Associate Director, Career & Professional Development for PhD & Postdoctoral Scholars - Center for Career Engagement

Position Summary
Within the Center for Career Engagement, the Associate Director, Career & Professional Development for PhD & Postdoctoral Scholars uniquely understands the complex career identity development of master’s and PhD students and postdoctoral scholars, and the importance of strategic partnerships across the university for increasing equity and access to career and professional development opportunities.
Working collaboratively with graduate students, university departments, faculty, and grad centers this position will be responsible for prioritizing the needs of underrepresented and underserved communities and designing and facilitating professional development curriculum and content across disciplines.
The successful candidate will develop and lead sustainable programs within a career community specifically for doctoral and postdoctoral scholars and support PhD students and scholars through career advising, designing and implementing career and professional development topics, facilitating workshops and/or teaching courses and provides leadership and ongoing training for the graduate team and for staff in Washington University’s Center for Career Engagement, a newly established university career center on best practices and trends in doctoral degree professional development.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

Collaborative Program & Resource Development

• Collaborate with Vice Provost for Graduate Education and International Affairs, The Graduate Center, Graduate Programs Offices in Schools across WashU, Center for Teaching and Learning, The Graduate Writing Program, academic departments, faculty, PhD students, postdoctoral scholars, and alumni to design a professional development framework, centering the work in underrepresented and underserved PhD & Postdoctoral scholars.
• Conduct in-depth needs assessment with key stakeholders and map the WashU learning landscape to increase access and equity for the advanced degree community to develop professionally and pursue their careers of choice. Lead collaborative programs to prepare students and scholars for academic and academic adjacent jobs, develop identity-specific communities, build out mentorship training and address emerging professional development needs.
• The successful candidate will center their work in the needs of historically underrepresented and underserved PhD and postdoctoral scholars, building partnerships, content and programs to address gaps and serve all students.
• Lead the development of curriculum and content to support individual development planning. Coordinate across WashU academic departments and programs to build competency-based programming and source external speakers and virtual tools to scale impact.

Leadership & Training

• Supervise Assistant Director for Career Development and/or part-time career coaching staff within this unique career community.
• Lead the integration of evidence-based practices into program design and coaching.
• Provide professional development opportunities for career coaches, seeking out new resources, training opportunities, and best practices in service delivery models for advising, pedagogy and instructional design.
• Assess student needs and identify gaps in service to develop a PhD & Postdoctoral Career Community that supports succession planning and long-term sustainability of programs in concert with the team.
• Oversee hiring, training and supervising staff and graduate students on professional and career development topics to better extend services to the PhD & Postdoctoral community.

Individual and Group Career & Professional Development Advising

• Advise and coach PhD and postdoctoral scholars on career and professional development topics across industries and disciplines, demonstrating unique expertise of the formation of scholarly identity and culture in graduate programs.
• Types of coaching include meeting with students in person, through video conference, and by phone on topics ranging from application document preparation, career exploration and planning, interviewing, negotiation, decision making, storytelling and resilience strategies.

Thought Leadership, Learning & Service

• Engage in opportunities that demonstrate unique expertise of PhD & postdoctoral career and professional development, advancing the learning and development for the career ecosystem at WashU.
• Opportunities include participation in national, regional and local organizations, conducting research, publishing, grant writing and committee participation at the department, division and university level, including employer engagement within the Center for Career Engagement.

Perform other duties as assigned.

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Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in education, communication, sociology, psychology, humanities or STEM fields.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to thrive in a new and changing work environment.
• Project and program leadership experience. Supervisory experience preferred but not required.
• Contributions to the field of advanced degree career and professional development.
• Seven plus years of professional experience in progressively responsible roles. Five plus years of relationship management and collaborative work experience.
• Passion for working specifically with PhD and postdoctoral scholars, with an advanced understanding of PhD and postdoctoral scholar professional development needs and hiring landscape.
• Strong presentation, teaching and facilitation skills to lead workshops, career courses, meetings and seminars with stakeholders at all levels of the university and external constituents.
• Demonstrated understanding of curriculum design, evidence-based teaching or pedagogy.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Program and project management experience.
• Demonstrated experience advising graduate students on career and professional development topics and ability to train and develop advisors working with graduate students.
• Willingness to fail and learn collaboratively with the team.​
• In-depth knowledge of career development theories and practices specific to PhD students and postdoctoral scholars.
• Familiarity of challenges and unique needs of underrepresented communities in higher education.
• Understanding of strategic partnerships and collaborations.
• Awareness of best practices and trends in doctoral degree professional development.
• Knowledge of competency-based programming and curriculum design for career development.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Leadership and supervisory skills.
• Coaching and advising skills.
• Program and resource development skills.
• Ability to assess and identify gaps, build and maintain strategic partnerships, adaptability.
• Ability to foster an inclusive and supportive environment for scholars, including understanding their scholarly identity and culture.​

Required Qualifications

Bachelors degree and five years of related experience or Graduate degree and three years related experience.

Grade
G12

Salary Range
$57,300.00 - $97,700.00 / Annually

The salary range reflects base salaries paid for positions in a given job grade across the University. Individual rates within the range will be determined by factors including one's qualifications and performance, equity with others in the department, market rates for positions within the same grade and department budget.

Questions

For frequently asked questions about the application process, please refer to our External Applicant FAQ .

Accommodation

If you are unable to use our online application system and would like an accommodation, please email [email protected]  or call the dedicated accommodation inquiry number at 314-935-1149 and leave a voicemail with the nature of your request.

Pre-Employment Screening
All external candidates receiving an offer for employment will be required to submit to pre-employment screening for this position. The screenings will include criminal background check and, as applicable for the position, other background checks, drug screen, an employment and education or licensure/certification verification, physical examination, certain vaccinations and/or governmental registry checks. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of required screening.

Benefits Statement

Personal

• Up to 22 days of vacation, 10 recognized holidays, and sick time.

• Competitive health insurance packages with priority appointments and lower copays/coinsurance.

• Want to Live Near Your Work and/or improve your commute? Take advantage of our free Metro transit U-Pass for eligible employees. We also offer a forgivable home loan of up to $12,500 for closing costs and a down payment for homes in eligible neighborhoods.

• WashU provides eligible employees with a defined contribution (403(b)) Retirement Savings Plan, which combines employee contributions and university contributions starting at 7%.

Wellness

• Wellness challenges, annual health screenings, mental health resources, mindfulness programs and courses, employee assistance program (EAP), financial resources, access to dietitians, and more!

Family

• We offer 4 weeks of caregiver leave to bond with your new child. Family care resources are also available for your continued childcare needs. Need adult care? We’ve got you covered.

• WashU covers the cost of tuition for you and your family, including dependent undergraduate-level college tuition up to 100% at WashU and 40% elsewhere after seven years with us.

For policies, detailed benefits, and eligibility, please visit: https://hr.wustl.edu/benefits/

EEO/AA Statement
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity and especially encourages applications by those from underrepresented groups. It is the University’s policy to provide equal opportunity and access to persons in all job titles without regard to race, ethnicity, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran status, or genetic information.

Diversity Statement
Washington University is dedicated to building a diverse community of individuals who are committed to contributing to an inclusive environment – fostering respect for all and welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Individuals with a commitment to these values are encouraged to apply.