Assistant/Associate Director Of Career Communities

This role is open at both the Assistant Director and Associate Director level, depending on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

The AD for Career Communities will lead the development of one of nine industry-focused Career Communities, which will serve as communities of practice for students, faculty, alumni, and employers. The primary goal for this position is to build robust, authentic professional networks for students to access, and for those networks to support the career outcomes of Suffolk students and alumni. This role will be responsible for employer development and engagement within their community’s industry focus, and will also be tasked with building strong relationships with relevant faculty, student organizations, professional associations, and other salient stakeholders. The ADs will be encouraged to implement new and innovative methods for building community and dialogue between all groups and members within their given Career Community.

The nine ADs for Career Communities will report to a Director of Career Communities, and will be part of the larger structure and goals of Suffolk’s Center for Career Education and Professional Development (CEPD). The rest of the CEPD structure will be focused on university-wide and alumni-specific career education efforts, centralized internship and mentoring support, and the operational needs of the Center.

Primary/Principal Responsibilities:

50%

Building Community

• Envision, organize and implement programming aimed at developing authentic networks and connections between students, alumni, faculty, and employers within a given community

• Provide 1-on-1 and small-group career advising and coaching for students

• Become an integrated member of the academic units closely associated with the Career Community’s industry(ies). Learn the curriculum guidelines, be present at department meetings, meet regularly with key faculty, and support in-class initiatives related to career education and development

• Develop innovative, entrepreneurial formats for students, employers, and other stakeholders to connect in meaningful, ongoing ways; collect data on all initiatives to assess outcomes, measure success, and hone future initiatives

• Maintain active communication through social media, targeted emails, and in-person or virtual engagement with students, faculty, alumni, and employers

30%

Employer Development

• Set targets for building new employer partnerships and expanding existing relationships with employers and industries that match students’ and institutional goals

• Work with the AD of Career Equity and Access to educate employers about inclusive hiring practices and the value of sponsoring international students; strengthen relationships with employers who demonstrate a commitment to inclusive hiring practices.

• Develop initiatives to increase employer engagement with Suffolk students and the Career Communities, increase the number of full-time and internship positions posted to Handshake, and increase the number of students and alumni who secured those roles

20%

Supporting University-Wide Career Initiatives

• Support Admissions by providing information, student panelists, data, and career success stories

• Support Alumni initiatives by engaging current alumni and maintaining relationships with students within the Career Community as they transition to alumni status

• Partner closely with colleagues in the Center on general university-wide career education initiatives that may not be specifically targeted toward a particular industry but will benefit from the Career Communities perspective.

Requirements/Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree with at least 3 years of experience in career services, employer relations, recruiting, or direct industry experience in a relevant industry area: accounting, finance, government and nonprofit, healthcare, arts and humanities, management, marketing and communication, social services, or the STEM disciplines
• Demonstrated understanding of broad employment trends and markets globally, as well as in Boston and other major metropolitan areas nationwide.
• Collaborative, creative, innovative, and outgoing spirit; comfortable with change, ambiguity, and risk in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent written communication, public speaking, and listening skills.
• Experience and proficiency using technology and social media for purposes of communication, promotion, and information-gathering; experience with career management technology.
• Demonstrated commitment to quality customer service including professional appearance, demeanor, and comportment; and a high level of responsiveness and care.
• Some travel required locally/regionally to hiring organizations and conferences.