Career Coach

About the role

This position is 100% grant‑funded for up to four years through the Department of Education. Reporting to the Assistant Director of Career Services & Employer Relations, the Career Coach serves as a key member of the Career Services & Experiential Learning team at Harrisburg University, with a primary focus on delivering comprehensive career counseling and outreach to students. The role supports students—including underrepresented and low‑income groups—in identifying, developing, and achieving their career goals through individualized coaching, programming, and access to experiential learning opportunities. The Career Coach works collaboratively with internal departments and external partners, including employers and alumni, to create and sustain career pathways that align with students’ academic and professional aspirations. The ideal candidate demonstrates a strong commitment to equity and inclusion and the ability to effectively support a diverse student population.

Responsibilities

• Provide one‑on‑one and group career coaching to students, covering career exploration, job‑search strategies, resume and cover‑letter development, and interview preparation.
• Deliver workshops, classroom presentations, and career‑related programming to support student career readiness.
• Assist students in identifying and pursuing internships, apprenticeships, and other experiential learning opportunities.
• Proactively engage students through targeted outreach strategies to increase utilization of career services.
• Establish and maintain relationships with employers, alumni, and community partners to expand career opportunities for students.
• Collaborate with faculty and program leads to align career development initiatives with academic programs.
• Partner with faculty and program leads to assess gaps in internship availability and proactively engage employers and community partners to co‑create opportunities that align with program‑specific workforce needs.
• Assist in tracking student engagement and outcomes related to career services and experiential learning.
• Help create streamlined programming in addition to existing services by connecting key personnel on collaborative initiatives.

General Expectations

• Apply best efforts and full capability each day to the work assigned by the manager.
• Advise the manager when an assignment is not understood, conflicts with knowledge, skills, or available resources, or when obstacles or improvement opportunities arise.
• Understand and demonstrate the organization’s cultural expectations.

Minimum Role Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, leadership, human resources, or a related field, or equivalent work experience in career services, corporate recruitment, and/or corporate/external relations.

Preferred Qualifications & Skills

• Experience in career coaching, advising, student services, or workforce development.
• Excellent writing, presentation, project management, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strong, collaborative relationships with colleagues, students, and employers.
• Proficiency in Windows and Microsoft Office.
• Experience with computer‑based integrated student databases and openness to new technology.
• Ability to utilize web and social media platforms for recruitment; knowledge of LinkedIn, Handshake, customer relationship management (Slate), and a student information system (Jenzabar or Stellic).