Career Coach​/Alumni & Manager

Reportsto the Associate Director of Employer Connections and is part of a team of coaches who develop and deliver creative and effective programming and curriculum to facilitate career development for Wheaton College students and young alumni. Executes core services of the CVC. This is a full-time position and pays $55,000-$59,000 annually.

• Conducts one-on-one career coaching appointments and drop-in sessions for Wheaton College students and young alumni.
• Designs career education content with a particular focus on reaching current students through classroom presentations and short workshops.
• Collaborates with the Associate Director to identify job and/or internship opportunities and communicates those opportunities to a wide range of students. Stays informed about key employers and trends in the marketplace.
• Builds and maintains a diverse network of Wheaton alumni and industry professionals to serve as resources to Wheaton students and CVC team.
• Participates in larger CVC team, including engagement with the CVC Ambassador team to provide supervision and training to equip student staff for their role, supporting and leading Career Education events as required, and various projects to support the mission of the CVC.
• Functions as a thought leader (a person whose views are taken to be authoritative and influential) to help build a wider culture of career development at Wheaton College; tracks engagement to measure effectiveness of efforts.
• Builds strong partnerships with student leader groups and campus offices to facilitate student engagement in career development; functions as a thought leader to help build a wider culture of career development at Wheaton; tracks engagement to measure effectiveness of efforts.

Under the supervision of the Associate Director, the Alumni & Employer Manager identifies and cultivates strategic partnerships to bridge the gap between academic preparation and professional outcomes. This role acts as a primary liaison between the Center for Vocation and Career (CVC) and the broader professional community, fostering a culture of career readiness through intentional employer engagement, alumni networking, and collaborative programming.

By practicing empathetic listening and proactive outreach, the Manager translates the needs of our students and the mission of the college into meaningful opportunities.

• Alumni Engagement Pipeline:
  Create a "Wheaton-to-Work" ecosystem. Identify and recruit alumni who are willing to serve as mentors, host externships, or advocate for hiring Wheaton graduates within their organizations.
• Tiered Partner Management:
  Build on the CVC’s strategy to segment employers (e.g., Strategic Partners, Engaged Recruiters, Transactional Contacts) to ensure the most valuable partnerships receive high-touch, personalized service.
• Industry‑Specific Networking:
  Design and host events that go beyond traditional career fairs, such as alumni‑student networking mixers, industry panels, or "Employer‑in‑Residence" days where partners host office hours for students.
• Experiential Learning Coordination:
  Work with the CVC team to identify and promote internship, micro‑internship, or project‑based learning opportunities provided by your employer partners.
• Externship Facilitation:
  Organize site visits to companies where students can experience company culture firsthand, helping to bridge the gap between classroom theory and real‑world application.
• Feedback Loop:
  Regularly survey recruiters and alumni mentors regarding the preparedness of Wheaton students. Use this feedback to inform the coaching team about emerging skill gaps (e.g., specific software needs, soft skills, or industry‑specific certifications).
• Outcome Tracking:
  Utilize platforms (like Handshake) to track and report on employer engagement metrics, ensuring that the work is directly impacting student placement and internship rates.

This job description is intended to represent key areas of responsibilities; specific assignments may vary from time to time, and other duties may be assigned.

• Minimum of two…