Director of Career Services
Director of Career Services
Location
Demorest (Main) Campus
Job Type
Full-Time Staff
Job Number
202600168
Division
Student Affairs
Department
Counseling and Career Services
Opening Date
06/30/2026
Description
Founded in 1897, Piedmont
University is a private, comprehensive liberal arts university with an enrollment of approximately 2,000 students at campuses in Demorest
and Athens, Georgia.
Description
The Director of Career Services provides visionary
leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for career development programs and services that support student success, career
readiness, experiential learning, and post-graduate outcomes. The Director advances Piedmont University's Strategic Plan by connecting
students to meaningful career pathways, fostering employer and community partnerships, and ensuring students are prepared for successful
careers, graduate education, and lifelong professional growth. The position plays a critical role in supporting the university's priorities
of investing in student success and support systems, developing career-relevant educational experiences, strengthening regional engagement,
and improving student persistence and outcomes.
The Director serves as a campus leader in career readiness initiatives and
collaborates extensively with academic affairs, alumni engagement, student support services, employers, and community partners to create an
integrated student success experience. Career Services is a key component of Piedmont University's Student Success Center and supports
students and alumni through holistic career education and professional development.
Essential Functions and
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Planning
- Develop and implement a
comprehensive career services strategy aligned with Piedmont University's Strategic Plan and student success priorities. - Establish
measurable goals, key performance indicators, and assessment practices related to career readiness, internships, employment outcomes,
graduate school placement, and student engagement. - Lead continuous improvement efforts using data-informed decision-making and
best practices in career development. - Contribute to divisional and institutional planning initiatives focused on student success,
retention, persistence, and post-graduation outcomes. - Represent Career Services on university committees, strategic planning
initiatives, and external partnerships.
Career Development and Student Success
- Design and deliver
comprehensive career development programs for undergraduate and graduate students throughout the student lifecycle. - Oversee career
services including career exploration, major selection support, career assessments, résumé and cover letter development, interview
preparation, networking strategies, job search techniques, and graduate school planning. - Develop scalable career education
initiatives embedded within the student experience from first-year through graduation. - Collaborate with academic departments to
integrate career readiness competencies into curricular and co-curricular experiences. - Support students in identifying and
achieving career goals through individualized coaching and developmental programming. - Partner with Student Support Services,
Counseling Services, Academic Success, and other student support units to provide holistic support that removes barriers to student
achievement.
Employer Relations and Workforce Development
- Establish and maintain strong
partnerships with employers, industry leaders, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and graduate schools. - Expand
internship, externship, job shadowing, experiential learning, and employment opportunities for students. - Coordinate employer
recruitment efforts, career fairs, networking events, information sessions, and on-campus interviewing programs. - Develop strategic
partnerships that strengthen Piedmont University's regional engagement and workforce development impact. - Serve as the primary
liaison between the university and employers seeking to recruit Piedmont students and graduates. - Collaborate with community and
business leaders to identify emerging workforce trends and employment opportunities.
Experiential Learning and Career
Readiness
- Lead initiatives that increase student participation in internships, experiential learning, service-learning,
undergraduate research, and other high-impact practices. - Develop and assess career readiness competencies consistent with national
standards and employer expectations. - Collaborate with faculty to connect classroom learning with career preparation and workforce
needs.
Technology, Assessment, and Outcomes
- Oversee career management platforms and related
technologies used for student engagement, employer relations, appointment scheduling, and outcome tracking. - Collect, analyze, and
report career outcomes data, internship participation rates, employment statistics, and student engagement metrics. - Prepare annual
reports and strategic assessments demonstrating program effectiveness and alignment with institutional goals. - Utilize data to
improve services, demonstrate impact, and support accreditation and institutional effectiveness efforts.
Staff
Supervision and Budget Management
- Provide leadership, supervision, mentoring, and professional development for Career
Services staff and student employees. - Manage departmental budget, resources, and operational priorities.
- Ensure
efficient delivery of services across all university locations and modalities. - Foster a collaborative, student-centered culture
focused on excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Alumni and Stakeholder Engagement
- Partner with alumni relations to strengthen alumni engagement in mentoring, networking, career panels, and recruitment initiatives.
- Develop programs that support career advancement and lifelong professional development for alumni.
- Engage parents, families,
and external stakeholders in career readiness initiatives where appropriate.
Typical
Qualifications
Education and Experience
Minimum Qualifications
- Master's degree in Higher Education, Student Affairs, Counseling, Career Development, Human Resources, Business Administration, or a
related field. - Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in career services, student affairs, workforce
development, employer relations, or related higher education settings. - Demonstrated experience developing career readiness
programs and employer partnerships. - Experience supervising professional staff and managing departmental operations.
- Strong interpersonal, communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
- Experience utilizing data, assessment, and
technology to improve programs and services.
Preferred Qualifications
- Seven (7) or more years of
professional experience in higher education career services. - Experience leading employer engagement and workforce partnership
initiatives. - Knowledge of NACE Career Readiness Competencies and current trends in career development.
- Experience with
career management systems and career outcome reporting. - Demonstrated success collaborating across academic and student affairs
divisions. - Experience supporting experiential learning, internships, and first-destination outcome initiatives.
Licenses and Certifications
Valid Georgia Driver’s License (or obtained within 30 days of hire date) and
satisfactory MVR.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Advanced verbal and written communication skills
and the ability to work with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community. - Leadership and communication skills such as
ability to exchange ideas and opinions, make presentations to students and faculty, etc. - Decision-making skills such as the
ability to make administrative decisions without guidance, interpret policy, establish methods and procedures, assign duties, etc. - Equipment and software knowledge of standard office equipment including computer, monitor, mouse, copy machine, fax, etc.
- Must have evidence of an ability to work effectively with students and colleagues and have a strong commitment to undergraduate liberal arts
education. - Skill in public speaking, advising, professional writing, program design, project organization and management, time
management; use of Microsoft Office software. - Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively
with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community. - Knowledge of student support programs and services.
- Knowledge of student development theory and student personnel administration.
- Knowledge of campus life systems, culture and
conventions. - Program planning, implementation and evaluation skills.
- Outstanding interpersonal and community relations
skills and the ability to communicate and work effectively within a diverse community. - Skill in budget preparation and fiscal
management. - Conflict resolution and/or mediation skills.
- Ability to supervise and train employees/volunteers, to include
organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments. - Ability to foster a cooperative work environment.
- Ability to plan, organize and direct multiple programs and activities.
Supplemental Information
ENVIRONMENTAL, PHYSICAL, and VISUAL ACQUITY FACTORS
This position requires the incumbent to
work in an office environment where they are not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions (as in typical office or
administrative work). In this position the incumbent will regularly be required to kneel by bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee
or knees; crouch by bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine; reach by extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction;
stand by remaining upright on the feet, particularly for sustained periods of time; walk by moving about on foot to accomplish tasks,
particularly for long distances or moving from one work site to another; use fingering by picking, pinching, typing or otherwise working,
primarily with fingers rather than with whole hand or arm as in handling; grasp by applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm;
use feeling by perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of
fingertips; talk by expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken
instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly; use hearing by perceiving the nature of sounds at normal
speaking levels with or without correction and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and making fine
discriminations in sound; and, use repetitive motions by making substantial movements (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers.
The incumbent will be required to perform light work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force
frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of arm and/or leg controls requires exertion of
forces greater than that for Sedentary Work and the worker sits most of the time, the position is rated for Light Work.
This position
requires the incumbent to have close visual acuity to perform an activity such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing;
viewing a computer terminal; extensive reading; visual inspection involving small defects, small parts, and/or operation of machines
(including inspection); using measurement devices; and/or assembly or fabrication of parts at distances close to the eyes.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Piedmont University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of diversity
within its faculty, staff, and students.
It is the policy of Piedmont University not to discriminate in its educational programs,
activities, or employment on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, race, age,
religion, color, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable federal,
state, or local law.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
It is the policy of
Piedmont University not to discriminate in its educational programs, activities, or employment on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual
orientation, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, race, age, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, genetic
information, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Inquiries or complaints from students or
employees concerning the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sex in this statement should be directed to:
Coordinator for
Title IX, Mia Borgstrom
Daniel Hall 213
Demorest, GA 30535
(706) 778-8500 x1504
titleix@piedmont.edu
Inquiries or complaints from students, other than on the basis of sex, concerning any of the prohibitions
of discrimination in the statement should be directed to:
504 Coordinator, Letitia Roller
Daniel Hall, – Room 208
1021
Central Avenue
P.O. BOX 10
Demorest, GA 30535
(706) 778-8500
oars@piedmont.edu
Inquiries or complaints from employees concerning any of the prohibitions of discrimination in this statement should be directed to:
Letitia Roller
Assistant Vice President of Human Resources and Compliance
Daniel Hall – Room 208
1021 Central Avenue
P.O.
BOX 10
Demorest, GA 30535
(706) 778-8500 x 2858
hr@piedmont.edu
