Assistant Director of Career and Professional Development – STEM Lead

W&L’s CPD Office allows alumni to explore the career resources available through the university’s expansive network, including job listings maintained by and, in some cases, exclusively for W&L students and alumni. The Assistant Director advises students and alumni in the areas of professional development, helps develop and execute career-related programs designed to enhance students’ knowledge of career fields, and establish links between students and employers, alumni, and professionals.

To achieve our mission as a liberal arts college, we continually strive to foster a welcoming campus community, which recognizes the value of all persons. Our department is committed to contributing to an educational environment that is rich with a wide range of intellectual perspectives and backgrounds.

Visit jobs.wlu.edu to learn more about working at W&L, our benefits, community, and living in the area.

Essential Functions:

• Serves as professional development advisor to current students and alumni for summer, professional full-time, and post-graduate academic opportunities in STEM fields.

• Provides individual and group advising for students and alumni during STEM graduate school application cycles with special emphasis on entrance exam preparation, personal statement revisions, application review, community engagement, and relevant experience.

• Supports the Assistant Director – Pre-Health Professions in advising students interested in pre-health professions as needed.

• Serves as the primary CPD contact for alumni in designated STEM industries.

• Manages STEM communities in the CPD Canvas course and other CPD communication channels.

• Develops, plans, markets and executes professional development and industry-specific events, programs, and career trips.

• Partners with the Office of Alumni Engagement and University Development on engagement of alumni in related career fields.

• Develops relationships with faculty, staff, recruiters and alumni to provide available experts/resources in designated career fields.

• Engages and manages alumni career volunteers and CPD event participants.

• Facilitates recruitment opportunities and professional preparation through partnerships with employers and alumni.

• Leads departmental data maintenance and integrity, collecting, managing, and overseeing CPD data for internal databases and across all platforms to ensure accuracy, reliability, and consistency.

• Provides data analysis and reporting support for the Dean and University partners (e.g., Accreditation, Institutional Research, Communications, and academic units) to inform decision-making and meet internal and external reporting needs. Adeptly utilizes data and performs research to support areas of interest.

• Maintains and updates CPD office resources and platforms such as Handshake, Canvas, Monday.com, and others.

• Liaises with key internal partners (e.g., student affairs, alumni engagement, development, faculty and staff) and external partners (e.g., admissions representatives, recruiters, alumni) to create a culture of collaboration among a variety of stakeholders across the University.

• Promotes and practices NACE Principles of Professional Conduct.

• Performs additional related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required.

• One to three years of progressively strategic full-time experience in college/university career services with experience and expertise including working with students throughout career process from indecision/exploration through job acquisition, knowledge of career fields relevant to liberal arts graduates and alumni. In the absence of higher education experience, a combination of education and relevant experience providing a similar background and capabilities will be considered.

• Academic or professional experience in a STEM field preferred. 

• Advanced proficiency in data management and analysis

• Demonstrated initiative and follow through.

• Strong oral and written communication skills.

• Strong attention to detail.

Application Instructions

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.  Required materials include:

• Cover letter

• Resume

• Names and contact information for three professional references

Application instructions for internal and external candidates can be found at https://www.wlu.edu/employment-opportunities/jobs-at-w-l.

Campus Safety and Welfare Responsibilities:

• This position is designated as a Campus Security Authority (CSA) in accordance with the Clery Act. This position is required to report Clery qualifying crimes to the Department of Public Safety and complete annual training about your reporting responsibilities under the law.

Physical Requirements:

• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with whole hand or arm as in handling.

• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.

• Repetitive motions: Making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.

• Standing: Remaining upright on the feet, particularly for sustained periods of time.

Working Conditions: The worker is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Types of Work: Sedentary work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Position Type:

Washington and Lee is an Equal Opportunity Employer seeking candidates committed to high standards of scholarship, performance, professionalism, and to a welcoming campus community. Job description requirements are representative, but not all‐inclusive of the knowledge, skill, and abilities needed to successfully perform this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.