Director of Career Development

Northeastern offers a rewarding working environment for our students and employees. Our faculty and staff are smart, dedicated people who work to create an excellent urban university experience for bright and motivated students.

The Director of Career Development leads Northeastern Illinois University's comprehensive career services program, integrating classroom learning with real‑world professional experiences. The Director provides strategic vision and leadership for the unit, and ensures that NEIU graduates can articulate their professional skills and connect those skills to real‑world opportunities. The Director also cultivates and expands strategic partnerships with local, national, and international business and community leaders to advance NEIU's mission of preparing a diverse student body for leadership and service in a dynamic, multicultural world.

Working closely with academic units (College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business & Technology, Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education), the Offices of Institutional Advancement, and other campus partners, the Director oversees cooperative education, internships, career preparation, and job placement for NEIU students and alumni. As a member of the Student Affairs Leadership Team, and represent Student Affairs and the university with a wide range of off‑campus professional and community organizations.

• Develop, implement, and regularly update a Career Development strategic plan that aligns with the University's and Division of Student Affairs' broader strategic goals and drives growth in career readiness and student placement.
• Design and oversee an assessment plan, including exit surveys and key performance indicators, to evaluate service effectiveness and support institutional reporting (e.g., accreditation, National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) compliance, President's Strategic Initiatives).

• Monitor and analyze the effectiveness of virtual and in‑person resources; expand access and optimize student engagement.
• Guide the implementation and maintenance of career services software (e.g., Handshake, Grad Leaders), including data reporting.
• Manage fiscal planning and budgeting for all career services operations and staffing.

• Partner with faculty to embed career-related content into courses (First‑Year Experience, Career Pathways) and co‑curricular activities.
• Lead the design, delivery, and evaluation of programming on career readiness and professional development for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.
• Convene and chair the Career & Workforce Development Steering Committee, representing each college, the Office of Alumni Relations, campus site, and grant‑funded program.

• Cultivate relationships with U.S. and international industry representatives; track employment trends and emerging fields.
• Collaborate with the Offices of Development and Alumni Relations in strategic outreach to corporate and community leaders and to promote activities such as the bi‑annual Career Fair.
• Develop and market the office brand through presentations and promotional materials to students, alumni, employers, and internship/co‑op sponsors.
• Strategize with Career Development staff to expand employer partnerships and create new internship, co‑op, and job opportunities.

• Supervise staff in providing individual career counseling, resume and portfolio reviews, interview preparation, employment etiquette guidance, and graduate school advising.
• Maintain student and alumni records, files, and placement data.
• Advise on securing full‑time positions, internships, co‑ops, and graduate/professional school applications.
• Collaborate with the Office of Alumni Relations in the implementation of career‑related initiatives and activities such as Mentor City, a virtual platform that pairs alumni and friends with current students, career‑related outreach to alumni, and career workshops.

• Provide supervision, training, and performance evaluation for three professional…