Associate Director Career Management

Department: MCC Engineering Career Develop
Salary/Grade: EXS/9

Job Summary:

The Associate Director, Employer Strategy leads the Engineering Career Development employer relations team and develops comprehensive outreach, marketing, and connection strategies to link employers with McCormick (MCC) students. This role involves designing and implementing career events and programs that engage employers in recruiting MCC students for co-ops, internships, and full-time positions. The Associate Director will create and execute strategies to connect companies and McCormick alumni with students and academic programs, providing valuable industry insights and networking opportunities. Additionally, the Associate Director will offer career education programming that prepares students for professional success and facilitates connections with working alumni and professionals. This role also ensures compliance with all relevant policies, rules, and regulations, and manages the systems and tools that support student access to jobs, events, and opportunities.

Please note: Occasional evening and weekend work. During recruiting season (Sept-Nov, Jan- March), evening hours may be required.

Specific Responsibilities:

Administration

• Develops and implements the strategic direction of state-of-the-art, cutting-edge programs designed to assist students to manage their career experiences.
• Creates and manages administrative process and practices ensuring the seamless flow of work and services.
• Manages customer service; creates associated practices & procedures & metrics to measure success.
• Partners with peer institutions to share best practices, cutting-edge delivery of services and resources.
• Researches state-of-the-art enhancements, market/economic conditions and implements changes that improve resources and services.

Technology

• Manages and implements technology ensuring that resources and services are delivered using best practices.
• Ensures necessary hardware, software & network infrastructure services are obtained and implemented.
• Participates in developing IT strategy to meet the mission & needs of program

Accounting/Budget

• Ensures that the program meets associated revenue & expense goals.
• Develops and implements ideas for improving business processes, and increasing program revenues and margins.

Advising/Counseling

• Supervises programs and services that provide personalized, counseling and advising that focuses on self-assessment, research, job and internship search strategies, reflection, and strategic decision making.
• Oversees & ensures that day-to-day operations are appropriately managed, efficient and effective.
• Oversees all daily, monthly & annual financial activities including transactions, analysis, & reporting.
• Manages customer service; creates associated practices & procedures & metrics to measure success.
• Connects students with alumni and professionals for employment opportunities. Maintains knowledge of job market trends and hiring practices in a range of fields

Relationships

• Partners with internal/external departments, faculty, alumni and employers to identify career pathways and create an outreach plan to engage organizations that will result in opportunities spanning a broad range of industries and geographies.
• Develops & executes strategies to involve internal/external constituents and cultivate new alumni, corporate, institutional &/or foundation collaborations.
• Identifies opportunities and develops strategies for connecting students with alumni and industry experts who will provide academic and/or career resources such as mentoring, coaching, lectures, workshops etc.
• Develops and implements initiatives to enhance the quality and quantity of organizations that recruit on campus, targeting alternative and non-traditional organizations and those not currently participating.
• Builds and nurtures increasing numbers of new relationships with a diverse array of alumni and employers that will increase program profile, and University reputation and visibility.

Marketing/Public Relations

• Directs program marketing/advertising efforts ensuring that resources and services are effectively promoted.
• Identifies and implements short- and long-term strategies and plans to meet program goals.
• Engages in outreach/field relations serving a number of goals, including increasing participation, value, resources, etc. to support continued program development & improvement.
• Interacts with internal/external resources & organizations to identify new resources & opportunities to improve program.
• Manages marking/advertising efforts for target audiences.
• Advises professional staff on implementation of marketing plan.

Programs/Events

• Develops a comprehensive set of programs such as lectures, speaker series, workshops, conferences, trainings, cultural events etc. in collaboration with internal & external resources.
• Develops proposals & recruits leaders for interdisciplinary programs.
• Manages the ongoing development and refinement of the program's curriculum/topic in consultation with subject matter experts.
• Continually assesses and innovates programs to achieve goals.
• Develops strategy to increase program value, resources and participants.
• Oversees school/college based recruiting events and activities.
• Manages school specific internships, co-op program, or initiatives tailored to a school/college need.

Evaluation

• Manages development & implementation of evaluation processes, quantitative & qualitative measurements that ensure that program benchmarks are successfully attained and communicated in a timely and efficient manner.
• Manages evaluation processes; recommends & implements changes for enhancement; monitors effectiveness through follow-up evaluation studies.
• Collaborates with internal/external resources to develop meaningful outcome measurements and methods of program evaluation that will lead to enhancement.

Compliance

• Manages compliance with all applicable federal, state, local & NU laws, regulations, policies & procedures.
• Develops the creation &/or implementation of associated training.

Supervises

• Supervises 1-2 staff.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience and 5 years' career counseling/advising in higher education or 5 years' of industry experience; or other relevant experience required; OR
• Successful completion of a full course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a master's or JD or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience and 4 years' career counseling/advising in higher education or 4 years' of industry experience; or other relevant experience required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with technology in recruiting either career-related CSM systems or applicant tracking systems
• Broad knowledge of recruiting process in a variety of different fields
• Ability to develop talented professionals and form highly functioning teams.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of career development process; familiarity with employer hiring needs; the ability to interact effectively with employers at the executive or managerial level.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently yet be an accomplished team player.
• Leadership, initiative, creativity and judgment. Attention to detail.
• Demonstrated project management skills and ability to prioritize in a demanding environment.
• Strong customer service orientation and attitude; high degree of sensitivity, tact and diplomacy. Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
• General aptitude and ease with computer applications including Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of recriting systems such as Handshake, LinkedIn, Grad Leaders, Symplicity, 12Twenty

Target hiring range for this position will be between $78,482 - $91,652 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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