Job Description for the Associate Vice President for Student Professional Development Center position. Review job description, requirements, and qualifications. Apply or register interest for the position.

Title: Associate Vice President for Student Professional Development Center

Position Type: Staff Full-Time

Days Per Week: Monday - Friday

Hours Per Week: 40

VP Area: Strategic Initiatives

Department: Student Professional Development Center/Career Services

Position Summary

The Associate Vice President reports to the Senior Vice President for University Advancement and External Affairs, overseeing the development and delivery of programs and resources that positively impact the professional development of students and alumni.
The position is the chief career services officer who is responsible for developing and strengthening Elon's career ecosystem. Through effective collaboration with internal and external stakeholders, including academic affairs, student affairs, admissions, alumni, corporate relations, trustees, parents and student leadership, the Associate Vice President will design and implement a comprehensive career services strategy that enhances student employability, fosters employer relationships, and integrates career readiness into the Elon experience. The Associate Vice President maintains a student-centered, forward-thinking operation, oversees assessment functions, the articulation of outcomes to internal and external stakeholders, and serves as a spokesperson for Elon on student career-related issues.

Benefits of Working at Elon

As an Elon University employee, you’ll join an internationally acclaimed university with a commitment to fostering a thriving community. Ranked among the most innovative, creative and best-run universities in the nation, Elon’s personal approach to education extends to employees, whose growth, professional development and success is a hallmark of our training and advancement opportunities.

Elon University’s home is the charming town of Elon, North Carolina, a small, friendly community located a short distance from the beach and the mountains, and among the vibrant cities of Greensboro, Raleigh and Durham. In addition to the beautiful canopy of historic oak trees iconic to our campus, you’ll find boundless opportunities for family-friendly recreation, cultural events and outdoor activities. Hiking, water sports, fine dining and entertainment are just a few of the many happenings in the Elon area, making the region one of the nation’s premier travel destinations.

Employees at Elon enjoy a generous and comprehensive benefits package that includes:

28 annual days off, including holidays and vacation.

Immediate tuition remission for undergraduate courses

Tuition remission for approved graduate-level courses after 12 months of employment.

Retirement plan with an 8 percent contribution from the university.

Immediate eligibility for health, dental and vision insurance, along with free acute care and lab services at our onsite Health & Wellness Clinic.

Free use of campus fitness facilities.

Free admission to musical and theater performances, guest speakers, religious and ethnic observances, recitals, art exhibitions, entertainment and our Division I Phoenix athletics.

Eligibility for tuition remission at Elon for spouses, qualifying domestic partners and dependents begins at two years of service. After two years of employment, eligibility begins for participation in the Tuition Exchange, a national scholarship exchange program that enables dependents to enroll in nationally recognized partner colleges and universities.

Elon values and celebrates the diverse backgrounds, cultures, experiences and perspectives of our community members. As an equal opportunity employer, Elon’s principles of diversity extend to race and gender identity, age, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, religion, and other aspects of one’s identity. At Elon, our employees respect human differences, passion for lifelong learning, emphasis on personal integrity and an ethic of service.

Minimum Required Education and Experience

Master's degree in MHE, MBA, MA/MS, or other and 10 or more years of experience with the following relevant work experience: progressive leadership and supervision in career services positions or in a related management field in industry.

Demonstrated expertise in developing career ecosystems employing current career development models, career assessments, career counseling/advising/coaching, employment trends, employer relations and legal issues in employment.

Demonstrated ability to think strategically, act collaboratively and lead organizational change, coupled with a track record of experience developing and supervising professional staff.

Demonstrated commitment to best practices in career services as well as the competencies and ethical guidelines developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

Desired experience includes managing resources, including budgets and technology; knowledge of effective assessment strategies to inform programs and practice; excellent communication, marketing, and public relations skills; demonstrated competency in working with the needs of diverse student populations; and evidence of innovative activities leading to organizational growth, and experience with program development and delivery models serving the needs of all students.

Job Duties

• Leadership As Elon's chief career services officer, build through vision and strategic execution an effective career ecosystem that attracts and engages employers, prepares and inspires students, and amplifies a culture of excellence in career services. Articulate the vision and services provided by the SPDC to those inside and outside of Elon University. Lead the effort to identify and expand connections with employers and external constituents to create and sustain excellent internship and employment opportunities for students. Represent the university with all major associations (NACE, SoACE, NCACE); manage the association annual dues and memberships; work with career services directors from peer & aspirant universities for best practices benchmarking. Manage the development and achievement of the SPDC Strategic Plan in support of the Boldly Elon strategic plan.
• Reporting and Budgeting Utilize predictive analytics to gain more certainty about employer hiring trends, shifts in demand and professional skills needed to succeed in the current environment. Maintain responsibility for First Destination Survey reporting and integrity of university outcomes data; generate SPDC Annual Report at the end of each academic year sharing broad metrics regarding student outcomes as well as student and organizational engagement. Manage budget lines that report up and through the SPDC. Plan for future budget needs, assure compensation equity and industry benchmarking.
• Partnering Consult with academic deans and faculty colleagues to ensure that programs and services address student needs and incorporate faculty involvement in identifying opportunities to bridge the skills development that takes place in the classroom and other campus environments. Build and maintain relationships with Academic Deans, key members of senior staff, and other university department heads. Direct all SPDC marketing and communications, internally and externally. Build advocates across campus and the Elon community in support of innovative career programs to platform as forward-thinking and integrative programs. Partner effectively with the University Advancement team to enhance external cultivation and stewardship opportunities, as well as to consider potential methods to support alumni career development. Support Career and Professional development with Elon graduate programs (i.e., MBA, MSBA, MHE, and School of Health Sciences).
• Supervision and Human Resource Management Provide supervision of Career Services and school-level Professional Development Centers to support employer relations and graduate school goals, and to create opportunities congruent with the overall mission and vision of the professional development of Elon graduates. Lead and mentor a team of 22 full-time career professionals as one progressive and cohesive unit across the university. Manage the overall SPDC organization planning and staffing responsibility, ensuring high performance and professional development/staff retention.
• Presentations and Representation of the Center Participate in advisory boards, Parents Council, and other Elon councils and affinity group meetings on a routine basis throughout the year. Represent Elon University at external meetings, advisory boards, and economic groups. Manage the Career Committee of the Parents Council. Participate as a member of the Academic Affairs Advisory Committee (AAAC) and on university-wide committees, as assigned.

Special Instructions to Applicants: Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, current resume, and three references saved as one document, either Word or a PDF. The file name should start with your first name and then last name, such as, “John Doe - Elon Application.” This should be emailed to search@careerleadershipcollective.com with the email subject of “Application for Elon AVP.”

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To be considered, interested applicants should submit the requested materials no later than Monday, March 21 by 11:59pm EST.