Senior Director, Career Development

Title: Senior Director, Career Development

Employee Classification: AP - Administrative Professional

Pay Grade: AP 09

Division: Advancement

Subdivision: Career Development

Campus

Location:

Main Campus

Eastern Michigan University seeks a dynamic, innovative, and student-centered leader to serve as Senior Director, Career Development within the University Career Development Center. This position represents an exciting opportunity to help reimagine career development at Eastern Michigan University and strengthen the ways EMU prepares students to translate their education, experiences, talents, and aspirations into meaningful careers and lives. The successful candidate will understand that career development is not a single office, program, or moment near graduation.

It is an essential part of the student experience and a shared University responsibility. This is a role for a builder, collaborator, and innovator who can help EMU think boldly about the future of career development while translating that vision into programs, partnerships, experiences, and measurable outcomes for students.

The Sr. Director will be a transformative leader who brings an entrepreneurial mindset to career development. Working collaboratively across the University, this individual will help strengthen a career development ecosystem that begins early in the student experience, extends across academic disciplines, and connects students with industry employers, alumni, faculty, staff, and other partners.

Reporting jointly to the Vice President for Advancement and the Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement, the Sr. Director will provide strategic and administrative leadership for career development programs, initiatives, partnerships, technology, communications, and outreach within the University Career Development Center. They will work closely with University partners to develop and implement innovative approaches to career exploration, career readiness, professional development, experiential learning, employer engagement, and student success.

The will expand the reach and impact of career development across the University and ensure students have access to high-quality career resources, experiences, relationships, and opportunities.

• Provide leadership for the development, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of career development programs and initiatives serving EMU students and alumni.
• Help develop and execute a comprehensive vision for career development that integrates career exploration and preparation throughout the student experience.
• Identify opportunities to innovate and expand programming in response to changing student needs, employer expectations, emerging technologies, economic conditions, and workforce trends.
• Build strong partnerships with academic colleges, departments, faculty, advisors, student-success professionals, alumni engagement, advancement, and other University units.
• Develop innovative strategies for engaging students earlier and more consistently in career exploration, professional development, experiential learning, networking, and career preparation.
• Partner with employers, alumni, community organizations, and industry leaders to create meaningful connections and opportunities for students.
• Expand opportunities for internships, experiential learning, mentoring, employer engagement, networking, and other experiences that prepare students for successful transitions from college to career.
• Develop and coordinate programs, workshops, events, resources, and other experiences that strengthen career readiness and professional competencies.
• Provide leadership and support for career fairs, employer engagement programs, networking…