Assistant Director, Career Advancement

Department

ESA Careers in Business 3

About the Department

Career Advancement serves a student population of approximately 7,000 arts and sciences undergraduate students, in addition to alumni who have graduated within the last five years. Career Advancement plays a vital role in ensuring our students’ success after graduation. Career Advancement offers innovative and comprehensive career development services focusing on pre-professional preparation, experiential education, and access to internship and full-time opportunities. Through career advising, programs, and comprehensive resources, Career Advancement supports undergraduate students and alumni as they develop the skills necessary to manage their career development while working with alumni and employers to provide students with meaningful opportunities. For more information, please visit the Career Advancement website at careeradvancement.uchicago.edu.

Job Summary

UChicago Career Advancement’s programs build on the world-class UChicago liberal arts foundation to give students a competitive edge in their professional development and recruiting in a wide range of roles. As a new role funded by philanthropy, this position will primarily support students who have an interest in business and finance careers. The incumbent will utilize previous industry expertise to prepare students for professional success through employer outreach, one-on-one advising and coaching, planning and executing programs and workshops, and supporting program administration including reporting and analytics. This role will support program management, including but not limited to, employer outreach, event planning, tactical coordination, and student engagement. The position requires a passion for building new relationships, serving as a strategic thought partner, and representing the University with a commitment to excellence, customer service, and creative, problem-solving mindset. The ideal candidate will be an energetic, adaptable, solutions-oriented, and talented individual contributor with a record of success in complex, fast-paced environments where collaboration is critical to success.

Responsibilities

• Serves as career adviser for a cohort of 1st – 4th year students in the undergraduate College. Engages in proactive communication and engagement to support career development and success in securing internships and full-time jobs.
• Uses industry and company knowledge to provide targeted, outcomes-driven guidance and support for students pursuing a career in business and related industries. Identifies and sources job and internship opportunities that match student career interests.
• Leads identification of and conducts outreach to employers in both the public, private, and non-profit sectors for internships and full-time opportunities.
• Communicates frequently with students to share opportunities and help them stay on track for success. Proactively identifies opportunities to ensure students are prepared for and receive career development opportunities. 
• Reaches out to employers and alumni to develop relationships and source opportunities for students ranging from job shadowing and site visits to internships, primarily for selective cohort programs.
• Creates and implements employer development plan in areas of opportunity; sets employer strategy of retention using data, feedback, research and analysis, and relationship management.
• Plans, designs and executes workshops and events, virtual or on-site, as relevant. Leverages virtual technology to provide innovative programs and fosters student engagement and satisfaction.
• Supports weekly communications by promoting workshops, events, and job opportunities.
• Supports drafting strategic communications for high level donors, University leadership, and employer partners.
• Manages and maintains efficient methods to track student data, quantify student engagement, and report on student outcomes. Tracks student progress in securing a job or internship using Salesforce.
• Provides support as necessary for data management and analytics, correspondence, and reporting to senior leadership and other constituents.
• Manages and administers Treks and Career Exploration Week visits to domestic and international business centers, virtual or on-site, as relevant. This includes, but is not limited to, connecting with firms and alumni, and developing the visit schedule and logistics.
• 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.
• Researches organizations that are hiring and partners with a wide variety of employers to ensure recruitment strategies meet their needs. Maintains contact with a portfolio of employers to serve as their dedicated Career Advancement liaison.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree.

Experience:

• Background working with college-aged students and/or new recent college graduates.
• Developing and managing an internship program.
• Professional experience working in a corporate or financial services firm.
• Background working across teams to drive outcomes quickly and efficiently.
• Expertise in program development, or a related area.

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

• Intermediate skills in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Utilize Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or other digital platform for meetings and events.
• Knowledge of career development theory and strong coaching or counseling skills.

Preferred Competencies

• Outcomes-driven and action-oriented attitude.
• Multitask, meet deadlines, and work successfully and positively in a fast-paced environment.
• Adaptable and able to shift priorities, as needed, to ensure student outcomes and manage leadership priorities. 
• Self-starter who works proactively to solve complex problems.
• Deep commitment to customer service, strong interpersonal skills and a high level of professionalism when interacting with internal and external clients.
• Strong coaching or counseling skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills; strong interpersonal, quantitative, and networking skills.
• Develop and deliver presentations; communicate to large groups as well as one-on-one with students, senior management, faculty, and alumni.
• Develop strong relationships with a wide variety of constituents, including employers and external partners like alumni and parents, students, faculty, staff, and senior leadership.
• Problem-solving and reasoning, critical thinking and decision-making skills.
• Exemplary organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Handle sensitive matters with tact and discretion and maintain confidentiality.

Working Conditions

• Work evening hours and weekends on an occasional basis.
• Travel, generally two or three times per year.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)
• Cover Letter/Statement of Interest (required)
• Three Professional References Contact Information (required)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.
When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Student Affairs & Services

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$87,550.00 - $113,300.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

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

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.