Director of Career Services

Position Summary

The Director of Career Services is responsible for providing sound career advising support to assist students in planning a career, through advisement, internship coordination, and by keeping up to date with current employment, economic, and industry trends and for connecting students to campus and community services in support for career goal attainment. This role also requires a comprehensive understanding of and commitment to the unique Christian mission and vision of ACU to Transform Culture with Truth, and the ability to advance that mission and vision through the performance of its duties, including person-to-person mentorship and discipleship.

Constituent Engagement Categories and Responsibilities

• Employer Engagement: Build strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations to develop talent pipelines, enhance student career readiness, and recommend curriculum alignments with industry needs. Key activities include leading, organizing, and facilitating career fairs, on- and off-campus interviews, guest speaking, internships, and project-based learning opportunities. Lexi will spend significant time each week on event planning, management, and marketing.
• Career Management: Equip students with the skills, mindset, and professional network needed for short- and long-term career success. Key goals include fostering self-awareness, building industry-relevant skills, and enabling effective networking, achieved by developing and enhancing resumes and social media presence (including LinkedIn),

securing internships, and gaining specialized industry knowledge. Provide training, development, and practice mock interview skills.

• College Internships: Increase the number, quality, and assortment of paid and academic-credit opportunities utilized by ACU students and recent graduates to gain valuable applied experience; Improve BUS497 and COM497 curricula and assessment; Serve as faculty for BUS and COM internship students.
• Alumni Connections: Drive engagement, placement, and mentorship by connecting alumni with the institution, faculty, and students. Key goals include enhancing the college's brand, fostering professional networks, evaluating prospective continuing education, and facilitating student internships. Specific responsibilities include collecting, analyzing, and providing recommendations for the First Destination Survey to quantify and qualify alumni employment statistics.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Director of Career Services will be a part of the academic success team by planning and delivering career services to students within the Academic Center for Excellence.

• Delivering career information to students using various modes of technology
• Helping students define and develop realistic employment goals
• Developing, updating, and implementing career development activities that support each undergraduate academic program
• Engaging students in career planning assessments, and assisting students in developing a career plan,
• Providing students with mock interviews and resume writing support, assistance with completing employment searches, filling out applications, soliciting recommendation letters, and preparing for interviews
• Connecting students with appropriate internship, externship, or job-shadowing opportunities
• Participating in annual commencement ceremony, ongoing departmental training and cross-training activities to ensure an understanding of college programs, curriculum, graduation requirements, policies, and procedures, and resources and services available to students
• Assisting instructors with information tracking and best practices for partner relationship building related to clinical, internships, externships, and job shadowing, including building and nurturing partnerships with businesses and organizations within the greater Phoenix area
• Participating in college committees and task forces as required and working with faculty and academic staff to ensure collaboration with career services across the university
• Fostering positive relationships and partnerships with community leaders, including business owners, non-profit organization representatives, and high school personnel to create opportunities for students to connect with work and internship experiences
• Managing career services initiatives strategically to build awareness of ACU in the local community

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Completing other duties and tasks with utmost integrity and professionalism, as directed, and not necessarily mentioned in this description, will be expected.
• Commitment to the University's faith statement, mission, and purposes; and an active Christian faith.
• Comfort and familiarity with the practice of praying with and for others, including students, faculty, and fellow University staff.
• The ability to meaningfully support and encourage students, faculty, and staff from a biblical worldview perspective, using relevant and applicable references from the Old and New Testaments and orthodox Christian writings.
• Demonstrated alignment with and enthusiastic support for the Christian Mission and Core Commitments of the University, including signing the University's Statement of Faith and Core Commitments annually.

Education and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree required
• Master's degree in education, leadership, or higher education field preferred
• Three years' higher education experience, preferably to include recruitment and career interest
• Assessment/advising experience

Fair Labor Standards Act

This position is considered to be full-time, exempt for overtime pay provisions as provided by the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and any applicable state laws.