Associate Director for Career Education

About the role

The Associate Director for Career Education will provide guidance and leadership in the development and implementation of intentional, ongoing career development services for NC State students through programming and utilization of the varied skills and experiences of the Career Development Center’s career counseling staff. In addition, the position will serve as a member of the Career Development Center’s strategic leadership team.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the career counseling team by establishing operational priorities, goals, and service delivery strategies that align with the Career Development Center’s mission and broader university strategic plan.
• Engage and collaborate with university entities, academic departments, and faculty to position the Career Development Center staff as campus-wide career development experts and build specialized programming for targeted student populations.
• Career Development Strategy & Operations
  • Coordinate with and support career counseling staff in developing and providing programming and services to encourage and promote career development among students across all of NC State University’s colleges and majors served by the Career Development Center.
  • Lead the selection, implementation, and staff training for career management tools, ePACK utilization, and foundational career programming.
  • Serve as an information resource and strategic consultant for departmental practitioners; support major center-wide events, initiatives, and special projects as requested by the Executive Director.
  • Engage in continuous professional development by leveraging industry literature, professional associations, trainings, and conferences to ensure the Career Development Center integrates modern and forward-thinking career practices.
  • Manage the strategic partnership and referral pipeline with the university’s Counseling Center.
• Staff Supervision & Leadership
  • Supervise the career counseling staff and graduate assistants; lead recruitment, hiring, and onboarding efforts for career counseling personnel in consultation with the Executive Director.
  • Conduct annual evaluations of career counseling staff to assess performance, foster professional growth, and provide strategic input to the Executive Director regarding team impact.
  • Facilitate and promote professional development opportunities for graduate student workers and new professionals.
  • Address issues related to professional conduct or responsibilities; initiate timely coaching conversations or interventions as needed.
• Direct Student & College Liaison Services
  • Dedicated career services for the College of Education; develop tailored programming, conduct career counseling, review resumes, and facilitate mock interviews customized for these majors.
  • Build and sustain strategic relationships with College of Education administrators, faculty, and advisors to promote Career Development Center services, secure stakeholder buy-in, and gather feedback on service effectiveness.
  • Provide cross-functional career counseling support for first-year students across all majors and assist with general departmental counseling overflow/drop-in hours as needed.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Counseling, Higher Education Administration, Student Development, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in career services, counseling, student development, or higher education.
• Proven experience supervising full-time professional staff and/or graduate student interns, including establishing operational priorities and conducting performance evaluations.
• Deep knowledge of career development theories, counseling/coaching techniques, and NACE career readiness competencies.
• Demonstrated ability to design, facilitate, and assess career programs and workshops, using data to improve services.
• Experience administering and interpreting career assessment tools (e.g., Focus 2 Career), training staff, and handling sensitive student referrals or crisis management.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills, with a demonstrated ability to motivate teams and advocate for staff and program needs.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to take initiative, think creatively, and manage multiple priorities.
• Proficiency with career services management platforms (e.g., Symplicity/ePACK), web-based tools, and standard office computing software.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience cultivating collaborative partnerships with college faculty, staff, and university administrators to advocate for student-centered initiatives.
• Proven experience developing, managing, and scaling comprehensive projects or departmental initiatives from inception to evaluation.
• Strong track record of working effectively and empathetically with undergraduate students from varied academic backgrounds.