Senior Associate Director, UG Career Development Programs & Strategic Initiatives

Babson College; Wellesley (MA); On-site; USD 91,000 - 101,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Time off and holidays

403(b) retirement plan with employer 4

Wellbeing programs and EAP

Job summary

Babson College's Hoffmann Family Undergraduate Center for Career Development seeks a Senior Associate Director to guide strategic initiatives and lead program management efforts. You will supervise projects, advise students, and partner with Alumni Engagement to strengthen career programs across the campus.

The role requires 8–10 years in corporate and higher education settings, strong project leadership, and exceptional communication.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; 8–10 years in corporate and higher ed preferred.
• Experience managing staff and budgets (minimum 3 years).
• Programme management expertise and strong project management skills.
• Ability to measure program value and track outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic initiatives and manage ongoing special projects.
• Develop vision and goals for programs like Professional Attire and First Year Micro-Internship.
• Counsel students through career development lifecycle and coordinate workshops.
• Collaborate with campus offices and Alumni Engagement to ensure program success.
• Support CCD marketing and content creation to raise visibility.

Skills

Strategic planning

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Team leadership

Budget management

Change management

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The primary role of the Senior Associate Director, Programs & Strategic Initiatives for the Hoffman Family Undergraduate Center for Career Development is to serve as a member of the CCD leadership team, implementing the strategic goals set by the Director. Also responsible for student advising, in addition to managing the Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives who also manages projects and advises students.WHAT YOU WILL DOStrategic Initiatives (30%)Collaborates with the Director to establish goals and approaches for strategic initiatives.Assumes responsibility for the ongoing development, management, and execution of strategic initiatives, special projects, and programs as determined by the Director.Program Management (30%)Develops vision, strategy and goals for programs including the Professional Attire program, First Year Micro-Internship program, and others to be determined in consultation with the Director.Builds effective and collaborative partnerships with campus offices to ensure program success. Works directly with Alumni Engagement to identify and engage alumni in career programs.Establishes program metrics and assessment tools; reviews and interprets data to evaluate current services and programs, staff development and training needs, and opportunities for improvement.Student Support & Advising (30%)Counsels students throughout the full career development life cycle, which may include career exploration, resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, networking approaches, internship and job search strategies, offers and negotiations, LinkedIn and personal branding, and other related topicsDefines strategy for consistent engagement through the career development lifecycle for students as determined by Director.Develops relationships with students and student organizations through individual advising, programming, and consultation.Collaborates with Career Education team to design and deliver workshops, experiences, and other programming focused on relevant career management, industry-specific and functional areasEngages in continuous professional development in career and workforce development to drive best practices for career development programming and advising to maximize learning and student engagement.Other (10%)Contributes to the marketing of CCD to increase visibility and brand awareness and to inform the College community about career initiatives. Authors and edits publications and electronic correspondence. Produces and delivers print and online (e.g., website, blogs, and social media) content to promote CCD programs and services.Assumes additional responsibilities as required.YOUR TEAM WILL INCLUDEAssociate Director, UG Career Development Program Management & Strategic InitiativesWHAT EDUCATION AND SKILLS YOU WILL NEEDBachelor’s DegreeMust have at least 8-10 years of experience with combination of corporate and higher education environments preferred and a minimum of 3 years of experience managing staff and a budget.Must have program management expertise and excellent project management skillsKnowledge of best practices in career development and the ability to tailor, adapt and evolve a College to Career strategy to best meet the needs of Babson students; career advising experience preferred.Ability to establish, track, measure, and deliver value-added program resultsAbility to work collaboratively across internal and external constituencies and manage multiple projects/programsMust have a high level of resourcefulness, influence/organizational savvy and execution skills (strategy through implementation)Must have excellent oral and written communication skills, including presentation skillsMust have excellent career advising and counseling skillsMust have a customer service orientationMust have strong supervisory skills and ability to influence and motivate othersExcellent interpersonal skills with the ability to engage and build effective relationships with internal and external constituentsMust have an entrepreneurial orientation along with a proven track record of taking initiative and making things happen (self-starter)Must be a team playerAbility to work with ethnically, culturally, and socially diverse students, staff, and facultyAbility to create an environment where direct reports have the freedom and security to take initiative; deal with complexities with resilience, resourcefulness, and optimism; and appreciate open mindedness, creativity, and agility in thought and tacticsAbility to embrace ideas and changes created by all community membersAbility to work independently to solve problems; look for opportunities to take on responsibility; take thoughtful risks; and effectively acts on new and ongoing initiatives, objectives, and solutions to gain sought-after resultsAbility to anticipate and effectively handle change; demonstrate willingness to try new skills and challenging tasks; and is flexible in changing conditionsMust have strong computer skills including proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint) and curiosity to explore uses of generative and agentic AIHOW AND WHERE YOU WILL WORKOccasional evenings and weekendsRequires work onsite a minimum of 3 days a week; the on-campus requirement is subject to modification based on organizational need and during busier times with visitors on campus.ADDITIONAL SKILLS YOU MAY HAVEAdvanced degree in business, education, counseling or related field preferred.Core Competencies:Critical thinking: Ability to develop and adjust strategy to address the changing needs of the business. Able to lead with a clear, compelling vision.Consulting/Influencing: Practices constructive inquiry and ability to influence leaders. Experience with stakeholder management, experience working effectively across teams, and with employees of all levelsCommunication: Able to optimally communicate what we are doing and why we are doing it visually and verbally and to guide conversations and credibly present ideas and recommendations at all levels within the organization.Analytical skills: Able to distill data down to key insights that enable great decision-making.Project Management: Project management and organizational skills with a demonstrated ability to navigate in a fast-paced & performance-oriented environment.Discernment: Strives to understand how our business works, and grasps complexities and connections among problems or issues, able to prioritize initiatives that will have the greatest impact on success.Discretion & Confidentiality: Ability to exercise discretion, judgment, tact, and poise in handling highly sensitive and confidential information.Process management/leveraging technology: Ability to create and refine processes as necessary. Evaluates and recommends new tools and technology as needs evolve.Connector: Thoughtfully considers how events, challenges, new information and decisions may impact or connect to others. Experience taking initiative and creating vehicles and channels to drive change relevant to the specific audience.Empathy: Ability to listen and help others feel heard, understanding multiple points of views and being a vehicle for helping others understand and learn other views.This is an exempt position with the following pay range: $91,314 to $101,460 depending on the candidate’s experience; the role is also eligible for bonuses based on performance and budget.Babson College offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees working at least 28 hours per week.Insurance Coverage: Medical, dental, vision, group life and long-term disability insurance, business travel accident insurance, and mental health benefits.Time Off: Starting at 3 weeks of vacation annually, 2 weeks of sick time, 1 week of paid family illness time, 6 weeks of paid parental leave, and 12 paid holidays per year. President’s holidays are determined each year.Retirement: Participation in a 403(b) retirement plan with mandatory employee contributions and a 4:1 employer match.Additional Benefits: Wellbeing programs, virtual fitness platform, and employee assistance program.All questions or concerns about this posting should be directed to the Office of Human Resources at [e-mail].