Associate Vice President Career Readiness

Overview

The Associate Vice President for Career Readiness (AVPCR) serves as a senior campus leader responsible for advancing a comprehensive, institution-wide vision for student career development and post-graduation success. The AVPCR provides strategic direction, leadership, and oversight for the college’s career development ecosystem, ensuring that career exploration, experiential learning, and workforce readiness are embedded throughout the student experience.

Reporting to the Vice President for Student Success, the AVPCR provides guidance and oversight for the Career Design Center, the Center for Community Engagement and related experiential learning initiatives. This position will partner closely with academic divisions to integrate career competencies into the curriculum and programming. The AVPCR serves as a thought partner to deans, department chairs, and faculty to expand equitable access to internships, apprenticeships, and employment pathways for all students.

As a member of the Vice President’s leadership team, the AVP will have division-level responsibilities to advance divisional initiatives, promote career readiness campus wide, assist colleagues in understanding the importance of career development, and maintain focus on student-centered services.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for student career development aligned with the college’s strategic plan.
• Champion a campus-wide culture of career readiness that integrates professional competencies across academic and co-curricular experiences.
• Serve as a member of the Vice President’s leadership team, contributing to divisional strategy, student retention efforts, and institutional planning initiatives.
• Oversee budget planning, resource allocation, staffing, and program assessment.
• Establish measurable goals and use data analytics to inform continuous improvement and ensure programs meet evolving student and workforce needs.
• Expand and strengthen relationships with employers, industry partners, community organizations, and alumni to create meaningful internship, apprenticeship, and employment opportunities.
• Lead efforts to engage alumni in mentorship, networking, and career programming initiatives.
• Provide training and resources for on-campus supervisors to foster inclusive, developmental, and career-connected student employment practices.
• Serve as a member of the divisional leadership team, as well as represent the division on various committees, work group and task forces related to student success.
• Lead institutional reporting and compliance related to career outcomes, state workforce data tracking, and accreditation requirements.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state and university laws and policies.

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field with eleven years of experience in higher education, including seven years of leadership experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Progressive leadership experience in career services, workforce development, or student success initiatives.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage budgets, and oversee complex programs.
• Experience building partnerships across academic and administrative units.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using assessment and outcomes data.
• Demonstrated experience in developing, implementing, and leading successful initiatives in college/university career development/services.
• Commitment to centering the work on the current needs of students.

• Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, counseling, or a related field.
• Experience engaging employers, alumni, and community stakeholders in career initiatives.
• Knowledge of workforce trends, experiential learning models, and national best practices in career readiness.

• Strong understanding of student development theories, student populations, and best practices in higher education.
• Excellent leadership, communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to make data-driven decisions to maintain a nimble environment.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Budget management…