Department: Career Advancement
Salary/Grade: EXS/7

The mission of Northwestern Career Advancement (NCA) is to foster excellence in career development, preparation, and professional opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and alumni by providing comprehensive services and programming and by promoting strong partnerships with employers, academic departments, and the university community. Learn more about the Northwestern Career Advancement department here: https://www.northwestern.edu/careers/

About Student Affairs: By pursuing justice, equity, and belonging, Student Affairs cultivates student programs, services, and skills; disrupts barriers; and partners across Northwestern and neighboring communities to create an inclusive culture in which all students can thrive. Learn more about the Division of Student Affairs here: https://www.northwestern.edu/studentaffairs/about/strategic-plan/strategic-themes.html

Job Summary:

The Assistant Director for Professional and Career Development serves as a member of a team of three that coordinates career and professional development services for Ph.D. students at Northwestern. The position duties are divided into three components: counseling/advising, programming, and professional development. The position provides career and professional development advising to Ph.D. students as they seek a variety of academic and industry-based opportunities.

Second, the position creates programming including alumni panels tailored to doctoral students that supports their career and professional development. They oversee planning, advertising, and implementation of one-time and ongoing programs, meetings, workshops, trainings, events, panels, and online forums (e.g., Management for Scientists and Engineers with Kellogg, Science Writing and Careers, Research Communication Training Program, and grant writing seminars.). The Assistant Director coordinates the planning, implementation and tracking of mentor training programs for faculty, postdoctoral trainees, and graduate students across the university.

Finally, the position also supports academic initiatives within The Graduate School that are designed to support the professional development of graduate students. This includes various certificate programs, academic and non-academic boot camps, and other campus partner programs. The Assistant Director identifies and collaborates with professional development partners, such as Center for Leadership, Office of Fellowships, Searle, The Writing Center, etc. across Northwestern and maintains the Professional Development Online Tools and other platforms such as Aurora. The position serves as the liaison to graduate academic departments, and graduate student organizations and reports to both Associate Director of Ph.D. Advising, Northwestern Career Advancement and Director of Graduate and Postdoctoral Training and Development, The Graduate School.

Principal Accountabilities:

Advising/Counseling

1. Implement/provide personalizing counseling and advising that focuses on self-assessment, research, job and internship search strategies, reflection, and strategic decision making.
2. Connects students with alumni and professionals for employment opportunities. Maintains knowledge of job market trends and hiring practices in a range of fields.

Relationships

1. Collaborates with student affairs, academic departments, student organizations and administrative offices to develop programs and publicize opportunities spanning a broad range of industries and geographies.

Technology

1. Reviews existing use of technology and recommends changes to incorporate state-of-the-art systems and tools as appropriate into all aspects of the advising, counseling, professional development, and recruiting/employment programs.
2. Recommends changes and enhancements to leverage technology to best serve the greatest number of students as effectively as possible.                                                                                                                                                                                  

Marketing/Public Relations

1. Identifies opportunities and strategies for short- and long-term growth & expansion of program resources, value, and participation.

Programs/Events

1. Manages planning and arrangement of programs - meetings, workshops, trainings, events, etc. designed to provide information, promote resources and to build internal and external relationships.
2. Recruits, trains and assigns faculty/instructors to teach programs.
3. Supervises creation of components, including curriculum development, lectures, conferences, and seminars.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. 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 2 years' career counseling/advising in higher education or 2 years' of industry experience; or other relevant experience required.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Ph. D. or demonstrated experience or interest in working with doctoral students

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 requires all staff and faculty to be vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to limited exceptions. For more information, please visit our COVID-19 and Campus Updates website.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.