Director Operations, Career Services

Compensation Range:

Annual Salary: $71,360.00 - $96,340.00

Position Summary

The Director of Career Services provides strategic leadership and oversight for all career services functions, including career coaching, professional development programming, and job and internship for both students and alumni.  This role is responsible for cultivating and maintaining collaborative partnerships with employers, admissions teams, student services, faculty, and alumni relations to effectively meet the career needs of National University students and graduates.

Serving as the lead for career services across the National University Systems, the Director sets departmental priorities, establishes goals, and aligns initiatives with the university’s broader strategic objectives. This includes overseeing the administration and optimization of the university’s career services platform, Handshake, ensuring staff and stakeholders are well-trained and the tool is fully leveraged to support student success.

The Director also leads the planning and execution of key engagement initiatives such as virtual career fairs, career development workshops, and employer information sessions.

Essential Functions:  

• Lead and mentor a team of career advisors and support staff, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for career advising services that supports students' career exploration, planning, and success across all degree programs.
• Establish clear goals, metrics, and assessment tools to measure the effectiveness and impact of career services.
• Oversee the design and delivery of one-on-one career advising, workshops, classroom presentations, and career programming.
• Ensure the integration of career readiness competencies into advising sessions, student programming, and curriculum partnerships.
• Manage career technology platforms (e.g., Handshake) to enhance student and employer engagement.
• Cultivate and expand relationships with employers, industry professionals, and community organizations to increase high-quality job, internship, and experiential learning opportunities.
• Collaborate with academic departments, alumni relations, and external partners to identify and promote pathways for students into in-demand careers.
• Represent the institution at industry events, conferences, and employer meetings to enhance visibility and recruitment pipelines.
• Partner with faculty and academic leadership to embed career development into academic programs.
• Collaborate with student services, admissions, and alumni affairs to create a seamless and student-centered support model.
• Maintains and regularly updates content on the Career Services website to ensure accuracy, relevance, and accessibility.
• Serve as a thought leader on emerging career trends and workforce needs, informing institutional planning and curricular relevance.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:  

• Direct Leadership and oversight of up to 10 Career Advisors and 1 Associate Director.
• Write and deliver annual performance evaluations.
• Direct oversight of all performance management action inclusive of direct coaching, HR performance action delivery.
• Implement and lead Individual development plans for all team members.

Requirements: 

Education & Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree required.  
• Master's degree preferred. 
• Minimum of seven (7) years related experience required. 
• Five (5) years of leadership experience preferred, 3 years required. 
• Experience in higher education preferred. 
• All skills, abilities and education will be considered for minimum qualifications 

Technical / Functional Skills 

• Strong oral and written communication skills, Computer skills in MS Office and Handshake job portal and other career-related technologies. Ability to work with diverse populations. 

Competencies  

• Skills in educational and career counseling. 
• Knowledge of employment trends and current job market information. 
• Knowledge of resume construction, job search strategies, career resources and internet resources. 
• Corporate relations experience preferred. 
• Knowledge of virtual career service tools and services preferred.   
• Familiarization with career assessment tools. 

Travel:   Minimal travel required up to 10%

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Candidate receiving offers will be offered a salary/pay rate commensurate with experience that vary based on a candidate’s qu