Director Of Career Development

Organizational Responsibilities:This position reports to the Dean of Career and Student Success and supervises the Assistant Director of Career Development. Job Summary:SMC has a central focus and high priority on preparing students for their future careers through a unique blend of curricular and co-curricular programs. As a result, the Director of Career Development works collaboratively with the SMC Experience team, Professional Development faculty, and all Spartanburg Methodist College community members to provide an innovative and comprehensive program to assist students in discovering, experiencing, and preparing for their career path. The Director is specifically responsible for overseeing career preparation programs, internship programs, developing employer relationships, and the graduate employment rate. While operating as a staff member, the Director will also have faculty status and be responsible for developing and teaching related courses in the Professional Development (PDEV) concentration. Primary Areas of Responsibilities:Strategic Program Development: Create a comprehensive and innovative Career Development program that serves both online and on-ground students, spanning from career discovery and exploration to post-graduate high-quality job placement or promotion. Career programming and events should align with bachelor’s degree growth, student interests, and industry needs. Programming may include, but is not limited to, fairs, workshops, panels, speakers, and presentations. Incorporate the strategic utilization of new and existing SMC career tools, including Handshake, PathwayU, and StrengthsFinder. Career Counseling: Ensure the department effectively conducts individual and group career counseling that assists all students in setting career goals, exploring options, and devising and accomplishing tailored career plans. Resource Management: Manage and assess the effective utilization of Career Development resources, including the department budget, assessments, and tools: Handshake, PathwayU, and StrengthsFinder. Internship, Job, and Graduate School Support: Ensure the department effectively supports students in creating career tools, including resumes, cover letters, and job search strategies. Develop and actively promote internship and employment opportunities for SMC students through face-to-face outreach, email, print, and social media posts, and collaboration with advisors. Support students in the graduate school application process, including hosting graduate school recruiting visits, educational workshops, resources for test prep, and application material creation. Student Employment Outcomes: Responsible for maintaining a post-bachelor’s degree employment rate above 90% by aiding students in obtaining high-quality, professional roles that support the promotion of economic mobility. Faculty Duties: Teach up to six credit hours of Professional Development courses as assigned. In partnership with Professional Development Faculty, contribute to new and innovative Professional Development (including SMC 101 & 201) course content, the department’s approach to curriculum development, experiential learning, and classroom facilitation to provide students with practical skills relevant to their career field. Guide and support students in applying classroom knowledge to real-world experiences. Represent Professional Development as a faculty member, attending faculty meetings and serving on committees when asked. Data Management and Analysis: Regularly collect and analyze career-relevant data to inform the development of new career planning programs and employer relationships and regular assessment of student learning outcomes. Collaboration: Develop and maintain proactive and effective relationships with students, alumni, staff, faculty, and employers. Work with faculty and staff to integrate Career Development initiatives into the overall student experience. Align career services with academic programs and advisors to develop their knowledge of Career pathways, identify needed career preparation opportunities, and partner on program development. Work directly with advising and other campus departments to actively promote and grow SMC’s bachelor’s degree program. Employer & Alumni Engagement: Lead the development of new, high-quality internships and job placements with businesses, organizations, and community partners that reflect a variety of in-demand career fields. Maintain existing alumni and employer connections for mentoring, job shadowing, internships, and networking opportunities to enhance students’ career exploration, development, and placement. Build relationships with local and national employers through in-person and virtual outreach, partnering with the SMC Experience Marketing Director to develop and assess print and digital campaigns. Create a pipeline to fill vacancies and encourage the recruitment of SMC graduates. Campus Involvement: Actively engage in campus activities outside of the Career Services department to promote the department, programs, and build cross-campus relationships with faculty, staff, and students. Assist the Dean in representing Career Development at college-wide events, including Open House and Enrollment Days. Provide general support as a part of the SMC Experience for major campus events, including but not limited to Welcome Week, Orientation, Open House, Enrollment Days, Move-In days, and Commencement. Industry Knowledge: Actively research and stay informed of employment trends, hiring practices, local and national labor market information, and Career Development best practices. Community Involvement: Attend and actively participate in inter-collegiate and community engagement groups, such as College Town and OneSpartanburg. Represent SMC Career Development at community networking events that aid in an awareness of local industry trends to guide students and inform curriculum. Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

• General knowledge of a wide variety of Career paths and skills required for them.
• Excellence in oral and written communication, including the ability to deliver engaging presentations to small and large groups.
• Strong organizational talents, ability to multi-task, and effective use of electronic office tools such as Microsoft Teams, shared Microsoft Docs, electronic calendaring, etc.
• Strong to advanced knowledge of data manipulation in Microsoft Excel.
• Self-starter with demonstrated leadership qualities and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to develop appropriate, welcoming, and productive relationships with a diverse student population.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with college constituents and the community.
• Previous experience in program development, assessment, and improvement.

Working Conditions: This is an on-campus position. Work is normally performed in an office setting and will require significant contact with students, faculty, staff, and the community. The work will include public presentations, both within and outside the classroom. Some evening and weekend responsibilities should be expected. Physical Requirements:

• Ability to move around campus.
• Manual and physical dexterity and visual acuity needed to operate a computer keyboard and handle paper documents.
• Sufficient near vision acuity to read information appearing on a computer monitor, in handwritten form, and printed on paper.
• Adequate hearing and verbal abilities to communicate effectively in person and by telephone.

Education and Experience:

• Master’s Degree required.
• 3-5 years of experience leading student Career Development initiatives, including advising/leading students in internships and other workplace experiences and developing community partnerships. Management level in higher education is preferred.

FLSA: Full time, Exempt NOTE: Review of applicants will not begin before January 3, 2024 due to campus closure for winter break. Organizational Responsibilities:Organizational Responsibilities:Organizational Responsibilities: This position reports to the Dean of Career and Student Success and supervises the Assistant Director of Career Development. Job Summary:Job Summary:Job Summary: SMC has a central focus and high priority on preparing students for their future careers through a unique blend of curricular and co-curricular programs. As a result, the Director of Career Development works collaboratively with the SMC Experience team, Professional Development faculty, and all Spartanburg Methodist College community members to provide an innovative and comprehensive program to assist students in discovering, experiencing, and preparing for their career path. The Director is specifically responsible for overseeing career preparation programs, internship programs, developing employer relationships, and the graduate employment rate. While operating as a staff member, the Director will also have faculty status and be responsible for developing and teaching related courses in the Professional Development (PDEV) concentration. Primary Areas of Responsibilities:Primary Areas of Responsibilities:Primary Areas of Responsibilities:Strategic Program Development: Create a comprehensive and innovative Career Development program that serves both online and on-ground students, spanning from career discovery and exploration to post-graduate high-quality job placement or promotion. Career programming and events should align with bachelor’s degree growth, student interests, and industry needs. Programming may include, but is not limited to, fairs, workshops, panels, speakers, and presentations. Incorporate the strategic utilization of new and existing SMC career tools, including Handshake, PathwayU, and StrengthsFinder. Strategic Program Development: Career Counseling: Ensure the department effectively conducts individual and group career counseling that assists all students in setting career goals, exploring options, and devising and accomplishing tailored career plans. Career Counseling: Resource Management: Manage and assess the effective utilization of Career Development resources, including the department budget, assessments, and tools: Handshake, PathwayU, and StrengthsFinder. Resource Management:Internship, Job, and Graduate School Support: Ensure the department effectively supports students in creating career tools, including resumes, cover letters, and job search strategies. Develop and actively promote internship and employment opportunities for SMC students through face-to-face outreach, email, print, and social media posts, and collaboration with advisors. Support students in the graduate school application process, including hosting graduate school recruiting visits, educational workshops, resources for test prep, and application material creation. Internship, Job, and Graduate School Support:Student Employment Outcomes: Responsible for maintaining a post-bachelor’s degree employment rate above 90% by aiding students in obtaining high-quality, professional roles that support the promotion of economic mobility. Student Employment Outcomes: Faculty Duties: Teach up to six credit hours of Professional Development courses as assigned. In partnership with Professional Development Faculty, contribute to new and innovative Professional Development (including SMC 101 & 201) course content, the department’s approach to curriculum development, experiential learning, and classroom facilitation to provide students with practical skills relevant to their career field. Guide and support students in applying classroom knowledge to real-world experiences. Represent Professional Development as a faculty member, attending faculty meetings and serving on committees when asked. Faculty Duties:Data Management and Analysis: Regularly collect and analyze career-relevant data to inform the development of new career planning programs and employer relationships and regular assessment of student learning outcomes. Data Management and Analysis: Collaboration: Develop and maintain proactive and effective relationships with students, alumni, staff, faculty, and employers. Work with faculty and staff to integrate Career Development initiatives into the overall student experience. Align career services with academic programs and advisors to develop their knowledge of Career pathways, identify needed career preparation opportunities, and partner on program development. Work directly with advising and other campus departments to actively promote and grow SMC’s bachelor’s degree program. Collaboration:Employer & Alumni Engagement: Lead the development of new, high-quality internships and job placements with businesses, organizations, and community partners that reflect a variety of in-demand career fields. Maintain existing alumni and employer connections for mentoring, job shadowing, internships, and networking opportunities to enhance students’ career exploration, development, and placement. Build relationships with local and national employers through in-person and virtual outreach, partnering with the SMC Experience Marketing Director to develop and assess print and digital campaigns. Create a pipeline to fill vacancies and encourage the recruitment of SMC graduates. Employer & Alumni Engagement:Campus Involvement: Actively engage in campus activities outside of the Career Services department to promote the department, programs, and build cross-campus relationships with faculty, staff, and students. Assist the Dean in representing Career Development at college-wide events, including Open House and Enrollment Days. Provide general support as a part of the SMC Experience for major campus events, including but not limited to Welcome Week, Orientation, Open House, Enrollment Days, Move-In days, and Commencement. Campus Involvement:Industry Knowledge: Actively research and stay informed of employment trends, hiring practices, local and national labor market information, and Career Development best practices. Industry Knowledge:Community Involvement: Attend and actively participate in inter-collegiate and community engagement groups, such as College Town and OneSpartanburg. Represent SMC Career Development at community networking events that aid in an awareness of local industry trends to guide students and inform curriculum. Community Involvement:Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

• General knowledge of a wide variety of Career paths and skills required for them.
• Excellence in oral and written communication, including the ability to deliver engaging presentations to small and large groups.
• Strong organizational talents, ability to multi-task, and effective use of electronic office tools such as Microsoft Teams, shared Microsoft Docs, electronic calendaring, etc.
• Strong to advanced knowledge of data manipulation in Microsoft Excel.
• Self-starter with demonstrated leadership qualities and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to develop appropriate, welcoming, and productive relationships with a diverse student population.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with college constituents and the community.
• Previous experience in program development, assessment, and improvement.

General knowledge of a wide variety of Career paths and skills required for them.

Excellence in oral and written communication, including the ability to deliver engaging presentations to small and large groups.

Strong organizational talents, ability to multi-task, and effective use of electronic office tools such as Microsoft Teams, shared Microsoft Docs, electronic calendaring, etc.

Strong to advanced knowledge of data manipulation in Microsoft Excel.

Self-starter with demonstrated leadership qualities and problem-solving skills.

Ability to develop appropriate, welcoming, and productive relationships with a diverse student population.

Ability to establish and maintain positive working relationships with college constituents and the community.

Previous experience in program development, assessment, and improvement.

Working Conditions:Working Conditions:Working Conditions: This is an on-campus position. Work is normally performed in an office setting and will require significant contact with students, faculty, staff, and the community. The work will include public presentations, both within and outside the classroom. Some evening and weekend responsibilities should be expected. Physical Requirements:Physical Requirements:Physical Requirements:

• Ability to move around campus.
• Manual and physical dexterity and visual acuity needed to operate a computer keyboard and handle paper documents.
• Sufficient near vision acuity to read information appearing on a computer monitor, in handwritten form, and printed on paper.
• Adequate hearing and verbal abilities to communicate effectively in person and by telephone.

Ability to move around campus.

Manual and physical dexterity and visual acuity needed to operate a computer keyboard and handle paper documents.

Sufficient near vision acuity to read information appearing on a computer monitor, in handwritten form, and printed on paper.

Adequate hearing and verbal abilities to communicate effectively in person and by telephone.

Education and Experience:Education and Experience:Education and Experience:

• Master’s Degree required.
• 3-5 years of experience leading student Career Development initiatives, including advising/leading students in internships and other workplace experiences and developing community partnerships. Management level in higher education is preferred.

Master’s Degree required.

3-5 years of experience leading student Career Development initiatives, including advising/leading students in internships and other workplace experiences and developing community partnerships. Management level in higher education is preferred.

FLSA: Full time, Exempt FLSA: FLSA: NOTE: Review of applicants will not begin before January 3, 2024 due to campus closure for winter break. NOTE: