Director of Career Design Advising and Legal, Public Affairs and Service Professions

Job Number: R0006662

Job Description
Department:
Career
Advising

Job Summary:

The inaugural Director of Career Design Advising role provides visionary leadership for a
reimagined model of career design education at Colby College, integrating purposeful life and career design offerings into the students’
liberal arts experience. Reporting to the Dean of DavisConnects, this full-time, year-round position will lead the DavisConnects Career
Design Advising team, advancing Colby’s commitment to ensuring every student has the skills, connections, and access to transformational
global experiences required to chart lives of impact. Individually and in collaboration with the advising team, the Director will engage
students in pathway exploration and preparation for impactful undergraduate and post-graduate career opportunities, while also serving as
the primary advisor for Colby’s legal, public affairs and service professions advising program. The role offers the unique opportunity to
shape an innovative and student/graduate-centric approach to career design that aligns with Colby’s national leadership in student success
and post-graduate achievement.

Essential Functions

To perform successfully in this position, an individual must
be able to perform essential duties satisfactorily as well as possess education/experience, employ the knowledge, skills, and abilities as
listed in representative fashion. Colby College actively supports the Americans with Disabilities Act and will consider reasonable
accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. This listing of essential duties
is not all-inclusive, but representative; other duties may be assigned.

The Director’s essential responsibilities shall include the
following:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and implement a multi-year strategic plan for Colby’s career design and
  advising operation within DavisConnects, integrating life design, experiential learning, graduate and professional school preparation,
  fellowships and global engagement.
• Lead and mentor a high-performing career design advising team dedicated to student exploration,
  reflection, and career readiness grounded in the liberal arts. Direct reports to this role include the career design advisors and the
  Director of Health Professions Advising.
• Serve as a visible campus and community leader, representing DavisConnects in college
  committees, regional networks, and national associations and empower the advising team to similarly do so. Relatedly, cultivate strong
  collaborative partnerships with internal and external stakeholders (e.g. alumni, academic departments, Class Deans, and Colby’s Centers,
  Labs and Institutes) that connect the college’s academic excellence with post-graduate impact and outcomes.
• Establish robust
  assessment measures and leverage data to track outcomes, inform decision-making, and communicate results to campus partners and external
  stakeholders.
• Design and execute marketing and communication campaigns with the help of DavisConnects’ administrative coordinators
  and the student worker team that visibility and engagement in the important offerings the Director will oversee.
• With the support of
  DavisConnects’ administrative and student worker team, Implement and manage data systems and technologies (e.g., Handshake, PeopleGrove,
  Interstride) to streamline the advising team’s efforts.
• If the Director is interested and has capacity, teach a JanuaryPlan course
  relevant to the Director’s subject matter expertise.

Career Design and Specialist Advising

Career Design
Advising

• Oversee and execute a comprehensive advising model that supports students from exploration to action, integrating
  self-assessment, experiential learning, and life and career design principles. Design and deliver effective advising, programs and resources
  responsive to the needs of first year through senior students.
• Collaborate with academic and administrative leaders across Colby to
  embed career and life design into the Colby student experience.
• Supervise the creation of innovative programs, workshops, and
  one-on-one advising that prepare students to thrive in a rapidly changing global workforce.
• Collaborate with the Directors of
  Fellowships and Global Education to expose students and alumni to nationally and globally-competitive fellowships and other experiences
  aligned with their goals, interests and aspirations.
• Be flexible to lead evening and occasional weekend programs.

Legal, Public Affairs and Public Service Professions Advising

• Serve as the primary DavisConnects career design advisor to
  students and graduates interested in legal, public affairs and public service professions, helping them assess interests, explore
  opportunities, and refine a plan leading to post-graduate success.
• Guiding students and alumni through the legal and graduate school
  application process, including, without limitation, application materials, entrance examinations (e.g. LSAT, GRE, etc.), personal statements
  and interviews, as well as guidance on professional school financing.
• Facilitate workshops and manage programs for target
  populations, including domestic and international industry-focused alumni panels, industry immersion experiences (e.g. off-campus job treks
  and opportunities to explore career industries across the US), and topical workshops and industry forums.
• Partner with
  DavisConnects’ Industry and Community Partnerships team to develop and promote internship, externship, research and other experiential
  learning opportunities which will make their student and alumni advisees better informed, more competitive candidates for legal, public
  affairs and public services opportunities.
• If the Director is interested and has capacity; advise and support the efforts of Colby’s
  student pre-law related organizations including the Colby Pre-Law Society.

Position Qualifications

Required:

• At least a master’s degree in higher education, counseling, organizational leadership, or a related
  field.
• At least five to seven years of progressive leadership experience in career services, life design coaching, experiential
  learning, employer relations, or a related area along with equivalent experience coaching, advising and/or mentoring individuals interested
  in legal, public affairs and service professions, whether in a formal or informal capacity.
• Demonstrated ability to lead strategic
  change, manage teams, and cultivate institutional partnerships.
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and strategic planning
  abilities.
• Commitment to developing innovative and inclusive approaches to delivering excellent service.
• Willingness to
  maintain a flexible schedule as needed, to accommodate evening and occasional weekend programs.
• Familiarity and experience using
  Google Education Suite and social media tools.

Preferred:

• Experience in a liberal arts college or university
  environment.
• Familiarity with design thinking, career readiness frameworks, and data-driven advising.
• Proven success
  building or expanding a career center, design initiative, or similar advising function.

Physical/Mental
Demands

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here reflect what is typically needed to perform
the essential functions of this position and what may be experienced while carrying out those duties. Reasonable accommodations may be made
to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• To perform this role effectively, an employee is
  expected to handle employee information, documents, and sensitive matters with care, professionalism, and respect for privacy.
• This
  position involves working with a variety of timelines, including some that require quick turnaround and responsiveness to urgent
  needs.
• In this role, the employee will interact with members of the public and others in a variety of situations and conversations.
  Presenting oneself in a professional, respectful, and thoughtful manner at all times is an important part of the role.
• This position
  includes regular movement throughout office spaces, hallways, meeting rooms, and other campus locations.
• Daily work may involve
  extended use of a computer, including keyboard and mouse
• Physical requirements differ by position. In general, most roles involve
  lifting up to 10 pounds regularly, with some positions requiring occasional lifting of up to 35 pounds or, in more physically demanding
  roles, up to 50 pounds.
• Vision requirements for this position include the ability to see clearly at close and far distances and to
  adjust focus as needed.
• The work environment is dynamic and engaging, often involving multiple tasks and projects that require
  shifting focus and strong organizational skills..
• The noise level is generally moderate; however, there may be occasional moments of
  louder sounds depending on campus activity.

Colby is a private, coeducational liberal arts college that admits students and makes employment decisions on the basis of the individual’s qualifications to contribute to Colby’s educational objectives and institutional needs. Colby College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, or veteran’s status in employment or in our educational programs. Colby is an Equal Opportunity employer, committed to excellence through diversity, and encourages applications from qualified persons of color, women, persons with disabilities, military veterans and members of other under-represented groups. Colby complies with Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in an institution’s education programs and activities. Questions regarding Title IX may be referred to Colby’s Title IX coordinator or to the federal Office of Civil Rights.

For more information about the College, please visit our website: www.colby.edu.