Senior Director of Career Center of Excellence

Senior Director of Career Center of Excellence

The Ohio State University, a top-tier public research university and a leader in education and innovation, is seeking an inaugural Senior Director for its newly established Career Center of Excellence. As a key member of the Office of Academic Affairs, this dynamic and strategic leader will be responsible for creating, launching, and managing a world-class, university-wide career services model in close collaboration with College-specific career offices. This role will serve as a catalyst for career navigation and innovation by providing strategy, support, reporting, and best practices in partnership with colleges and units.

The Senior Director will be at the forefront of The Ohio State University's commitment to preparing its students for successful and meaningful careers, ensuring our students secure internships and graduates are sought-after leaders in a rapidly evolving global workforce. The ideal candidate will be a creative, data-driven professional with a proven track record of successful program development, team leadership, and strategic stakeholder engagement in a complex, decentralized environment. This is a unique opportunity to build a cohesive, integrated, and high-impact career services strategy from the ground up, aligning career readiness directly with the academic mission of the institution.

Responsibilities

• Develop and articulate a compelling, long-range strategic vision for the Career Center of Excellence, positioning Ohio State as a national leader in career services, internships and first-destination outcomes.
• Lead the design and implementation of a comprehensive, university-wide career framework that integrates with academic curricula and supports students from their first year through graduation and beyond.
• Utilize data analytics and labor market trends to inform strategic decisions, identify gaps, and measure the success of career readiness initiatives.
• Sets and provides consistent KPI reporting and data management for university-wide strategic goals related to internships and career development.
• Administer seed funding for new internship programs, serving as a key driver of innovation and new initiatives across the university.
• Manage the Career Center's budget and resources effectively to maximize impact and ensure sustainable growth.
• Serve as the primary liaison and champion for career services across all university colleges, departments, and administrative units.
• Chair and facilitate the monthly meetings of the Career Advisory Board, which includes College and other Career Services Directors, the AVP of Workforce Development, the AVP for Corporate Engagement, key faculty, and industry leaders.
• Foster an environment for the Career Advisory Board to share resources, learn best practices, and coordinate key external stakeholder engagement.
• Partner with alumni relations to leverage the Buckeye network for mentorship, networking, and employment opportunities.
• Represent the university in regional, national, and international forums to enhance The Ohio State University's reputation as a top destination for talent.
• Develop and execute a strategic employer engagement plan to build and strengthen relationships with key industry partners, corporations, and non-profit organizations.
• Provide coordination of career services for large-scale multi-pronged company engagements.
• Lead efforts to identify and cultivate new internship and employment pipelines and opportunities for students across all disciplines.
• Oversee the planning and execution of large-scale career fairs, recruiting events, and on-campus interviews, both virtually and in-person.
• Act as a key spokesperson for the university's talent pool, promoting the value and skills of Ohio State graduates to employers.
• Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of career services professionals, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
• Provide regular professional development opportunities for staff to ensure they are at the forefront of career development and employer engagement best practices.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide constructive feedback to team members, ensuring departmental goals are met and exceeded.

Minimum Qualifications

Required Qualifications