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Drexel University

Director, Career Readiness Center

🇺🇸 Philadelphia, PA

🕑 Full-Time

💰 $75K - $113K

💻 Other

🗓️ April 29th, 2025

Edtech.com's Summary

Drexel University's LeBow College of Business is hiring a Director for the Career Readiness Center. The role involves providing strategic leadership and vision for career services, ensuring alignment with the college’s mission, overseeing career services integration for students, leading employer engagement, and promoting innovative and continuous improvement in career readiness programs. The Director will connect academic learning with career applications and cultivate relationships with stakeholders to support student and alumni career success.
 
Highlights 

  • Lead and oversee the Career Readiness Center, including staff management and professional development.
  • Develop and implement career readiness strategies that align with market trends.
  • Provide high-caliber career coaching and professional development services.
  • Manage corporate relationships and collaborate with external and internal stakeholders.
  • Utilize data-driven decision-making to refine initiatives and track outcomes.
  • Strong knowledge of career management tools and understanding of business career paths.
  • Compensation ranges from $75,200 to $112,790 annually.
  • Requires a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree and 10 years of relevant experience.
  • Preferred qualifications include a Master’s degree and higher education career development experience.

Director, Career Readiness Center Full Description

Job Summary
Reporting directly to the Vice Dean of LeBow College of Business, the Director of the LeBow Career Readiness Center (CRC) provides strategic leadership and vision for all career services activities, ensuring alignment with the College’s mission to prepare students for dynamic, technology-driven business environments. The Director will oversee the integration of career services for undergraduate and graduate students, lead employer engagement efforts, and foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement in career readiness programs. 

The Director plays a pivotal role in bridging academic learning and career application, cultivating relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and ensuring that CRC remains a leader in delivering transformative career support to LeBow students and alumni.
Essential Functions
  • Leadership & Supervision
    • Lead career services team and provide vision and support.
    • Foster professional development and collaboration across staff members.
    • Recruit, hire and train staff as needed.
    • Develop and implement effective performance assessment of CRC team with objective measures to help motivate the team and reach beyond traditional responsibilities and processes to achieve department goals.
    • Develop and implement a strategic vision for the CRC that integrates career readiness components into academic programs and aligns with market trends.
    • Oversee the design and delivery of workshops, events, and resources that enhance student career readiness and align with employer expectations.
    • Embed innovative strategies to strengthen academic and professional linkages, such as extending the co-op/internship experience into the classroom.
    • Facilitate continuous improvement to evaluate more efficient ways of meeting student and stakeholder needs; recommend new initiatives and programming as needed.
  • Career Coaching and Professional Development Services
    • Provide high-caliber career coaching and professional development services and programming to students and alumni on a regular basis.
    • Assist students and alumni with the development of career action plans and follow-up strategies.
    • Work with the academic director to update content for career management/professional development course and co-design, develop and implement workshop series and related programming (including in-person and virtual delivery).
    • Manage the GCS Mentor-in-Residence Program Partner with LeBow faculty to integrate career education topics in the classroom.
  • Corporate Relationship Management/Outreach and Collaboration
    • Develop and oversee targeted outreach strategies for CRC to increase visibility and partnerships with high-impact organizations.
    • Benchmark with peers and employers to ensure employer relations best practices and resources.
    • Serve on relevant university and college committees and work collaboratively with institutional colleagues including Alumni Relations, Institutional Advancement, Office of Experiential Learning, Drexel Solutions Institute, Steinbright Career Development Center ,etc.
    • Co-plan and coordinate employer information sessions, networking events and industry panels.
    • Cultivate and maintain relationships with employers, alumni, and industry leaders to expand opportunities for internships, co-ops, and full-time opportunities.
    • Represent the CRC at key events, conferences, and speaking engagements to position LeBow College as a premier source for talent acquisition.
    • Collaborate cross-functionally with the Marketing/Communications team to conceptualize dynamic marketing collateral that resonates with target employers for outreach initiatives.
    • Participate in shared programs and co-curricular activities with other offices/faculty within LeBow and Drexel.
    • Support and participate in GSS Enrollment Management and Student Success activities and programming. 
  • Data-Driven Decision-Making and Administration
    • Develop and manage systems for tracking student outcomes, analyzing trends, and using data to refine CRC initiatives.
    • Ensure operational excellence, including budget management and compliance with institutional policies.
    • Ensure delivery of high-caliber career coaching and professional development services tailored to the needs of undergraduate and graduate students.
    • Oversee signature programs, such as mentoring initiatives, employer panels, and networking events, that enhance career exploration and preparedness.
    • Foster lifelong connections with alumni, offering resources and opportunities for engagement with the LeBow community.
    • Manage special projects and new initiatives as needed.
Required Qualifications
  • Minimum of Bachelor's Degree in or the equivalent combination of education and work experience. 
  • Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience (i.e., in career/professional development advising, recruitment and/or relationship development)
  • High-level knowledge of business career paths and opportunities; knowledge of current issues and trends in the marketplace.
  • Strong knowledge and understanding of career management tools and technologies.
  • Strong leadership skills and ability to manage and bring out strengths of a diverse team.
  • Strong at providing a developmental, goal-oriented career advising model.
  • Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
  • Strategic thinker with ability to work independently in a fast- paced team environment.
  • Strong customer/stakeholder focus with outstanding relationship building skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with a wide variety of people including internal and external stakeholders.
  • Ability to use persuasive marketing and relationship building techniques.
  • Excellent planning, project management and problem-solving skills.
  • Ability to work some evenings to support Department events.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Proficient with managing budgets.
  • Master's degree.
  • Experience working in career development within a higher education setting.
Location
  • University City - Philadelphia, PA
Additional Information
This position is classified as Exempt, grade M. Compensation for this grade ranges from $75,200 - $112,790 per year. Please note that the offered rate for this position typically aligns with the minimum to midrange of this grade, but it can vary based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review.
Applicants are encouraged to explore the Professional Staff salary structure and Compensation Guidelines & Policies for more details on Drexel’s compensation framework. For information about benefits, please review Drexel’s Benefits Brochure.
Special Instructions to the Applicant
Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application.
A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.