Career Center

Job Description:

Strategic Planning (30%)

• Partner with a team of mission and program-aligned Career Coaching and Leadership colleagues to provide 1:1 and group career coaching and education for full-time and part-time graduate policy students and alumni. Position primarily aligned with Full-time Masters in Public Policy (MPP) population, though subject to change based on department and school needs.

• Serves as primary resource/content point person for special programs and topics within policy career development (i.e. Internship Funding Processes, Pre-Employment Assessments, Case Interviews, International Student Programming); identified topic areas/trends shared across the HCD team.

• Design and implement in-person and virtual career education and professional development programs/resources with special consideration for leadership readiness.

• Work with Employer Partnerships team members to collaborate on industry programming and promotion of industry/employer opportunities.

• Collaborate with Coaching and Leadership and entire Professional & Career Development team members, Harris School colleagues, University of Chicago stakeholders, and the Director of Career Readiness on department and cross-department/university initiatives.

• Apply Harrisâ™s Diversity & Inclusion Roadmap to the programming of the Career Development Office to contribute to the collaborative effort of building a more diverse and inclusive learning environment at Harris. View the Roadmap here: https://harris.uchicago.edu/about/diversity-inclusion/roadmap-progress.

Program Management (50%)

• Lead and/or collaborate on key projects that support the Harris mission.

• Develop strategic relationships and collaborate with key academic stakeholders (program directors, academic advisors, faculty, etc.) to facilitate continuous needs assessment and the effective implementation of professional development for students and alumni.

• In collaboration with Director of Career & Professional Development, manage key programming to serve all students.

• Oversee the Symplicity (Harris Job Board) career and professional development platform, including the platformâ™s phased content launches as well as ongoing content maintenance.

• Plan strategic content launch phases, maintain existing content, and monitor student engagement with the Harris Job Board and Salesforce platforms with the Director of Career Readiness.

• Provide regular status updates and check-ins to the Harris Job Board/Salesforce account representatives and the Harris School.

• Ensure that content on all student-facing career systems, including VMOCK, Interstride, Harris Job Board site, and Salesforce are sufficient, functional, and well-used by monitoring user traffic and responding to feedback; utilize built-in metrics/analytics to inform strategic decision-making.

• Solicit feedback from focus groups and volunteer advisors periodically to gauge the performance and use of student career systems; perform outreach to engage user groups.

• Increase traffic and utilization of student career systems through phased content launches and strategic expansion of user groups, such as student organizations and alumni.

• Consult with designated representatives within Career Development, and other units in the Harris School as the department expands their reach to target communities. Ensure that the service and content provided is accurately representing the needs of these communities.

• Track the ongoing production and support the development of Harris Digital Assets (or HDAs) that are produced under the Career Development and that target different student and alumni segments for their unrestricted use. Ensure that constituent groups have the HDAs needed by tracking their placement on student career systems and usage.

• Manage the projects associated with HDAs by tracking and prioritizing the projects, ensure completion and post the final pieces on the Harris Job Boards site. Provide regular status reports to the Senior Associate Dean of Professional and Career Development, the Director of Career Readiness, and the Director of Employer Partnerships.

• Collaborate with IT to ensure systems are working properly for students.

• Measure efficacy of professional development programs and use outcomes-based data to influence programming.

• Represent the unit on Harris and University-wide committees as assigned.

• Provide content expertise for HDAs through work with Harris faculty and staff.

• Develop timelines, project priorities, and project budgets with the Director of Career Readiness.

Career Coaching (20%)

• Maintain knowledge of recruitment practices, industry trends, faculty research, alumni base, student organizations, and student needs to remain necessary and credible for coaching purposes and incorporate Harris alumni and other guests into programs.

• Serve as primary advisor and partner with designated student organizations to create and provide high impact career programming.

• Serves as a primary coach and career educator across the studentsâ™ entire Harris experience (admissions through graduation) to help students realize their potential, build their professional brand, increase their readiness to network with global employers and alumni, and achieve their unique career goals.

• Coaches individuals and groups in working toward achieving their career, professional, and leadership development goals.

• Utilizes coaching techniques and resources that meet the needs of diverse populations, including International students.

• Follow-up with students and alumni as needed to track progress and encourage engagement with the Harris Career Development team.

• Participates in case discussions and reviews with HCD staff, and collaborate with members of the Career Readiness, Leadership Programs, and Employer Partnerships to support student career success and reported outcomes.

• Draws on industry knowledge, trends, and professional networks to guide relevant programming and grow the exchange of knowledge between the students and alumni, recruiters, faculty, or other experts to ensure student success.

• Analyzes market trends as they relate to the job search (career change) and career advancement (promotion) in assigned sector areas and curates resources and information for students to access online.

• Maintains accurate and complete coaching records in Salesforce.

• Conducts job search and career management related large lectures, hands-on workshops, special events, training programs, and one-on-one career coaching sessions. Acts as a resource for and directs students to other career resources as needed.

• Analyzes markets and trends as they relate to job searches. Assesses student feedback and evaluations and collaborates with other career services staff members, student organizations, or other staff to determine program offerings and innovations

• Performs other related work as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Master's Degree. Preferred in Counseling, Psychology, Business, Human Resources, Organizational Development, College Student Personnel Administration, Higher Education Administration, or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years related professional experience.

Preferred Competencies

• Deep knowledge of the job search process and a clear understanding of the role of internships and full-time recruitment strategies of the nonprofit, government, and private sectors related to public policy.

• Understanding of and experience in inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility efforts.

• Strong written and oral communication skills are essential.

• Superior workshop development, presentation, coaching, and networking skills.

• Understanding of student development needs, particularly graduate students.

• Ability to build internal and external relationships with broad constituencies; a demonstrated commitment to customer service; and the ability to work both independently and in a team environment.

• Demonstrated initiative project or event management skills, as well as an entrepreneurial orientation, and proven track record of results-oriented achievement.

Working Conditions

• Hybrid Work Schedule.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via the Applicant Inquiry Form.

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