Associate Director of MBA Careers
Join the Pack! A community with nearly 8,000 faculty and staff, and 30,000 students. NC State is one of the largest employers in North Carolina, offering a large range of career opportunities. Visit us at https://jobs.hr.ncsu.edu/.
Location: Raleigh, NC
Essential Job Duties:
At Poole College of Management, we prepare working professionals to accelerate their careers, expand their leadership impact, and create meaningful change in their organizations and communities. We are seeking a dynamic, strategic, and student-centered Associate Director of MBA Careers to help drive this mission forward for our Jenkins Online MBA and Master's programs in Risk and Marketing Analytics.
Reporting to the Director of Graduate Career Services, the Associate Director serves as a trusted coach, program architect, connector, and thought partner to working professionals navigating career advancement.
Design & Deliver Transformative Career Development Experiences:
You will lead the strategy and execution of career programming tailored to experienced, working professionals seeking advancement, transition, or leadership growth.
- Design and implement a comprehensive portfolio of career and professional development offerings.
- Identify and develop core competencies in career strategy, leadership advancement, job search execution, offer negotiation, and long-term career planning.
- Deliver engaging programming through workshops, small-group coaching, MBA courses (e.g., MBA 590 or 532), industry panels, orientation programs, and digital tools.
- Provide personalized 1:1 career and executive coaching, including:
- Career exploration and assessment interpretation
- Leadership development and advancement strategy
- Personal branding and executive presence
- Networking strategy and expansion
- Interview preparation and negotiation
- Deliver programming across multiple modalities (in-person, virtual, synchronous, asynchronous).
- Stay current on hiring trends, recruitment cycles, and best practices in adult learning.
- Partner with communications teams to drive awareness and engagement with programs.
Career advancement is fueled by meaningful connections. You will design and lead high-impact networking and relationship-building initiatives.
- Host large-scale networking events engaging 100+ students, alumni, and employer partners.
- Create targeted, high-value networking opportunities by industry, function, and career stage.
- Develop and manage peer, alumni, and employer mentorship or connection programs.
- Build and maintain relationships with employers and alumni to support student advancement.
- Contribute to broader employer and alumni engagement strategy for the Career Center.
You will help ensure our offerings remain innovative, relevant, and outcome-driven.
- Support employment outcomes reporting in alignment with MBA CSEA standards.
- Analyze key metrics related to student satisfaction, coaching effectiveness, and program impact.
- Deliver data-informed insights and periodic reports to Career Center and college leadership.
- Support signature Poole College initiatives such as Career Fairs, the ELEVATE Mentor Program, and employer engagement efforts.
- Participate in cross-college committees, advisory boards, and professional organizations.
- Provide career support to additional graduate populations, including Full-Time MBA students.
Other Work/Responsibilities:
In addition to the core responsibilities of this role, there will be occasional opportunities to take on additional duties. This offers an opportunity to build on your skills, explore new areas, and gain a deeper understanding of the department's operations.
Minimum Experience/Education:
- MBA or equivalent professional terminal degree or commensurate professional experience.
- Experience in leadership, people management, program management, human resources, talent acquisition/recruiting, or learning and development functions.
- Previous experience in corporate business functions, non-profit management, executive search, or learning and development.
- Intermediate skills in Excel and PowerPoint.
Required Qualifications:
- Strong interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills with the ability to build meaningful relationships.
- Proven ability to manage projects independently while collaborating effectively within a team environment.
- Results-oriented and motivated by ownership, impact, and continuous improvement.
- Skilled at engaging both individuals and groups in dynamic, client-facing settings.
- Highly organized, with the ability to design and implement effective systems and processes.
- Willingness to work occasional evenings, weekends, and limited travel as needed; seasonal flexibility supported by compensatory time.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Knowledge of MBA career pathways and employer landscapes across key business functions (e.g., marketing, finance, technology, operations, supply chain, manufacturing).
- 5+ years of experience coaching or mentoring early-, mid-, and senior-level professionals, with demonstrated success advancing career and leadership outcomes.
- Experience designing and delivering leadership and career advancement programs for experienced professionals.
- Background in business development, account management, fundraising, or employer relations.
- Experience planning and executing events for diverse professional audiences.
- Training or certification in career or executive coaching and familiarity with professional assessments (e.g., CareerLeader).
- Expertise in adult learning theory, program design, and impact assessment.
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate across stakeholder groups and use data to inform decisions.
- Experience designing accessible materials and utilizing career services technologies (e.g., LMS platforms, recruiting systems, or career services CRMs such as 12twenty or Symplicity).
Required License or Certification:
N/A
AA/EEO Statement:
NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.
If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.
Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.
NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.