Director of Career Communities
Job no: 536550
Position type: Officer of Administration
Location: Eugene, OR
Division/Equivalent: Senior VP & Provost
School/Unit: University Career Center
Department/Office: Univ Career Center Ops
Categories: Academic Advising/Support, Administrative/Professional, Executive/Management/Director, Student Life/Services, Planning/Project Management
Department: Office of the Provost
Appointment Type and Duration: Regular, Ongoing
Salary: $125,000-$130,000 per year
Compensation Band: OS-OA10-Fiscal Year 2025-2026
FTE: 1.0
Application Review Begins
April 23, 2026; open until filled
Special Instructions to Applicants
Please include the following documents with your online application:
1. Resume
2. Names of at least three professional references, their e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers.
Department Summary
The Office of the Provost (OtP) is responsible for carrying out the academic mission of the University of Oregon (UO). The office works collaboratively with faculty and staff to enhance academic excellence, student success, and the UO’s overall academic profile. Led by the provost and senior vice president, the OtP is a dynamic, caring community of colleagues committed to the core values of integrity, trust, equity, collaboration, and excellence. The OtP supports and coordinates matters that pertain to faculty success, including hiring, retention, promotion, and tenure processes. We promote the highest standards in teaching, research and service, working closely with the schools and colleges and other critical academic units to promote institutional and personal flourishing. We are responsible for academic financial allocations and the alignment of resources with strategic academic priorities. In service to the public mission of the UO, the OtP cultivates reciprocal relationships of engagement and outreach with communities at the local, regional, and national levels and across the globe.
The UO’s strategic plan, Oregon Rising, includes student career preparation as one of the campus’s four overarching goals for the next ten years. We have a responsibility to our students and families to ensure that our students’ time at the University of Oregon prepares them for the opportunities and challenges of a complex, globally connected world. Large and small businesses, start-ups, nonprofit organizations, and state and federal government all seek graduates who have developed the skills that prepare them to contribute, innovate, and lead in the modern workplace and in our broader society. Graduates are best served by cultivating such skills through both a rigorous education and opportunities to apply that education in real-world settings.
In support of that goal, we are launching eight Career Communities to elevate our career support for students. Each of the Career Communities will focus on an industry or cluster of industries of interest to UO students and will connect students from all majors with industry-informed guidance, experiential learning, and a supportive network of faculty, peers, alumni, and employers.
Position Summary
We are seeking a collaborative leader to serve as the Director of Career Communities, a pivotal role in shaping the future of career development at the University of Oregon. As the architect of a new university‑wide model, you will design and build the systems, partnerships, and structures that make each Career Community a vibrant, inclusive hub where students can explore industries, gain hands‑on experience, and build professional networks that reflect the diversity of our student body.
Under the leadership and supervisor of the Executive Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, you will bring together partners from across campus and beyond—including University Career Center colleagues, faculty, employers, alumni, and community partners—to coordinate the important work already happening and ensure programming remains industry‑informed, equity‑centered, and aligned with current labor‑market trends.
You’ll provide strategic direction across all communities while empowering Program Directors to innovate and tailor their work to the unique needs of different industries. You will foster an environment for your team where innovation, continuous improvement, and student experience are core to everyday work.
You will also lead efforts to use data to strengthen outcomes, close equity gaps, and communicate impact to university leadership. This position is ideal for a thoughtful, relationship‑driven leader who excels at building inclusive frameworks, managing complex initiatives, and championing student success at scale.
If you are energized by the opportunity to design a transformational model, elevate equity in career preparation, and create an environment where all students feel seen, supported, and prepared to thrive at the University of Oregon and beyond, we invite you to bring your leadership to the University of Oregon.
Core Duties
Strategic Leadership & Career Communities Development:
Provide strategic leadership for Career Communities by setting vision, goals, and scalable systems aligned with institutional priorities and labor market trends. Build strong campus partnerships, oversee advisory boards, and drive effective communication and student engagement strategies that promote access, equity, and awareness of community resources.
Team Leadership, Supervision & Professional Development:
Lead and develop a team of Program Directors by providing supervision, coaching, and ongoing professional development. Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture by setting clear expectations, supporting complex problem-solving, and facilitating regular team and cross-functional planning.
Partnerships:
Collaborate with University Career Center, and School and College colleagues to integrate Career Communities with key programming and align employer and alumni engagement efforts with community needs.
Assessment, Analytics & Administration:
Lead assessment and data management for Career Communities by tracking engagement metrics, ensuring data accuracy, and using insights to drive continuous improvement. Manage and enhance technology platforms in support of Career Communities. Manage budgets and produce reports and dashboards to inform campus leaders and support effective operations.
Minimum Requirements
• Bachelor’s degree
• Four years of experience in career services administration, student success, higher education project management, or other related fields.
• Four years of supervisory experience.
Professional Competencies
• Demonstrated success aligning a diverse group of stakeholders around a shared objective.
• Collaboration: Cultivates strong, productive relationships with students, faculty, staff, employers, and alumni; works effectively across functional areas to advance shared goals.
• Team Leadership: Brings highly developed skills in team-based management, staff supervision, and creating conditions for team success.
• Strategic Prioritization: Demonstrated ability to assess, organize, and prioritize multiple initiatives with a strategic lens and strong attention to detail.
• Organizational Skills: Skilled in planning strategically, managing change, and maintaining clear structures and processes to support complex work.
• Adaptability: Demonstrates flexibility in navigating shifting priorities, emerging challenges, and evolving institutional needs.
• Equity and Inclusion: Works effectively with individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds—including students of color, international students, non-traditional and returning learners—and actively fosters an inclusive, welcoming, and culturally competent environment.
• Data and Assessment: Able to analyze data, generate reports, interpret findings, and communicate assessment results to inform decision-making.
• Marketing and Outreach: Understands and applies marketing principles to effectively promote programs, engage stakeholders, and communicate value to diverse audiences.
Preferred Qualifications
• Master’s degree in higher education, student affairs, counseling, or a related field.
• Experience leading career development, student success, or advising initiatives in a higher education setting.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain productive relationships with faculty, staff, and/or employers.
• Experience developing or managing scalable programs, systems, or processes that serve large, diverse student populations.
• Proficiency using career services platforms or data systems (e.g., Handshake, CRM tools, analytics dashboards) to support decision‑making and program evaluation.
FLSA Exempt:
All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a background check.
The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans, and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit our website.
The University of Oregon is an equal-opportunity institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please email us or call 541-346-5112.
UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy (including pregnancy-related conditions), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, familial status, citizenship, service in the uniformed services (as defined in federal and state law), veteran status, expunged juvenile record, and/or the use of leave protected by state or federal law in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed here.
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