Director of Career Services

J ob Title: Director of Career Services Department: Provosts Office Employment Type: Exempt, 12-month, (1.0 FTE) Full-Time Staff Salary Range: $36,000 - $56,000 Job Summary The Director of Career Services serves as an architect of student career and vocational readiness at EMU in collaboration with key stakeholders across the university. Situated within academic affairs, this role bridges the gap between academic advising and professional preparation. The Director is focused on integrating career development into the student educational experience for both undergraduate and graduate students. The Director guides students from their first year through graduation, helping them explore majors, clarify their calling, and build the professional assets (resumes, interview skills) needed to succeed in the marketplace. This position is responsible for building a data-informed culture that is core to Academic Affairs, utilizing assessment and outcomes data to drive strategic decision-making and continuous improvement. The coach also develops and supervises student employees who extend the reach and impact of career services across campus. This role works in close partnership with the members of Provost Council for a collaborative and integrated approach to student career development and career related experiential learning. This role includes the teaching of one class or maximum of 3SH annually as part of the job responsibilities. Duties/Responsibilities Student Career Coaching: Provide one-on-one and group coaching to help students identify their strengths and interests using career self-assessments (e.g., Strong Interest Inventory, CliftonStrengths, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator). Guide students through major exploration and career path clarification to ensure academic alignment with professional goals. Review and critique professional documents, including resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and graduate school applications. Conduct mock interviews and provide feedback on professional presentation and communication. Prepare students to engage effectively with alumni mentors, employer partners, and internship opportunities Faculty & Classroom Integration: Partner with faculty members to embed career readiness into the curriculum, ensuring equitable access to career preparation for all majors. Deliver guest lectures and presentations in classrooms on topics such as professional branding, job search strategies, networking, and the NACE Career Readiness Competencies (critical thinking, communication, teamwork, professionalism, leadership, equity and inclusion, career management, technology). Coordinate professional guest speakers for classes to connect academic theory with industry practice. Provide faculty with resources and consultation on integrating experiential learning and career exploration into course design (Career Related Experiential Learning). Student Employee Development & Supervision: Recruit, train, and supervise student employees (e.g., peer career coaches, event assistants, social media coordinators, data collection assistants) Build student employee capacity to deliver peer-to-peer career coaching, workshop facilitation, marketing initiatives, and assessment support. Create structured professional development opportunities for student employees that enhance their own career readiness (including NACE competencies) while expanding office capacity. Delegate appropriate responsibilities to student staff to maximize impact and sustainability of programming. Foster a collaborative team culture that models EMU's values of service, justice, and community. Assessment, Data & Continuous Improvement: Design and implement comprehensive assessment strategies to evaluate the effectiveness of career programming, student engagement, and post-graduation outcomes. Collect, analyze, and report on student participation metrics, satisfaction surveys, career readiness indicators (e.g., internship completion rates, experiential learning participation), and alignment with NACE Career Readiness Competencies. Administer and analyze First Destination Survey data in collaboration with Alumni Affairs and Institutional Research to track graduate employment, continuing education, and career outcomes within 6 months of graduation (and other increments). Use quantitative and qualitative data to inform strategic planning, identify gaps in service delivery, advocate for resources, and demonstrate return on investment. Develop dashboards and visual reports to communicate impact to leadership, faculty, and external stakeholders. Establish baseline metrics and set measurable goals for student engagement, satisfaction, and career outcomes. Regularly present data-driven insights and recommendations to the Provost, Deans, and President to guide decision-making and resource allocation. Set annual goals and prepare annual reports that document student outcomes, office goals and performance Resource Development: Develop and curate career resources, including handouts, online tools, video tutorials, and regular newsletter to highlight opportunities and career tips. Maintain and update career-related content on EMU's website and student portal to ensure accessibility and relevance. Coordinate seamless referrals between internal coaching and external opportunities (e.g., ensuring students have polished resumes before attending employer networking events). Design programming that bridges internal skill-building with external relationship-building (e.g., alumni panels, employer site visits, career fairs). Leverage technology platforms (e.g., Navigate, Linkedin) to enhance student access to career tools and employer connections. Mission Alignment: Support the mission of the EMU by promoting student achievement, professional growth, and equitable access to career development resources. Embed EMU's values of academic excellence, peace and justice and active faith into career coaching conversations and programming. Lead and manage a mid-scale NetVUE grant to completion Required Skills/Abilities Ability to interpret and analyze information for effective decision making. Ability to organize Attention to detail for accurately preparing and maintaining accurate records, correspondence, administer test, and coordinate information. Ability to demonstrate excellent problem-solving and conflict resolution skills, and the ability to deal effectively with a variety of situations and constituents. Ability to take initiative, set goals, prioritize and organize job tasks and workload in order to meet deadlines, ability to complete work in a timely manner and communicate progress routinely. Demonstrated ability to think strategically, critically, and creatively. Ability to use a PC and software such as, Microsoft Office and Google. Ability to operate commonly used office equipment such as a copy machine, fax, phone, etc. Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally with a wide variety of constituents. Ability to build relationships that balance the multiple, varying, and sometimes conflicting interest of diverse stakeholders. Ability to maintain confidential information and materials. Demonstrated commitment to high standards of customer service. Ability to frequently work hours outside of the normal work schedule, such as evenings and weekends. Strong interpersonal and active listening skills, with the ability to relate well to students across diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Proficiency in resume/cover letter review, LinkedIn optimization, and interview preparation. Strong presentation and facilitation skills for classroom engagement, workshops, and training sessions. Ability to collaborate effectively with faculty, staff, and external partners across departments and divisions. Data literacy: Ability to collect, analyze, interpret, and communicate quantitative and qualitative data to inform decision-making and demonstrate impact. Assessment m