About the Job
The Director of CLA Career Services reports to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and is a member of the Associate Dean’s leadership team. The director and career services staff are key partners in the college’s Career Readiness Initiative, collaborating with the Director of Career Readiness to implement an innovative curricular approach to career preparation.
Along with expertise in student development specific to career management and post-college preparation for students, the next director of CLA Career Services will bring demonstrated excellence in team leadership. The director is expected to foster collaborative and informed decision making and shared leadership while managing staff in multiple modalities (in person, remote, and hybrid). The director will be responsible for aligning the team’s work with principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion to ensure that all students are served well as they plan and prepare to positively impact our interconnected world following graduation.
Full information for CLA Career Services can be found at www.clacareer.umn.edu and for the CLA Career Readiness Initiative at www.cla.umn.edu/career-readiness.
Job Responsibilities:
CLA Career Services (CLACS) Strategic Leadership and Oversight - 35%
- Lead operationalization of the unit’s strategic plan, with a focus on ensuring that students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds have equitable access and success.
- Facilitate integration of CLA’s college-wide Career Readiness Initiative within the operational and strategic functions of CLACS.
- Advocate for budget, staff, and infrastructure to advance the career management competency development of students.
- Participate in CLA’s Corporate Engagement workgroup to drive strategic relationships with corporate, alumni, and employer partners.
- Position CLACS to execute on corporate and employer partnership agreements that serve CLA students and the College, and advance CLACS’ career field programming model.
- Collaborate with CLA Institutional Advancement to build relationships with alumni, prospective donors, current donors, and community partners to increase opportunities for CLA’s students.
- Pursue integration of UMN, CLA, and CLA UGE data, technology, and communication systems to meet the evolving needs of the CLACS team and the College.
- Lead the analysis of CLA’s post-graduation survey results to inform unit decisions regarding employer outreach and business development, adjustments to career management curriculum, and services to students that address equity gaps.
- Oversee the continuous improvement of CLACS by monitoring, assessing, and evaluating the operational delivery models and key student metrics.
CLACS Operational Strategy and Team Development - 45%
- Hire and facilitate the success of a diverse team through intentional, equity-minded leadership and professional development that advances culturally-responsive pedagogy, coaching, programming, and service to all CLA students.
- Supervise 5 direct reports, 11 indirect reports, and 1 “dotted line” professional, plus volunteers and a large group of student employees.
- Lead, manage, and integrate multiple, scalable career education modalities including career coaching and student engagement, career management curriculum, experiential learning and internships, career field model programming, student communications, and alumni and employer engagement.
- Ensure infrastructure and instructional staffing is in place to meet the student enrollment needs for the CLA career management degree requirement.
- Manage CLACS annual operating budget, including endowment earnings and instructional funding,in coordination with UGE and CLA fiscal and accounting units.
- Balance and respond to the communication, partnership, and service needs of the various audiences and constituents for CLACS, including, but not limited to: students, employers, alumni, faculty and staff.
- Strategically utilize career data from UMN and CLA sources (Canvas, MyCareerManagement, RATE, Handshake, etc...) to understand the aggregate level career management development trajectory of students.
- Increase career development opportunities for CLA students by leveraging and deepening existing and new relationships with employers and alumni.
- Ensure alignment with CLA Undergraduate Education priorities, team support for college-wide events, and CLACS representation on UGE committees and work groups (e.g. Admissions events, Orientation, Welcome Week, UGE Events, etc.)
College and University Leadership, Professional Development, & Service - 20%
- Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing social justice and racial equity work that identifies, challenges, and removes barriers to access at the individual, community, and system level.
- Represent CLACS in college workgroups, ad hoc committees, and standing meetings (e.g. Office of Undergraduate Education Directors’ Group, Career Compass team, and similar).
- Position CLA as a key partner regarding career preparation philosophy in system-wide committees (e.g. system-wide Career Leads meetings, MPACT 25 contributions, UMN-TC Corporate Engagement Work Group) and align CLACS with system-wide career metrics.
- Engage in campus, state, and national professional associations related to the fields of student affairs and career development to maintain knowledge of best practices.
- Contribute to the strategic positioning of the College, in collaboration with CLA leaders of marketing, communication, and career readiness.
- Other duties as assigned and as appropriate to the individual’s background and experience.
- Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing social justice and racial equity work that identifies, challenges, and removes barriers to access at the individual, community, and system level.
Qualifications
Required qualifications
- BA/BS degree plus at least 10 years of relevant experience, or master’s degree plus at least 8 years of relevant experience
- Experience supervising professional staff
- Experience in positions requiring in-depth understanding of college student career development
- Experience leading a team in a strategic manner
- Experience managing a budget
- Effectiveness supporting principles of equal opportunity, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, including experience supporting students and staff with varying identities and backgrounds
Preferred qualifications
- Strong belief in the value of a liberal arts education
- Multiple years of career services experience
- Knowledge of the nuanced career management needs of undergraduate liberal arts students
- Effectiveness in supporting the career development of college students
- Advanced degree in counseling, student affairs, higher education, or a related field
- Experience leading a large career services team with multiple functions in a dynamic and changing environment
- Understanding of current issues, best practices, and emerging trends in higher education career services or undergraduate collegiate services
- Experience assessing student outcomes and applying a data-informed approach to decision making that support institutional priorities
- Experience leveraging and connecting complex data systems to address issues of scale and equity
About the Department
About the College of Liberal Arts
The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities is dedicated to helping undergraduate students articulate how their liberal arts education prepares and positions them to find success and purpose in a dynamic and uncertain future. To that end, the CLA Career Services office (CLACS) is an integral partner to CLA’s Career Readiness Initiative that is positioning CLA as a national leader in serving liberal arts students in a changing talent landscape. As part of this effort, CLA has approved a career management course degree requirement for all students entering CLA as first-year students delivered by CLACS.
About the CLA Career Services Office
CLA Career Services strives to offer a continuum of inclusive, high-impact career management and development that advances readiness for approximately 12,000 liberal arts undergraduates in 65+ majors. This is done in alignment with the University’s land-grant mission and with an intentional focus on meeting the needs of those students who experience the greatest barriers to their career management. CLA Career Services is part of CLA’s Office of Undergraduate Education (CLA UGE) unit, which spans academic advising, student support services, career services, curriculum management, diversity/equity/inclusion programs, and scholarship awarding.
CLA Career Services is innovating what college career services delivers in the 21st century, especially for liberal arts students, by delivering optimal career services for individual students, scaling that model so that programming and career education is available to all students, and engaging externally to drive and develop career opportunities for students. The CLA Career Services team is structured with 16 full-time staff who are responsible for career coaching and student engagement, career management curriculum, experiential learning (particularly internships), and alumni and employer engagement initiatives that are integrated into the overall CLA Undergraduate Education unit.
Benefits
Working at the University
At the University of Minnesota, you’ll find a flexible work environment and supportive colleagues who are interested in lifelong learning. We prioritize work-life balance, allowing you to invest in the future of your career and in your life outside of work.
The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:
- Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
- Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
- Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
- Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
- University HSA contributions
- Disability and employer-paid life insurance
- Employee wellbeing program
- Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
- Financial counseling services
- Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
- Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area
Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefits.
How To Apply
Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will have the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.
Please submit a cover letter and resume in PDF format. The application review process will begin on April 11th, 2024.
Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.
This position will remain open until filled.
To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.
Diversity
CLA Career Services has a strong commitment to support the University’s goal of creating a positive and inclusive campus climate for all. We believe that diverse perspectives propel us to do our best work in service to students’ career development needs. We are seeking a diverse pool of candidates with varying identities and backgrounds.
Working in CLA
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in CLA
Employment Requirements
Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.
About the U of M
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.
At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America’s Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).
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