Manager of Career Services

Location: Salem

Position Title:

Manager of Career Access Reports Directly To:
Vice President of Student Experience & Success

Location:

Remote with occasional travel to campus or Hybrid is Salem, WV FLSA Status:
Exempt

Position Summary:

The Manager of Career Access provides strategic leadership for Salem University’s career development, employer engagement, experiential learning, workforce partnership, and graduate employment initiatives. This position is responsible for developing and executing a university-wide Career Access strategy that prepares students and alumni to achieve their professional goals while strengthening connections among academic programs, employer needs, and regional workforce opportunities. The manager leads career readiness programming, employer relationship development, internship and experiential learning initiatives, graduate employment support, and career outcomes reporting.

The position works closely with Academic Affairs, Student Experience & Success, Institutional Effectiveness, alumni, faculty, and University leadership to integrate career preparation throughout the student experience. The manager also collaborates with the Office of Growth & Development on institutional and workforce partnerships while independently cultivating career-focused relationships that create internships, clinical experiences, apprenticeships, externships, job-shadowing opportunities, and employment pipelines. Emphasis is placed on expanding opportunities within healthcare, education, business, technology, and vocational and skilled-trades sectors.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities The duties listed below are representative of the responsibilities of this position. Additional duties may be assigned based on departmental or organizational needs. Strategic Leadership and Career Access Planning Develop and execute a comprehensive University-wide Career Access strategic plan aligned with institutional goals and student success priorities. Establish annual goals, operating plans, performance measures, and service expectations for Career Access.

Develop scalable career development programs that support students from enrollment through graduation and into employment. Advise University leadership regarding career readiness trends, graduate employment needs, employer expectations, and workforce developments. Identify opportunities to strengthen the integration of career development throughout the student lifecycle. Promote a university-wide culture in which career readiness and workforce preparation are shared institutional priorities. Develop policies, procedures, service models, and operating standards that support consistent and effective Career Access services.

Employer Engagement and Workforce Partnerships Develop and maintain relationships with employers, healthcare systems, school districts, government agencies, nonprofits, trade associations, workforce organizations, and community partners. Build employer pipelines that support internships, clinical experiences, apprenticeships, externships, job-shadowing, project-based learning, and graduate employment. Serve as the primary Career Access liaison for employer and industry partners. Collaborate with the Office of Growth & Development on institutional partnerships, workforce initiatives, and employer engagement opportunities.

Maintain clear coordination with Growth & Development to avoid duplication and ensure alignment between institutional partnerships and career-focused employer relationships. Develop employer engagement strategies that increase job postings, recruiting activity, internship opportunities, and employment pipelines. Support the creation and administration of partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding, and experiential learning arrangements in collaboration with appropriate University departments. Monitor employer satisfaction and identify opportunities to expand, renew, and strengthen partnerships.

Represent Salem University at employer meetings, workforce events, professional associations, advisory groups, and community initiatives. Career Development and Student Services Oversee comprehensive career development services for…