Executive Director of Career Development
Job Summary
The Career Development Center is seeking an Executive Director of Career Development. This is a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, professional faculty position.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership, Vision and Management
University Engagement, Career Integration and Student Experience
External Relations, Employer Engagement and Workforce Partnerships
Assessment, Data and Continuous Improvement
Student Affairs and Institutional Leadership
Qualifications
Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, counseling, education, business, human resources, organizational leadership, career development or a related field.
Four years progressively responsible leadership experience in career development, student affairs, higher education administration, workforce development, employer relations, experiential learning, academic/student success programming or a related field.
Experience leading strategic planning, program development, implementation and assessment for complex programs or services.
Three years supervisory experience, including hiring, training, coaching, performance management and supporting professional development of staff.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain collaborative partnerships across a complex organization, including with faculty, staff, administrators, students and external stakeholders.
A commitment to promoting and enhancing inclusive excellence.
Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with senior leaders, campus partners, employers, alumni, students and community stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to use data, assessment and evidence-based practices to inform decision-making, evaluate outcomes and guide continuous improvement.
Experience managing budgets, resources, projects, technology systems or operational processes.
Ability to exercise independent judgment, diplomacy, discretion and confidentiality in a complex and highly collaborative environment.
Preferred Qualifications
Doctoral degree in higher education, student affairs, education, leadership, counseling, workforce development or a related field.
Significant leadership experience in a college or university career center or in a role responsible for institution-wide career development strategy.
Experience leading career development initiatives across multiple campuses, modalities or student populations, including undergraduate, graduate and online learners.
Experience integrating career development into curricular and co-curricular learning environments in partnership with faculty, academic leadership, advisors and student success units.
Experience developing or leading employer relations, alumni engagement, experiential learning, internship, mentoring or workforce partnership strategies.
Knowledge of national trends, standards and best practices in career development, career readiness, inclusive career education, employer engagement and post-graduation outcomes.
Experience working within a large, public, land-grant or research university environment.
Experience with career development technologies, career management systems, data dashboards, survey processes or student success platforms.
Demonstrated success leading organizational change, building shared vision and aligning diverse stakeholders around institutional priorities.
Knowledge of Oregon State University’s student experience, academic structure, campuses, Ecampus, OSU-Cascades, Student Affairs, alumni networks, employer partnerships or workforce development landscape.
Working Conditions/Schedule
The Executive Director works in a fast-paced environment with a mix of in-person and virtual responsibilities. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required to support career-related events. The position involves occasional travel to engage with employers, alumni, and community partners.
Salary Range
$123,800-$136,800
Anticipated Start Date
2026-10-01
Equal Opportunity Employer
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status. OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire. OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system.