Program Director, Careers in Education Professions, Director of Strategic Initiatives in Masters Enrollment - JR26954-3800

at University of Chicago in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Job Description

• Works independently to support Careers in Education Professions programming curriculum to drive student career development, leveraging best practices and industry understanding to support student satisfaction.
• Organizes and leads programs and workshops to support and drive outstanding placement success in education and related fields across class years.
• Utilizes first-hand knowledge and skills gained from industry experience to successfully counsel and advise students interested in pursuing a career in a variety of education fields, including graduate and teaching certification programs.
• Assists students with professional resumes/cover letters, general career guidance and industry exploration discussions.
• Develops and maintains efficient methods to track student data, quantify student engagement, monitors outcomes progress; regularly considers and communicates program successes to Career Advancement, ESA, program donors and University leadership through the creation of memos, proposals, reports, and other written material.
• Analyzes markets and trends as they relate to job searches. Assesses student feedback and evaluations and collaborates with other career services staff members, student organizations, or other staff to determine program offerings and innovations.
• Oversees the development and implementation of a strategic employer development and management strategy including outreach to new employers, delivery of high-quality support and customer service to current employer partners, and employer visits as appropriate.
• Acts as a Careers in Education Professions ambassador at Career Advancement, Admissions, and other campus events such as student activities fair, and orientation week. Summarizes and presents information at knowledge-sharing meetings with colleagues.
• Works closely with the Urban Education Institute, the Social Sciences Division and other campus partners to assess and improve top employers' awareness of UChicago programs and students.
• Serves as point of contact for Universities collaborating with UChicago on Master's programs. Uses best practices to build relationships and assess outcomes.
• Works with software vendors and campus stakeholders to ensure application systems can easily apply to graduate programs across the University. Works independently to gather and disseminate real-time admissions data.
• Uses best practices to target students originally from the Chicagoland area who may want to return to Chicago for their post-graduate career and drive applications to UChicago programs. Also coordinates outreach to guidance counselors and private career counselors in the Chicagoland area.
• Collaborates with campus partners and ESA resources to create promotional materials for external students interested in the career opportunities offered by UChicago graduate master's programs.
• Hosts spring career director fly-in inviting career advisers from select Universities.Collaborate across campus to select participants and plan logistics of the event.
• Leverages virtual technology to provide innovative programs and oversees communications strategy to foster student engagement and satisfaction.
• Collaborates with Employer Relations to share information on student recruiting interests, guides the design and execution of large-scale industry events, supports Metcalf internship and full-time placements, and meets with recruiters and/or alumni to discuss recruiting strategies and hiring needs.
• Manages or provides support to additional Career Advancement initiatives as assigned, including events and career fairs.
• Conducts job search and career management related large lectures, hands-on workshops, special events, training programs, and one-on-one career coaching sessions. Acts as a resource for and directs students to other career resources as needed.
• Analyzes markets and trends as they relate to job searches. Assesses student feedback and evaluations and collaborates with other career services staff members, student organizations, or other staff to determine program offerings and innovations.
• Performs other related work as needed.

• Bachelor's degree or higher.

• Career advising or admissions experience with students or young professionals.
• Expertise in counseling, program development, or a related area.
• Strong coaching or counseling skills.

• Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience utilizing Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or other digital platform for meetings and events.

• Deep commitment to customer service, strong interpersonal skills and a high level of professionalism when interacting with internal and external clients.
• Support students, staff, and other constituents from diverse backgrounds.
• Multitask, meet deadlines, and work successfully and positively in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience working with college-aged students and/or new recent college graduates strongly preferred; experience developing and managing an internship program a plus.
• Expertise in program development, or a related area.
• Demonstrated success in maintaining collaborative relationships with diverse constituencies.
• Strong coaching or counseling skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills; strong interpersonal, quantitative, and networking skills.
• Experience developing and delivering presentations, and communicate to large groups as well as one-on-one with students, senior management, faculty, and alumni.
• Develops strong relationships with a wide variety of constituents, including employers and external partners like alumni and parents, students, faculty, staff, and senior leadership.
• Outcomes-driven and action-oriented attitude, prioritize work and meet deadlines.
• Problem-solving and reasoning, critical thinking and decision-making skills.
• Exemplary organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Handle sensitive matters with tact and discretion, and maintain confidentiality.

• Work evening hours and weekends on an occasional basis, generally 1-2 days per month.
• Travel, generally two or three times per year.

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter (required)
• Professional References Contact Information (3)(required)