Senior Director, Doctoral & Postdoctoral Life Design (Doctoral Life Design Studio)

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore (MD)

Hybrid

USD 115,000 - 201,000

Full time

12 days ago

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Job summary

Johns Hopkins University seeks a Senior Director of Doctoral & Postdoctoral Life Design Studio to lead career education and experiential learning for doctoral and postdoctoral scholars. You will shape strategy, oversee programs, and collaborate with deans, faculty, and alumni to expand opportunities across Hopkins’ schools.

Reporting to the AVP for Integrative Learning and Life Design, this role requires strategic leadership, operational excellence, and a commitment to inclusive, data-informed

Job description

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first researchuniversity and home to nine world-class academic divisions workingtogether as one university.

At Johns Hopkins University, we are driven by an ambitious goal:to empower our doctoral and postdoctoral scholars to navigate theircareers with purpose and confidence. The Doctoral Life DesignStudio embodies this vision as a dynamic, future-focused hub wherescholars can explore diverse career possibilities, build clarityand confidence, develop lasting connections, and utilize innovativetools to thrive in academic and non-academic arenas.

Life Design at Hopkins goes beyond traditional careerdevelopment. It is an integrative process that nurtures curiosity,fosters growth, and opens doors to new opportunities. The DoctoralLife Design Studio is part of the Department of IntegrativeLearning and Life Design (ILLD), a Johns Hopkins division thatempowers every learner — from undergraduates to postdoctoralfellows — to purposefully design meaningful futures, bridgingcurricular and experiential learning with personal ambitions acrossthe university’s nine schools.

We are seeking a Senior Director, Doctoral & PostdoctoralLife Design who will lead the entire portfolio of the DoctoralLife Design Studio, encompassing both Career Education andExperiential Learning, deepening the integration between thesefunctions and expanding their collective impact for scholars. Yourleadership will cultivate an environment that empowers scholars toactively design their futures with intention and impact.

In this role, reporting to the Associate Vice Provost forIntegrative Learning and Life Design, you will lead theuniversity-wide strategy for the Doctoral Life Design Studio,committed to transforming the career trajectories of all ourdoctoral and postdoctoral scholars. This position requires a blendof strategic vision and operational excellence to ensure that ourLife Design offerings consistently meet and exceed the evolvingneeds of the academic community.

You will collaborate closely with university leadership,faculty, staff, and alumni to design and implement innovativeprograms, digital platforms, and impactful events that equipscholars with the clarity and confidence to navigate theirprofessional futures. Your oversight will encompass the Studio’sfull portfolio of career education and experiential learningservices for doctoral and postdoctoral scholars, aligned with theuniversity’s mission to prepare scholars for careers that createlasting, real-world impact within and beyond academia.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities Leadership & TeamMentorship

Partner closely with the Associate Vice Provost (AVP) to shapeand execute the strategic vision for career education, experientiallearning, and Life Design initiatives.
Translate divisional and institutional priorities into amulti-year strategy for the Studio, including team structure,program direction, operational planning, and phasedimplementation.
Evaluate emerging needs, organizational opportunities, andcapacity constraints to shape the future design, growth, andpositioning of the Studio.
Collaborate with deans, faculty, and university leadershipacross JHU, particularly within the Schools of Medicine, PublicHealth, Nursing, Engineering, and Arts & Sciences, toseamlessly integrate Life Design principles into academic programsand institutional planning.
Serve as a key advisor to university and divisional leadershipon matters related to doctoral and postdoctoral career developmentand scholar success, including during periods that acutely affectscholar outcomes such as shifts in the academic job market or otheremerging challenges facing the scholarly community.
Collaborate with leaders across ILLD, in particular HireHopkins, the Master’s Life Design Hub, and Life Design Lab todevelop programming and experiences that draw on the uniquestrengths of each office and create seamless pathways for scholarsat all levels.
Serve on the ILLD Executive Committee, contributing todivision-wide strategic planning, representing doctoral andpostdoctoral scholars’ needs, and ensuring alignment of theDoctoral Life Design Studio with broader ILLD priorities andinstitutional goals.
Lead a high-performing team spanning Career Education andExperiential Learning, fostering a culture of collaboration,innovation, excellence, and continuous learning.
Directly supervise professional staff and, where applicable,support the development of managers or functional leads across theStudio.
Lead hiring, onboarding, role clarity, performance management,promotions, and succession planning to ensure a strong andsustainable team structure.
Build management capacity, accountability, and leadershipeffectiveness across the team, ensuring staff are supported andheld to high standards.
Address performance concerns, team conflict, and organizationalchallenges in a timely, thoughtful, and effective manner.
Deepen connections between Career Education and ExperientialLearning programming, identifying opportunities to create scholarexperiences that draw on the strengths of both functions.
Provide personalized coaching and support to team members,facilitating their professional growth and leadershipdevelopment.
Foster a healthy, accountable, and inclusive team culture thatsupports trust, strong communication, staff engagement, andlong-term retention.
Create clear expectations and shared norms for collaboration,decision-making, responsiveness, and service excellence across theStudio.
Set clear, ambitious goals for the team, implement measurableperformance metrics, and conduct regular progress assessments todrive accountability and excellence.
Oversee the Studio’s operating model, including workflowdesign, service standards, staffing alignment, and processimprovement across a complex portfolio of programs andservices.
Make strategic decisions about priorities, sequencing, andresource deployment across competing initiatives and institutionaldemands.
Develop, manage, and steward the Studio’s budget and resourcestrategy, aligning investments in staffing, programming,technology, and external partnerships with strategic priorities andinstitutional goals.
Ensure consistency in leadership practices and service deliveryacross the Studio’s full range of career education and experientiallearning initiatives.
Represent the Studio and Johns Hopkins University in high-levelinternal and external settings, including senior leadershipconversations, cross-university initiatives, national conferences,and thought leadership forums, strengthening institutionalvisibility and influence in doctoral and postdoctoral career andlife design.

Program Oversight & Innovation

Set the strategic direction and hold accountability for thefull portfolio of career education and experiential learningprograms, opportunities, and curricula tailored to the diverseneeds of doctoral and postdoctoral scholars.
Hold accountability for office-wide outcomes, including learnerengagement, utilization, quality of service, stakeholdersatisfaction, and career or experiential learning outcomes acrossthe Studio’s portfolio.
Ensure all programs maintain compliance with grant requirementsand PhD program objectives while continuously evolving to reflectemerging needs in the scholarly and professional landscape.
Integrate modules across all programs that enhance scholars’essential skills and prepare them for diverse career paths.
Develop and implement skills- and career-focused programs thatresult in tangible, application-ready deliverables and materialsfor learners.
Ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are woven into allprogram designs to foster a truly inclusive environment, ensuringthat scholars from all backgrounds feel seen, heard, andvalued.
Lead the refinement and continuous improvement of existingexperiential learning programs, including Career360 and HopkinsDoctoral Consulting Projects, ensuring ongoing relevance, scholarimpact, and host satisfaction.
Develop and launch innovative new experiential learning models,using new models as replicable templates scalable to otherdisciplines and populations.
Design and oversee scholar capstone experiences that integratewith and amplify workshops, bridging scholar skill-building withprofessional visibility and connections.
Lead the execution of career and identity-based conferences,such as Horizons by Hopkins and Black and Latinx events, fosteringnetworking opportunities and professional growth.
Seek, cultivate, and nurture partnerships with industryexperts, thought leaders, alumni, and renowned research entities tostrengthen networks and facilitate meaningful interactions,learning experiences, and career opportunities for scholars.
Hold ultimate accountability for the quality, innovation, andimpact of all signature programs across the Studio.
Develop new, forward-thinking programs that address emergingneeds in the job market and scholarly community, includingidentifying emerging population needs and adapting experientialprogramming models to ensure broad access to career explorationexperiences across schools.
Maintain and expand expertise in doctoral and postdoctoralprofessional and career development, particularly in engineering,humanities, life and biomedical sciences, public health, andnursing.
Collaborate with faculty and academic leadership to integratecareer education and experiential learning into thecurriculum.
Stay abreast of emerging trends in career development and thejob market, incorporating this knowledge into program design anddelivery.
Explore and implement innovative program delivery methods,including AI-assisted learning, to enhance engagement andaccessibility.
Develop a suite of on-demand, self-paced learning resources tocomplement in-person programming and cater to diverse learningstyles and schedules.
Implement effective project management practices to ensuretimely execution, meet deadlines, and optimize resource allocationacross all initiatives.

Strategic Engagement & Relationship Building

Lead through influence across a highly matrixed universityenvironment, aligning faculty, academic leaders, central offices,and external partners around shared priorities for doctoral andpostdoctoral scholar success.
Navigate ambiguity, competing stakeholder interests, and sharedownership models while maintaining momentum on strategicinitiatives and institutional commitments.
Lead and manage the Career Champion Initiative, guiding theteam to effectively implement and optimize the program, andenhancing relationships with diverse stakeholders across theuniversity.
Collaborate with Hire Hopkins to develop partnerships thatenhance internship opportunities and career pathways for doctoraland postdoctoral scholars, ensuring alignment with industry needsand emerging career trends.
Foster consistent, meaningful, and proactive interactions withfaculty and the alumni community to harness their collective wisdomand provide invaluable mentorship opportunities for doctoral andpostdoctoral scholars.
Engage with thought leaders, innovators, and key stakeholdersto position JHU as a leader in doctoral and postdoctoral lifedesign.

Data Management & Strategic Insights

Continuously refine and implement the Studio’s comprehensivedata management and assessment strategy, ensuring accurate trackingof program participation, scholar engagement, and careeroutcomes.
Utilize data-driven insights to continuously evaluate, refine,and enhance career and experiential learning programs, ensuringthey meet the evolving needs of doctoral and postdoctoral scholarswhile aligning with institutional goals.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs),leveraging data-driven insights to inform decision-making andensure strategic alignment.
Use data to guide decision-making, optimize resourceallocation, and identify emerging trends that inform future programdevelopment and services.
Benchmark performance against peer institutions and nationalbest practices, ensuring that Johns Hopkins remains at theforefront of doctoral and postdoctoral career development.
Provide regular, actionable reports to the AVP andstakeholders, highlighting program impact, trends, and areas forgrowth, ensuring data transparency and accountability.
Foster a culture of data-informed decision-making within theteam, providing training and tools that empower staff to leveragedata effectively in program planning and service delivery.
Ensure compliance with institutional data governance andprivacy standards, maintaining integrity and security in datacollection, storage, and reporting.

Special Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Demonstrated ability to lead and manage organizational changeinitiatives, fostering adaptability and resilience within teamswhile aligning programs with evolving institutional goals andmarket trends.
Proven ability to design and scale innovative career programs,courses, and events tailored to the diverse needs of doctoral andpostdoctoral scholars.
Expertise in utilizing Learning Management Systems (LMS) andemerging technologies to enhance learning outcomes andaccessibility, including multimedia and interactive content.
Experience building, launching, or scaling experientiallearning programs within a research university or comparable setting.
Strong track record of leading interdisciplinarycollaborations, aligning academic and career programs within institutional goals and scholarly success.
Skilled in conducting needs assessments and staying currentwith industry trends to ensure program relevance in a rapidlyevolving job market.
Demonstrated ability to manage and develop high-performingteams, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, andcontinuous improvement.
Proficiency in navigating complex interpersonal dynamics,resolving conflicts, and building a cohesive, innovative teamenvironment.
Experience in establishing and maintaining high standards ofaccountability, with the ability to set clear expectations anddrive performance.
Proven success in cultivating strategic partnerships withfaculty, university leaders, alumni, and industry partners tocreate career opportunities for scholars, including partnershipsthat support experiential learning models.
Strong analytical skills to evaluate complex situations andtranslate insights into actionable strategies.
Experience conducting program evaluations and impactassessments to measure program effectiveness and inform futuredevelopment.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence senior leadership, faculty, andexternal partners.
Creative and strategic approach to using digital platforms andsocial media to enhance engagement and institutionalvisibility.
Demonstrated commitment to promoting diversity, equity, andinclusion in all aspects of program development and delivery, ensuring equitable access for all scholars.
Adept at managing multiple projects and priorities, optimizingworkflows, and delivering impactful results under pressure.
Ability to think creatively and propose innovative solutions tochallenges in career education and development.
Experience in personnel development, building partnerships withemployers and alumni, or leading recruiting efforts for employersis highly desirable.

Demonstrated experience supervising professional staff,managing performance, and leading teams through growth, change, ororganizational complexity.

Demonstrated success in strategic planning, cross-functionalcollaboration, and translating institutional priorities intoexecutable programs and services.

Experience managing budgets, resources, and operationalpriorities in a complex organizational setting.

Experience serving diverse populations of doctoral andpostdoctoral trainees, including international trainees,underrepresented minority students and trainees, and people withdisabilities.

Demonstrated understanding of nationally recognized practices,trends, and procedures for university career and life design,especially the unique needs of doctoral students and postdoctoralfellows.

Demonstrated success in developing institutionally effectiveand strategic partnerships and engaging effectively with multipletiers of stakeholders.

Expertise in doctoral and postdoctoral career development,particularly in engineering, life and biomedical sciences, orpublic health.

Experience conducting needs assessments and market research toinform innovative program development.

Experience designing and scaling experiential learning programsacross multiple disciplines or populations within a universitysetting.

Demonstrated ability to develop replicable program models andadapt them to diverse scholar communities and institutionalcontexts.

Proficiency in advanced data management and comprehensiveassessment strategies.

Experience representing institutions at national conferencesand thought leadership forums.

Proven ability to collaborate with faculty and academicleadership to integrate career development into academicprograms.

The Ideal Candidate Profile

Our ideal candidate is a strategic leader with the vision andexecution skills to guide the Doctoral Life Design Studio throughits next phase of growth and impact. They bring a rare combinationof innovation, adaptability, sound judgment, and organizationalleadership, with the ability to strengthen teams, advanceinstitutional priorities, and create meaningful opportunities fordoctoral and postdoctoral scholars.

In addition, the ideal candidate possesses

A mature and effective people leader who can make difficultdecisions, address performance concerns directly, build trust,develop talent, and balance empathy with accountability.
A strategic and forward-looking leader who can anticipateneeds, assess opportunities, and translate complexity into cleardirection and action.
Sound judgment, adaptability, and the ability to leadeffectively through change, ambiguity, and evolving institutionalpriorities.
A clear commitment to continuous improvement, with the abilityto strengthen systems, refine services, and scale what works.
The ability to build and sustain strong relationships acrossfaculty, academic leadership, doctoral and postdoctoral scholars,alumni, and external partners.
A deep understanding of stakeholder needs and the ability toalign diverse interests around shared goals.
Comfort using technology and digital tools to support strategy,communication, service delivery, and team effectiveness.
The ability to work effectively across institutionalboundaries, building alignment and momentum in a complex, matrixedenvironment.
A results-oriented approach that balances innovation withexecution, operational discipline, and long-term impact.
The ability to align team priorities and initiatives withbroader university goals while keeping scholar success at thecenter.
A commitment to inclusive leadership and to creatingenvironments where scholars and staff from all backgrounds canthrive.
A unifying leader capable of drawing on the complementarystrengths of Career Education and Experiential Learning to build adeeply integrated Studio that advances scholar success across alldimensions of professional development.

Minimum Qualifications

Master’s Degree required.
Seven (7) years of recent direct experience within a highereducation, government, non-profit, or corporate setting. Provenleadership skills, expertise in recruiting and/oruniversity-employer relations, experience in employer and alumnirelations, knowledge of labor market trends, and familiarity withhighly selective college or university settings.
Additional education may substitute for required experience andadditional related experience may substitute for required educationbeyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extentpermitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

PhD or equivalent terminal degree.
Five to ten years of senior leadership experience in careerservices, experiential learning, or professional development withinhigher education.

Classified Title: Director Life Design

Job Posting Title (Working Title): Senior Director, Doctoral &Postdoctoral Life Design (Doctoral Life Design Studio)

Role/Level/Range: L/05/LG

Starting Salary Range: $114,595 - $200,795 Annually (Commensuratew/exp.)

Employee group: Full Time

Schedule: Mon - Fri / 08:30am - 05:00pm

FLSA Status: Exempt

Location: Hybrid/School of Medicine Campus

Department name: Doctoral Life Design Studio

Personnel area: University Student Services

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to apre-employment background check.

Equal Opportunity Employer