Director, Career Services, Military & Workforce Engagement

GENERAL SUMMARY

Paine College is a private liberal arts institution rooted in the tenets of Methodism and committed to academic excellence, ethical leadership, social responsibility, spiritual growth, and personal development. The College prepares students to lead lives of service, impact, and professional success in a global society.

The Director of Career Services, Military & Workforce Engagement serves as a strategic leader responsible for advancing career readiness, workforce development, employer engagement, military-affiliated student support, and post-graduate success initiatives for students and alumni. This position provides visionary leadership in developing comprehensive career pathways that connect students to internships, employment opportunities, graduate and professional schools, military service opportunities, federal careers, and workforce development initiatives.

The Director serves as the institutional liaison for military-affiliated engagement initiatives, Department of Defense partnerships, ROTC exploration and development efforts, veteran and military-connected student support services, and coordination of VA educational benefit resources. This position plays a vital role in strengthening strategic partnerships with employers, military branches, federal agencies, community organizations, graduate schools, and workforce partners to expand opportunities for Paine College students and alumni.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides comprehensive career counseling, coaching, and professional development support to students and alumni.
• Assists students in career exploration, career planning, graduate school preparation, and workforce readiness development.
• Facilitates workshops and training sessions related to resume writing, interviewing skills, professional branding, networking, workplace etiquette, job search strategies, graduate school preparation, and career readiness competencies.
• Develops and implements individualized and group career advising initiatives to support student retention, persistence, and post-graduate success.
• Serves as the primary liaison between the College, employers, workforce agencies, graduate programs, military organizations, and external partners on the local, regional, and national levels.
• Develops strategic partnerships with corporations, nonprofits, government agencies, healthcare systems, STEM industries, cybersecurity organizations, and defense-related employers to expand experiential learning and employment opportunities.
• Plans and implements career fairs, networking events, graduate school expos, employer information sessions, on-campus recruitment initiatives, and workforce development programming.
• Coordinates and expands internship, apprenticeship, fellowship, cooperative education, and part-time employment opportunities for students.
• Develops career pipelines aligned with high-demand workforce sectors including cybersecurity, education, healthcare, public service, business, government, technology, and military leadership.
• Serves as the institutional liaison for military-affiliated initiatives, including ROTC partnership exploration and development efforts.
• Maintains partnerships with military branches, Department of Defense representatives, and federal workforce agencies to increase student access to military and federal career opportunities.
• Collaborates with institutional leadership regarding the establishment, development, and growth of ROTC and military-affiliated programming opportunities.
• Coordinates military recruitment visits, military career information sessions, leadership development programs, and Department of Defense engagement initiatives.
• Maintains knowledge of federal workforce trends, military career pathways, veteran student support practices, and military-affiliated higher education initiatives.
• Tracks and reports internship placements, employment outcomes, graduate school acceptance rates, military enlistment and commissioning pathways, employer engagement, and workforce development analytics.
• Prepares reports, presentations, and assessment data related to career outcomes, student engagement, workforce initiatives, and institutional effectiveness.
• Collaborates with Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, Athletics, TRIO Programs, Residential Life, Student Organizations, and Student Success units to support holistic student development and career readiness initiatives.
• Assists in securing partnerships, grants, sponsorships, and external funding opportunities related to workforce development, military engagement, and career readiness initiatives.
• Supervises student workers, interns, and support staff as assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree required from an accredited institution.
• Master’s degree preferred in Higher Education Administration, Counseling, Student Affairs, Workforce Development, Human Resources, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in career services, workforce development, student affairs, military-affiliated student services, employer relations, human resources, or related areas within higher education, government, nonprofit, or corporate sectors.
• Experience developing partnerships and collaborative initiatives with employers, workforce organizations, government agencies, or military-affiliated entities preferred.
• Knowledge of career development theories, workforce trends, employer engagement strategies, and student success practices.
• Familiarity with ROTC programs, military culture, Department of Defense engagement initiatives, and/or VA educational benefit processes preferred.
• Strong verbal, written, organizational, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills required.
• Experience with data collection, assessment, reporting, and strategic planning.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with students, faculty, employers, alumni, community leaders, and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, career management systems, database platforms, and digital communication tools.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Strong commitment to student development, workforce readiness, and equitable access to career opportunities.
• Ability to lead strategic initiatives and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to develop innovative programs that support student career outcomes and institutional goals.
• Strong networking, partnership-building, and public relations abilities.
• Understanding of the mission and culture of HBCUs and commitment to serving diverse student populations.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and professionalism while working with students and external partners.