Assistant Director, Career Readiness

Department
 

Harris School Career Readiness

About the Department
 

Why policy? For a better world. Why Harris Public Policy? Because when it comes to better policymaking, evidence matters. We work at the frontiers of data collection and analysis, using the latest technology and social science methods to design policies that work for society. We conduct rigorous inquiry in an environment of innovation and risk taking, fearlessly questioning the status quo. We collaborate across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, adopting new methodologies to drive better solutions. We engage with our city, our world, and our leaders every day to evaluate and test our ideas. And we lead with our passion for driving social change, knowing that passion alone does not equal impact. With passion and precision, we figure out what’s best for society—and get it done. This is Harris Public Policy: Social impact, down to a science.

Job Summary
 

Are you passionate about guiding the next generation of policy leaders? The Harris School of Public Policy is seeking a dynamic and dedicated Assistant Director, Career Readiness to join our Career Development Office. In this pivotal role, you will serve as a career coach and analyst for our diverse community of students and graduates.

At Harris, we foster a global community of scholars with over 1,200 graduate students from more than 40 countries, speaking over 50 languages, and pursuing 16 unique degrees. Our students are driven to make an impact in various fields, and we are committed to providing them with the tools and support they need to succeed.

The Assistant Director, Career Readiness will deliver exceptional career advising and coaching to help students and graduates achieve their immediate job search goals for full-time positions and summer internships. They will provide tailored career guidance within a broad range of policy and social impact sectors, including Consulting, Education Policy, Energy and Environmental Policy, Finance, Government (municipal, state, federal), Healthcare Policy, Housing Policy, International Development, International Non-Governmental Organizations, Nonprofits (local, regional, national), Public Finance, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Enterprise, and Technology. They will collaborate with the Director of Career Readiness to develop and implement innovative career readiness programs and initiatives. Additionally, they will empower Harris to make more data driven decisions and tell more compelling stories about student career success.

As the Assistant Director of Career Readiness, you will have the opportunity to inspire and empower a diverse group of future leaders. Join us in creating a supportive and impactful environment where students can thrive and make a difference globally.

Responsibilities

• Coaches Harris students and graduates on appropriate career management and job search skills in one-on-one, small and large group settings, and virtually using knowledge of the Master of Public Policy curriculum, labor market needs broadly and within specific geographies (US, China, and South Asia).

• Provides career coaching support for career paths that require highly technical and skilled employees in data analytics, research and program evaluation including firms in public, private and non-profit sectors.  Conceptualizes, innovates, develops, and facilitates the delivery of specialized career education (knowledge and skill building) including workshops, panel discussions, and guest speakers in person and virtually.

• Understands career interests of students and works closely with Employer Partnerships staff to facilitate connecting students to career opportunities in specialized fields.

• Solicits and analyzes student and alumni feedback and evaluations and helps strategize with Harris staff and student leaders to determine program and resource offerings and innovations.

• Manages or leads various special projects/programs that provide career-related support or strategic initiatives to address needs of special constituencies.  These audiences could include the general alumni population, subsets of students or alumni based on industry, geography, work authorization, function, years of work experience, or other factors.   

• Conducts job search and career management related large lectures, hands-on workshops, special events, training programs, and one-on-one career coaching sessions. Acts as a resource for and directs students to other career resources as needed.

• Understands data analysis and technical interview tasks to coach and evaluate student performance for specialized interview processes (technical interviews, case interviews, data challenges, etc.)Advises students on how to communicate technical skills through GitHub and a technical projects section of a resume.

• Engages in proactive communication and engagement to support career development and success in securing internships and full-time jobs.

• Communicates frequently with students to share opportunities and help them stay on track for success. Tracks student progress in securing a job or internship using Salesforce.  Maintains accurate and complete coaching records in Salesforce.

• Leverages technical tools (R, Python, Machine Learning, etc.) to create data analyses and visualizations to understand student and career trends and report to leadership.

• Creates dashboards in Tableau, CRM Analytics, Salesforce, and other systems to display student data.

• Uses knowledge for database architecture to enhance collection and reporting within Salesforce.

• Utilizes data science and analysis skills and tools to source jobs and internships to promote to students.

• Conducts mock interviews, reviews resumes and cover letters, and coordinates other interview related programming in both individual and group settings.

• Develops original content for career related publications and assists with the editing and distribution of Career Services communications materials.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree.

• Masters in Public Policy.

Experience:

• Industry experience preferred in one or more of the following: Consulting, Public Finance, Finance, Energy and Environmental Policy, Healthcare Policy, Housing Policy, Education Policy, International Development, International Relations, Social Enterprise, Technology and Innovation, and Social Entrepreneurship.

Preferred Competencies

• Experience supporting international students with career management is strongly preferred.

• Strong database management and analysis skills.

• Knowledge of the job search process and understanding of the role of internships and full-time recruitment strategies of the nonprofit, government and private sectors related to public policy.

• Workshop development, presentation, coaching, and networking skills.

• Project or event management skills.

• People development, building a collaborative team environment and engaging and inspiring staff members to reach or exceed individual and team goals.

• Understanding of and appreciation for the needs and concerns of international students.

• Deep commitment to customer service, set priorities, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and diplomatically with students and colleagues.

• Foreign language skills (Mandarin and/or Cantonese).

• Strong written, verbal, and analytical skills.

Working Conditions

• Work, in-person, at the Keller Center in Hyde Park, Chicago.

• This position is currently expected to work a minimum three days per week in the office.

• Evening or weekend work may be required based on student needs and recruiting activities.

Application Documents

• Resume/CV (required)

• Cover Letter (required)

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Student Affairs & Services

Role Impact
 

Individual Contributor

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

37.5

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.