Director of Center for Career and Vocation
Director, Center for Career and Vocation
Full time
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Director of Center for Career and Vocation is responsible for the overall operation
and management of the Center for Career and Vocation. The center provides career
and vocational advising and resources to Bluffton students and a centralized place
of contact for outside organizations interested in working with our students and alumni.
The director provides leadership and vision for the center, is responsible for implementing
the center’s programming and supervises the center’s staff, including a graduate assistant
and student workers. The director works closely with faculty and staff members to
integrate e-portfolios, internships and service learning into the academic program.
The director also works closely with organizations in the surrounding communities
to connect students and alumni with experiential learning and employment opportunities.
The center maintains a database of jobs, internships, fellowships and volunteer/service
experiences, as well as tracking students post graduate destinations. The center
provides a place for exploration of vocation through information gathering, individual
meetings, social networking, programming and discussions.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The director will:
- Direct and coordinate activities related to vocational exploration and career development for all students, including portfolio development and the professional use of technology.
- Determine goals and learning objectives for the center for career and vocation.
- Work closely with academic affairs staff, and other on-campus departments, to develop integrated programming and resources, including an annual assessment plan of student learning.
- Supervise graduate assistant(s). Typical priorities for the GA in career and vocation include: training student staff members, maintaining an up-to-date web and social media presence, developing and maintaining online resources (including the College Central Network), meeting 1:1 with students and alumni.
- Provide professional and up-to-date career advising and a space for intentional vocational discernment for students and alumni.
- Serve as the academic advisor for First Year exploring/deciding students and provide back-up advising for others as requested by the registrar’s office.
- Conduct an annual First Destination Success survey, strategic assessment and data gathering to determine efficacy of new and existing programs.
- Conduct presentations for a variety of majors and grade levels based on need and request.
- Coordinate a recruiting process, including posting jobs on-line for students and alumni, initiating network contacts, and facilitating on-campus recruitment.
- Coordinate both on-campus and off-campus job, internship, and graduate school fairs for students, including work with regional and state partners.
- Serve as liaison between Bluffton University and external employers (which includes facilitating opportunities for internships, employment, volunteering, and general networking opportunities for students).
- Network with area colleges and consortiums to enhance and maximize opportunities for students.
- Work with the Musselman Library and Writing Center to coordinate the use of shared spaces, and with the Musselman Library to develop and maintain career and vocation resources.
- Engage in continuing education and the development of vibrant resources that address the needs of diverse student populations.
- Serve as a resource for faculty and staff around key professional development strategies, such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Strong Interest Inventory, StrengthsFinder and electronic portfolios.
- As part of this position, an additional area of responsibility will likely be added to this position, such as directing the organizational management program (OMP).
OCCASIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The director will on occasion:
- Host evening and weekend hours as needed for students and alumni access.
- Meet with prospective students and parents as requested.
- Create, implement, and evaluate a communication plan, in consultation with the PR/Communications office.
- Pursue, in consultation with the advancement and development offices, grants and other sources of funding to increase the resources available to students and alumni.
- Teach as needed and available
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to satisfactorily perform the essential duties of this job.
- Education and/or Experience: Bachelor’s Degree required; Master’s Degree in relevant field preferred; previous experience in career development preferred.
- Special Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong computer skills, ability to manage several tasks simultaneously, must stay up to date with new fields and career information.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS / WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical demands and/or work environment described here are representative of
those that must be met or will be encountered by the employee while performing the
essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
APPLICATION MATERIALS:
Applications are considered complete when the following materials are received at
the office indicated below:
- Letter of interest
- Resume
- Completed Bluffton employment application
Send application materials to:
nislyl@bluffton.edu
Attn: Lamar Nisly
Vice president of Academic Affairs
Bluffton University
1 University Drive
Bluffton, OH 45817-2104