The Director of the Career Accelerator (CA) will provide vision, leadership, and strategic direction and will be responsible for transforming and managing Lewis & Clark College’s new Career Accelerator initiative. This role will integrate innovative career readiness programming with the college’s liberal arts curriculum, ensuring all students gain access to skills development, paid internships, and career competencies critical for success in the evolving world of work. Reporting to TBD, the Director will lead a dynamic team to elevate the college’s national profile as a leader in career preparation for liberal arts students.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES
Strategic Leadership
Develop and execute the vision for the Career Accelerator, aligning it with Lewis & Clark’s mission and strategic priorities.
Establish a culture of career readiness and experiential learning as core components of a Lewis & Clark education.
Collaborate with and build strong relationships with faculty, staff, and external stakeholders to champion the Career Accelerator.
Design and implement innovative programming that integrates career competencies across academic and co-curricular experiences that is recognized and valued by employers.
Program Development and Oversight
Lead the creation and scaling of skills-based courses, paid credit-bearing internships, and applied academic minors in partnership with the Bates Center and other college departments.
Oversee the integration of NACE career competencies into student employment, skills and internship coursework, and co-curricular programs.
Ensure robust and equitable access to career resources, internships, and networking opportunities for all students, with a particular focus on first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students.
Oversee the creation of robust assessment and evaluation of career competencies and internship placement outcomes. Work closely with Institutional Research to develop reporting tools that will document the successful placement outcomes and career readiness of our students.
Partnership Development
Build and maintain strategic partnerships with employers, alumni, industry experts, and community organizations to expand internship, mentorship, and job opportunities.
Serve as the primary liaison to Portland-area employers, leveraging the city’s unique opportunities to support students’ career readiness.
Represent the CA in institutional fundraising efforts, working closely with the Advancement Office to secure transformational gifts and build the CA endowment.
Identify and pursue funding opportunities to support CA’s initiatives, including grant funding, work-study funding, state and federal funding, and industry funding and training initiatives.
Work with Admissions and public relations efforts to disseminate messaging so that prospective students and parents, as well as donors, are aware and motivated.
Work with Institutional Research to create assessment and evaluation tools of career outcomes.
Team Leadership and Administration
Recruit, mentor, and supervise a high-performing team, including professionals responsible for career advising, internship and skills class teaching, skills development, employer engagement, and program management.
Oversee the training and engagement of faculty fellows who contribute to the CA’s academic programming and strategic goals.
Manage the CA’s budget, ensuring responsible allocation of resources to sustain and grow operations.
Implement and oversee data-driven systems to track student outcomes, assess program effectiveness, and inform continuous improvement and strategic decision-making.
Work closely with the Bates Center and other academic departments to ensure the quality and rigor of CA’s academic offerings and its integration with the CA’s efforts to ensure students are prepared for high value/paid jobs post-graduation.
Teaching and Mentorship
Serve as an instructional leader, teaching within the internship program and contributing to curriculum development for credit-bearing courses.
Actively mentor students, providing guidance in career planning, skill-building, and internship preparation.
Other Duties as Assigned
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES, & BEHAVIORS
Deep understanding of the liberal arts model and its integration with career readiness initiatives.
Proven ability to build strategic partnerships with employers, alumni, and community stakeholders.
Expertise in experiential learning, skills development, and internship program management.
Strong commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in career readiness and experiential learning.
Exceptional communication, writing, relationship-building, and interpersonal skills.
Experience managing budgets, fundraising, and securing institutional investments.
Proven experience in supervising, mentoring, and developing high-performing teams.
REQUIRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE
Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., higher education administration, business, organizational development, or a discipline aligned with Lewis & Clark’s liberal arts curriculum).
At least 8 years leadership experience in career services, higher education, workforce development, business administration or a related field.
PREFERRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE
Deep ties and familiarity with the Portland professional community (for- profit and nonprofit).
Demonstrated success in leading transformative organizational initiatives.
Familiarity with career management platforms and technologies, such as Suitable, LinkedIn Learning, and uConnect.
Experience in teaching or facilitating career readiness programs.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
General office environment
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk, working on a computer
Communicate effectively via phone, email, online meetings, and in person
