Associate Director, Career Development

Special Instructions to Applicants: 

All interested applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities. 

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.
 

Why This Role Matters:

The Associate Director of Career Development plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of career education at Rice University. As the Center for Career Development (CCD) advances a career ecosystem model, this role serves as a strategic architect—designing, leading, and scaling high-impact initiatives that integrate career readiness across the student experience.

This is a rare opportunity to:

• Influence institutional strategy at a top-20 university

• Design and advise on equitable, outcomes-driven career pathways

• Build innovative programs with real-world impact on student lives

Position Summary:

The Center for Career Development (CCD) at Rice University is a recognized leader in career education, serving one of the most talented and diverse student populations in the country. The Associate Director of Career Development reports to the Director of Career Development and Counseling and serves as a senior member of a collaborative, high-impact team. Moving beyond transactional advising, the Associate Director functions as a portfolio lead for one or more strategically prioritized career pathways, building bridges between academic learning and professional practice. This role is designed for a builder and systems thinker who uses data to inform strategy and centers equity in program design and delivery.

The Associate Director leads high-impact programming, teaches career decision-making courses, delivers individualized and group career counseling, and cultivates strong partnerships with faculty, employers, alumni, and campus stakeholders. This is a visible leadership role with broad influence across the university, as well as an opportunity to join a collaborative, high-impact team at a pivotal time of growth and transformation.

Student Population Served:

Your work will directly support a diverse and globally engaged student community, including:
● ~8,500 undergraduate and graduate students
● ~20% Pell Grant–eligible domestic undergraduates
● ~18–20% first-generation college students
● Students from nearly 100 countries

Ideal Candidate Profile:

The ideal candidate is an equity-minded, innovative career development professional with a strong foundation in career counseling and program design. They bring a strategic, data-informed lens to their work and are motivated by the opportunity to build scalable systems that expand access to high-impact career experiences. They are a collaborative relationship builder who communicates effectively with students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and employers. They are energized by fast-paced, student-centered environments and view equity and inclusion as core design principles rather than add-ons.

Workplace Requirements:

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