Director of Career Services

Job Title: Director of Career Services

Status: Exempt

Location: WFH flexible, candidate must reside in California to be considered.

Employment Type: Full-time

Reports to: VP, Compliance

Summary:

The Director of Career Services (DCS) is responsible for developing, managing, and evaluating a comprehensive career planning and placement program for students, alumni, and employers. This role is key to meeting ACCET completion and placement metrics, overseeing career counseling, job fairs, and daily operations, including recruitment, coaching, policy development, and systems integration. The DCS plays a vital role in ensuring student and graduate career success.

Management Responsibilities:

• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate Career Services staff to build a high-performing, student-focused team.
• Oversee daily operations, ensuring adequate staffing and service delivery.
• Establish, monitor, and report on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to student engagement, retention, completion, and placement.
• Maintain working knowledge of institutional systems (Dynamics, Microsoft 365, Teams, Canvas, Handshake, CIAT job boards).
• Develop and manage departmental budgets and resources.
• Provide leadership and oversight to Career Services Advisors and Placement Specialists.
• Partner with HR for employee coaching and counseling.
• Offer professional development and growth opportunities for staff.
• Manage timekeeping policies and ensure accurate processing.
• Conduct timely, accurate, and fair performance reviews.
• Ensure a safe, secure, and ethical work environment.
• Adhere to CIAT’s compliance requirements (Federal, State, accreditation, institutional).
• Promote communication guidelines to ensure high customer satisfaction and professionalism.
• Embody CIAT’s mission, vision, purpose, and values.

Student Success, Placement & Compliance:

• Maintain primary responsibility for collecting, verifying, tracking, and reporting all completion and placement outcomes.
• Oversee the collection and maintenance of employment verification, graduate records, and employer verification.
• Ensure accurate preparation and submission of ACCET Annual Reports (Document 28.1).
• Comply with all accreditation, state, federal, and institutional reporting requirements.
• Collect, analyze, and report graduate and employer survey results.
• Develop strategies to improve student retention, completion, graduate outcomes, and placement rates.
• Collaborate with Education, Industry and Employer Partnerships, Student Services, and Compliance to support student success initiatives.

Career Readiness & Student Development:

• Oversee career preparation services, including resume development, interview preparation, LinkedIn optimization, career coaching, job search strategies, and application support.
• Develop and deliver workshops, webinars, and career-readiness programming.
• Oversee Federal Work-Study activities and student employment initiatives.
• Assess workshops and career-related activities for continuous improvement.

Strategic Planning & Reporting:

• Develop annual departmental goals and strategic initiatives aligned with institutional priorities.
• Analyze data to identify trends and opportunities for improvement in completion, placement, retention, and employment.
• Provide regular reports and outcome metrics to executive leadership.
• Collaborate with the Director of Employer & Industry Partnerships to align employer needs with student opportunities.

Collaboration & Outreach:

• Serve as the institutional lead for student career development and graduate success.
• Participate in Orientation, Commencement, and other institutional events.
• Work closely with the Director of Employer & Industry Partnerships to communicate employer opportunities.
• Represent Career Services at institutional meetings and accreditation activities.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or a combination of education and management experience.
• 4+ years of management experience in higher education or high-volume customer service preferred.
• Minimum 2 years of experience leading teams in higher education environments.
• Minimum 2 years of experience using enterprise CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics) or SIS.
• Experience supporting students through enrollment, retention, or career decision-making.
• In-depth understanding of the technology industry, including education and career requirements, vendors, and certifications.
• Proficient in data analysis, reporting, and Microsoft Excel for forecasting and performance metrics.
• Expertise in resume writing and leveraging career platforms (LinkedIn, Indeed, ZipRecruiter).
• Computer savvy with a technical mindset, willing to learn new systems and build automated processes.
• Strong presentation, public speaking, and writing skills.
• Genuine interest in helping others achieve life goals.
• Customer-service-oriented approach.
• Self-motivated, goal-oriented, assertive, results-driven, high energy, and ethical.
• Team player with a positive, can-do attitude.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate needs and exercise independent judgment.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with strong business acumen.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and ability to learn new software.
• Flexible and adaptable to a rapidly changing environment.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues, departments, and administration.
• Flexible to work longer hours to meet deadlines if needed.
• Reliable transportation for occasional on-campus activities.
• Maintains relationships with IT employers or familiarity with the IT industry.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality.
• High ethical standards and professionalism.
• Must embody CIAT’s mission, vision, purpose, and values.

Values:

• Passion for education and student success.
• Integrity and excellence.
• Dignity and respect.
• Innovation.
• Customer-centric focus.
• Accountability and continuous improvement.
• Growth mindset.
• Professional conduct and role modeling.
• Inclusivity and support for diversity.
• Lifelong learning and professional development.

Supervisory Responsibility:

Supervises a team of Career Services Advisors.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work:

Monday through Friday. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required. Flexible work hours with potential for early mornings or evenings.

Work Environment:

Remote position utilizing a home office environment. Employees are expected to maintain a safe, ergonomic, and secure working environment. Requires standard office equipment and secure connections. Compliance with data security and confidentiality policies is mandatory.

When in the office:

Follow workplace safety, security protocols, and professional conduct. Maintain a clean work area, be punctual, and engage in in-person meetings and collaboration. Be respectful of others in shared workspaces.