Description
Career and Professional Development (CPD) at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) is seeing candidates for an assistant director position. The Assistant Director of Career Pathways and College Relations will serve as the lead for the Agriculture & Food Pathway and the National Resources Sustainability and Energy Pathway.
The Career Pathways and College Relations team conceptualizes and facilitates programs, services, and resources that help Virginia Tech students explore, gain experiences, and prepare for a successful transition into careers within their designated industry cluster. This team will also provide training and upskilling for all CPD staff on best practices for serving students within a particular industry cluster. This team is responsible for connecting and maintaining relationships with the academic departments/majors that are most relevant to their assigned industry clusters – making them aware of resources, programs, and opportunities for their students. Team members will collaborate with academic departments and student organizations.
Duties/Responsibilities:
55% Advising / Outreach / Student Engagement
o Provide one-on-one advising (in person, virtually, through email, etc.) to students interested in career opportunities within the industries represented by this role on topics such as selecting an academic major, choosing a career direction, developing a job search plan, interviewing (including conducting mock interviews), gaining career-related experience (internships/co-op), writing effective resumes and cover letters, reflecting on career-ready competency development, and researching companies and graduate schools.
o Advise students interested in varying industries as needed/in support of team members.
o Research and present workshops on topics related to job searching and career-ready skills such as resume writing, interviewing, networking, career decision making, and workplace competencies. *
o Work independently and/or collaboratively with team members to develop and facilitate programs involving employers representative of the industries identified for this role. Collaborate with the Employer Engagement and Industry Relations team to identify employers.
o Represent CPD at events offered by Admissions, New Student and Family Programs, and other career fair and outreach opportunities requested by colleges and departments.*
25% - Industry expertise / Programming
o Conceptualize and facilitate programs, services, and resources that help Virginia Tech students explore, gain experiences, and prepare for a successful transition into careers within designated industry cluster.
o With support from team, provide training and upskilling for all CPD staff on best practices for serving students within a particular industry cluster.
o Connect to and maintain relationships with academic departments/majors that are most relevant to designated industry cluster, making them aware of resources, programs, and opportunities for their students. Collaborate with academic departments and student organizations.
o Serve as the key communication conduit to identified departments.
o Serve as an expert on First Destination Report data and other related materials for identified academic departments/majors. Work closely with departments to encourage their students to participate in completing the First Destination survey.
o Collaborate with CPD Employer Engagement and Recruitment Services team to leverage opportunities to learn from, engage with, and partner with employers in designated industry cluster.
15% - VT, CPD, and Team projects/involvement / Program management
Opportunities to serve in one or more of the following ways:
o Serve on university, office, and team task groups as opportunities arise (in consultation with supervisor).
o Serve as a contact to a designated campus partner or facilitate the services and resources for an identified topic.Develop and provide programs to assist students in conjunction with assigned area.
§ Identify resources and develop materials to address student needs related to assigned area.
§ Research and share current trends with students and provide training for Career and Professional Development advisors.
5% - Professional Development
o CPD encourages continual professional development through professional memberships, trainings offered through the university and other outlets, conference attendance, etc. Conversations about annual professional development plans should be discussed with your supervisor.
*May require some evening and weekend work.
CPD currently offers the opportunity to work remotely up to 2 days per week.
Requirements
Required qualifications:
A bachelor’s degree in human development, sociology, psychology, or in a discipline relevant to one of the industry cluster areas served by this position. Experience advising or coaching others. To be successful in this fast-paced work environment, candidates should be energetic, organized, detail oriented, and possess strong interpersonal, communication, and team skills.
Preferred qualifications:
A master’s degree in counseling, higher education administration, student affairs/student personnel services, or related field. Experience in any of the industry areas that this assistant director will champion. Experience in university career services, corporate human resources, or workforce development. Familiarity with assessment tools (such as MBTI, CliftonStrengths, SDS, and TypeFocus) is strongly preferred.
