Associate Director, Career Center

JOB SUMMARY

The Associate Director, Career Center applies strategic leadership and creative thinking to expand and manage employer partnerships, strengthen student career readiness, and create meaningful professional opportunities for students and alumni. Leads employer engagement and recruiting initiatives, oversees signature career programs and events, provides career advisement, develops presentations and workshops, and collaborates across campus to support student success that results in fulfilling professional experiences and careers.

• Develop and implement strategic recruiting initiatives that foster and sustain partnerships with employers, organizations, and industry leaders in support of RISD talent. Build and maintain relationships with companies across creative sectors and others to expand internship, employment, and networking opportunities for students and alumni. Research industry trends, identify emerging growth areas, and cultivate new employer contacts and partnerships. Collaborate with career center colleagues on coordinated employer outreach strategies to increase participation in career center programs and events.
  
  Organize and facilitate employer engagement opportunities including information sessions, design talks, alumni and industry panels, recruiting interviews, and curated portfolio reviews.

• Lead and oversee major Career Center recruiting and engagement events, including:
  Internship Connect (Fall Internship Fair), Design Portfolio Review, Fine Arts Portfolio Review. Manage all aspects of event planning and execution, including employer recruitment, logistics, communications, and student preparation for attending. Manage assessment of these programs through surveying and produce data reports on participation from students, alumni, and employers. Periodically, collaborate with Alumni and Family Relations to plan and deliver programming and resources that support our students and alumni such as the Trek program composed of site visits, career panels, and portfolio reviews.

• Design and deliver innovative career readiness programming through workshops, webinars, seminars, classroom presentations, and other in‑person and virtual formats. Partner with faculty and academic departments to create discipline‑specific career development programming tailored to student needs, interests, and industry trends. Support students in developing professional competencies, industry knowledge, and career readiness skills aligned with evolving creative markets.

• Develop systems and processes to evaluate student engagement and outcomes related to major career events, programs, internships, and employment opportunities. Analyze and regularly report program data and outcomes to the Career Center Director and other constituencies at the college. Work with the Career Center Director to develop strategic planning initiatives that engage our students in the development of their career readiness.

• Manage the job board and internship processing components of Art Works (12
  
  Twenty Career Management Database System) where all full‑time, part‑time, freelance opportunities are posted by employers and arts organizations including grant and residency opportunities. Working with our Operations Coordinator to assure timely approval and posting of opportunities along with outreach to companies and organizations to resolve issues. Working with our Internship Manager to assure the processing of all internships, troubleshoot and resolve issues, coordinate outreach to faculty and administrative staff in support of internship…