinators, academic departments, and student-support offices.Develop faculty implementation plans, communication materials, instructional resources, classroom activities, and assessment tools.Provide faculty and staff training and implementation support.Student Coaching, Programming, and OutreachProvide student-facing coaching, workshops, classroom presentations, and group learning experiences.Develop outreach and engagement strategies for first-year, transfer, and other assigned populations.Facilitate career planning, goal-setting, and workforce-readiness activities.Coordinate cohort-based career readiness programming for first-year and transfer students, including workshops, classroom activities, and related events.Program Direction and Center CollaborationDevelop program design recommendations focused on increasing students' use of career readiness competencies.Collaborate with the Program Manager for Career Development Technologies and the Career Development Specialist to align outreach, coaching, technology-supported resources, classroom engagement, and referrals.Assessment and Continuous ImprovementMonitor participation, completion, engagement, and outcome data.Develop and administer assessment processes.Collect, analyze, and communicate project data and implementation findings for grant reporting, institutional decision-making, and continuous improvement.Gather feedback to inform improvements to the initiative.Maintain program documentation and standard operating procedures.Remain current on career-readiness frameworks, student development, workforce expectations, and career education.Participate in committees, grant activities, and professional development.Perform other duties as assigned.ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONThis is a full-time, grant-funded position. The work schedule will be established in coordination with the Director of the Muller Center for Careers & Purpose and may vary based on implementation needs and the College's academic calendar. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required for training, student programming, campus events, and outreach activities.Minimum QualificationsBachelor's degree in higher education, career development, student affairs, counseling, education, workforce development, human resources, communication, business, or a related field.Experience in career services, academic advising, student success, workforce development, counseling, education, or a related field.Experience working directly with students through coaching, advising, teaching, training, workshops, program facilitation, or related student-development activities.Experience supporting program implementation, including coordinating activities, managing timelines, developing resources, communicating with stakeholders, and following through on commitments.Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, and campus partners and to build productive relationships across academic and administrative areas.Ability to collect, interpret, and communicate participation, learning, and outcome data for program assessment, reporting, and continuous improvement.Strong interpersonal, written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate career readiness concepts clearly to varied audiences.Demonstrated project management and organizational skills, including the ability to balance student-facing work with planning, documentation, assessment, and multiple concurrent priorities.Ability to exercise sound judgment within established priorities and decision-making structures, recognizing when issues, risks, recommendations, or proposed changes require consultation or approval.Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle student and institutional information responsibly while supporting a diverse student population through inclusive, student-centered practices.Preferred QualificationsMaster's degree in higher education, student affairs, career development, counseling, education, workforce development, human resources, communication, business, or a related discipline.Experience in college career services, first-year experience, academic advising, student success, workforce development, or a related higher education environment.Experience integrating career readiness, student success, or developmental learning activities into courses or co-curricular programs.Familiarity with career readiness competencies and frameworks, particularly approaches that help students identify, develop, reflect on, and communicate employability competencies.Experience designing and delivering faculty, staff, or student training and developing facilitator guides, assignments, presentations, learning resources, or assessment tools.Experience with student outreach, communications, public relations, or marketing that supports program awareness, participation, and engagement.Experience with data visualization, program assessment, learning outcomes, or grant-supported initiatives.APPLICATIONApplication review will begin immediately and will continue until a candidate is selected. Candidates should submit: Cover letter expressing interest in the position, resume, and list of three professional reference via email to [e-mail] with the Subject Line: Program Manager for Career Readiness.Newberry College does not discriminate against any person or group on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, pregnancy, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status or genetic information. Newberry College is building a culturally diverse faculty and staff committed to working in a multicultural environment and encourages applications from people from diverse identities and backgrounds.E-Verify:Currently the college uses E-Verify for employment verification. E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information entered by an employer from a n employee’s Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) to records available to the US Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm employment eligibility.College Employment PolicyThis job description reflects the general details considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job identified and shall not necessarily be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the job. Job descriptions do not constitute an employment agreement or contract of employment, expressed or implied. Unless designated in writing and signed by the College President, all College employees are considered to be “EMPLOYED AT WILL.” Newberry College reserves the right to change, alter and amend job descriptions, functions and duties at the pleasure of the College President or Board of Trustees.