Assistant Director of Career and Professional Development

Assistant Director of Career and Professional Development

Location:

Hickory, North Carolina

The Assistant Director of Career and Professional Development supports the Alex Lee Career and Professional Development Center by providing career advising, developing and implementing career-related programs and workshops, and fostering meaningful connections among students, alumni, employers, faculty and community partners. Through a special emphasis on vocational discernment, purpose exploration, and career readiness, this role helps students and alumni connect their strengths, values, interests and sense of calling with meaningful academic, professional and life pathways.

• Provide one-on-one career advising and coaching to students and alumni, including career exploration, vocational discernment, career assessment interpretation, résumé and cover letter reviews, interview preparation, job and graduate school search strategies and professional goal setting.
• Guide students in exploring the intersection of strengths, interests, values, purpose, identity and career aspirations, helping them discern meaningful pathways for work, leadership and experiences.
• Develop and facilitate workshops, programs and reflection experiences focused on career development, vocational discernment, life design, purpose exploration, professional identity and career readiness.
• Support students in connecting academic experiences, leadership roles, service opportunities, campus involvement and work experiences to long-term career and vocational goals.
• Promote student engagement in career development throughout the college experience, encouraging intentional reflection on learning, purpose and future aspirations.
• Assist with conducting partnership inventories and identifying opportunities for new strategic collaborations that advance student success and strengthen the university's connections throughout the region.
• Assist with facilitating career fairs, networking events, employer information sessions, alumni panels and other initiatives that connect students with professionals and career opportunities.
• Assist in tracking student engagement, career development outcomes and post-graduation outcomes to support institutional goals, strategic planning, accreditation, and reporting efforts.
• Utilize technology and data analytics to assess program effectiveness, identify emerging student needs, strengthen outcomes and inform strategic decision‑making.
• Stay current on emerging trends and best practices in career development, vocational psychology, student engagement, employer relations, workforce readiness and higher education.

• Bachelor's degree required.
• One to three years of experience in career development, higher education, student affairs, workforce development, counseling or a related field.
• Strong communication, relationship‑building, facilitation and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with technology and data platforms and the ability to learn new systems and assessment tools.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast‑paced, student‑centered environment.
• Strong organizational, project‑management, customer‑service and time‑management skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to helping others with their career development.

• Master's degree in counseling, human resources or a related field.
• Experience developing and maintaining strategic partnerships with employers, nonprofit organizations, community agencies, alumni or regional stakeholders.
• Familiarity with Handshake, career assessment tools, vocational discernment models, life design frameworks, strengths‑based approaches and student development theory.
• Demonstrated ability to foster engagement, belonging, collaboration and meaningful connections among diverse groups of students and stakeholders.
• Knowledge of employer engagement, event planning, social media outreach and career development programming.
• Understanding of how experiential learning, leadership development, community engagement and academic experiences contribute to career and vocational development.